The authors of Certain Night and In a Grove articulate the theme and effect in the story by the use of literary devices, such as characterization, setting/atmosphere, and point of view. Even though Ting Ling and Ryunosuke Akutagawa use the same literary devices, the outcome of the effect on the story is not quite the same while the theme is the same. The two stories @have similar characterization and settings, one creating the same effect and the other creating different effect, but in contrast have different point of views. .
The characterizations used by both authors create a theme, the humans pride, which joins the two stories together. The wife of the murdered man from In the Grove says, .
I stabbed the small sword through the lilac-colored kimono into his breast cI stabbed my own throat with the small sword, I threw myself into a pond at the foot of the mountain, and I tried to kill myself in many ways. Unable to end my life, I am still living in dishonor. Worthless as I am, I must have been forsaken by the most merciful Kwannon. I killed my own husband, I was violated by the robber. (508) .
The wife shows pride by telling the commissioner that she is a worthless human being who feels disgust and ashamed of her self because of the sin she felt towards her husband. Implying that she is worthless and the need for death sends a message that she has pride towards love. The communist party in A Certain Night keeps hope saying,.
Arise, comrades. Dont forget that although were going to die now a great congress is being held elsewhere today, and our government is going to be formed today. We must celebrate the creation of our government. Long live our government! (535).
The communists are more graceful than sorrowful when they are about to be killed. This shows that they have pride being and dieing as a communist because they believe that the congress is going to change the country into a communist nation and everyone will thank them.