The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket.
Yasunari Kawabata's " The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket" is very profound, using a lot of euphemisms and symbols suggested in its economic writing. At first glance, it seems simple enough, until you realize that it goes on a deeper level. The author also illustrates the love for Japanese tradition - that of making lanterns. The author's use of euphemism and symbolism is shown at once in the opening paragraphs. The narrator saw a group of children on an insect chase with varicolored lanterns. There were crimson, pink, indigo, green, purple, yellow and one that glowed with five colors at once. This implies that there are different kinds of people. This showed the different characteristics of the children carrying the lanterns. The ones who were carrying red lanterns have the tendency to lean towards having intense emotions. Contradicting it is pink, which shows gentle emotions. Yellow shows wisdom and intellect. Green has been known for social stability and even greediness. Indigo is of dignity and high aspirations and violet is of noble spiritual aspirations, honor, spirituality and self-esteem. While the one carrying the lantern that glowed with five colors showed well - roundedness of a person and the capability to balance different traits within oneself. .
The story revolves around searching for one's identity and the reluctance to part with the innocence of childhood - and with it the selfishness of a child that when true love comes, one is unable to appreciate it.
The narrator itself illustrated how he is reluctant to leave his childhood when he approached the upper school and turning right as not to leave the playground behind. The upper school showed how he is transcending childhood but he doesn't want to part with it yet. The white board fence of the school symbolizes innocence and the playground is to childhood. The narrator's reluctance is further illustrated with his walking slowly and hurrying forward with short steps.
