Reading Week 16: Kenzaburo, Part B

Oe Kenzaburo:

- Born 1935 to present
- Second Japanese writer to receive the Nobel Prize in 1994
- Writing is "grotesque realism"
- His main motifs in writing: the threat of nuclear weapons, the corrupted innocence of the youth, and making responsible choices in the face of overwhelming situations

The Clever Rain Tree:

- Likely to be somewhat auto biographical of the author's life, as many locations and details seem to be very specific
- The title is a reference to a certain type of tree called a rain tree, named such because the leaves are so tightly packed that when it rains, the tree holds the water even after the rain is over. This leads to the leaves dripping and giving the appearance of rain. The "clever" rain tree is one specific tree that holds water even more than the other rain trees, because its leaves are even more tightly packed.
- The narrator of the story is attending a seminar sponsored by the University of Hawaii's East West Center in the issue of "Reappraisal of Cultural Exchange and Traditions" but his mind constantly wanders. He thinks of things like haiku poetry about snowy mountain fields.
- One of the sponsors of the seminar named Agatha tells him about the clever rain tree.
- The narrator then summarizes a party he went to hosted by Agatha, saying that in his retelling he will add "color" to it because it was so boring.
- At some point during the party the narrator and the attendants realize that the party was organized by mental patients.
- As the narrator leaves, he realizes he never knew what tree Agatha was talking about.

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