The Wild Geese Themes

The Wild Geese Themes

Honor and shame

In Japanese culture, a man was not measured by his innocence or guilt, but by his honor. By behaving in a way that disregarded the sacredness of others, Suezo has earned his ill repute.

Duty to one's family

Otama however is regarded as a sacrifice for her aging father and as a servant, making a way for her and her father in one of the few ways women could; even in her ethically questionable role as a sexual servant for her master, she considers her duty to be sacred and important, and she does her very best for Suezo, even though he is an evil man. She does this for her father, unquestionably.

Social inequality

The basic problem presented in the story is that there is a large schism between the working class and the reigning class in 19th century Japan. The reality was that when a family was left without resources in Japan, that their station in life became dangerous and scarce. This is the basic problem that Otama's sacrifice solves.

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