Japanese Imagery
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet is set in Japan, and in traditional David Mitchell style, the author goes to extreme lengths to paint a world that is historically accurate, wholly enveloping, and meticulously detailed. After an extraordinary amount of research, he has produced a glimpse into a perfectly crafted world on the coast of Japan which, although diluted by the presence of the Dutch, nevertheless retains many customary Japanese images and elements, from the food to the court to the samurai training grounds.
Cultic Imagery
Lying beneath the surface of Mitchell's beautifully crafted world is a thread of horrifying corruption, taking the form of Enomoto's unholy cult and its terrible sacrifices. To convey the unsettling nature of this corruption, Mitchell creates several disquieting images, accompanied by an air of creeping dread, that aptly places the reader in this unpleasant position. Such images mainly appear at the Mount Shiranui Shrine, where Orito goes exploring and finds hidden areas she isn't intended to find, with stone statues and decrepit stone structures that instill fear into the hearts of the readers.
Tactical Imagery
Much of this novel is concerned with power struggles: tactical combat, subtle manipulation, and strategic positioning. This imagery is exemplified in the recurring motif of Go, a traditional Chinese game that includes deep strategy and general-like moving of troops on a war map. Enomoto is another physical exemplification of this imagery, as he craftily maneuvers himself into positions of influence to ensure his survival and the continuation of his evil schemes.
Cultural Division Imagery
Dejima is the location of a clash of cultures, the Dutch and the Japanese, and Mitchell uses clever imagery to ensure his readers understand that. One of the most notable examples is the appearance of Jacob de Zoet contrasted with that of Uzaemon and the other Japanese: Jacob has pale skin, freckles, and red hair, all of which stand out dramatically from the darker, smoother skin and the black hair of all the Japanese characters. Other examples include the coarse language of the Dutch sailors contrasted with the proper, courteous language of the Japanese, as well as the tactless demand of Chief Vorstenbosch for a chair in the solemn Japanese court of mats.
