Thinking Activity- An Artist of the Floating World

 Hello Readers,

I am Hinaba Sarvaiya, student of the English department MKBU. And here is my blog in thinking activity given by our prof Dilip Barad sir. And topic is "An Artist of the Floating World" novel by Kazuo Ishigura.

About author:-

Kazuo Ishigura is British novelist, Screenwriter, Musician, and short story writer. He was born in Nagasaki, Japan and moved to Britain in 1960 with his parents when he was five. He was one of the most celebrated contemporary fiction authors writing in English. He writes about human memory and human thought. He was the winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in literature.

His notable Novels:-

-An Artist of the Floating World (1986)

-The Remains of The day (1989)

-The Unconsoled (1995)

-When we were Orphans (2000)

-Never Let Me Go(2005)

-Klata and The Sun(2021).

1. 'Lantern' appears 34 times in the novel. Even on the cover page, the image of lanterns is displayed. What is the significance of Lantern in the novel? 

 According to, Japanese tradition Lanterns considered good luck and many Thai people belived they are symbolic of problems and worries floating away.

Here we see the cover page of this novel and image of the linternse is displayed. Lanterns in the novel are associated with One's techer Seiji Muriyama and also known for Mori-sun, Who includes a lanter in each of his paintings and dedicated himself to trying to capture the loon of lantern night. In Indian tradition we used the linternse in social events and religions festivities same like Japanese tradition. We used lanterns in Diwali and Makkar Sankranti festival and connected our happiness and next journey became lightness and forget about the bad memory. Here we find the lantern symbolises the transience of beauty and the important of giving careful attention to small moment and details in the physical world, Lantern symbolise an outlook on life, an old fashioned, aesthetically focused, and more traditional way of viewing the world.

 Write in brief a review of the film based on the novel

Set in post-World War II Japan, “An Artist of the Floating World” is Japanese pubcaster NHK’s adaptation of the Kazuo Ishiguro novel of the same title. It stars Ken Watanabe in the lead role of Masuji Ono, a renowned artist looking back on, and coming to terms with, his life against the backdrop of a country being rebuilt after the war.

Masuji Ono is burning his problematic paintings. But we not find in any sceen for the novel he tries to burning his  problematic painting. But film version show the burning of his paintings. It means some time he accepted his mistake and guilt about his action but now we understand through the film but here actually he not realy buring his painting but he tries to burn his ego or something else.

Second frame is again burning painting but here masuji painting not burning but  his student Kuroda painting burn. Police is burning Kurodas painting. Here masuji Ono tell the police, his student Kutoda something plan against for the Government and police arest his and after burn his painting.

Here we see most famous paining for the masuji Ono. "Eyes to the Horizon" was indeed a reworking of "Complacency", though with such differences as might be expected given the passage of years between the two. For the lower, more dominant image, the three poverty stricken boys had become stern-faced soldiers; two of them held bayoneted rifles, flanking an officer who held out his sword, pointing the way forward, west towards Asia.

Here we see the film is very faithful for the novel. If u just read the novel that time so many confusion but we will watch the film that time understand for the novel sequence. This novel protagonist masuji Ono, some time tells the present story after past and young life of his but it not clear tells the stroy after creat a confusion but film also presented the proper way or sequence for the novel. It easy to understand this novel.

Debate on the Uses of Art / Artist (Five perspectives: 1. Art for the sake of art - aesthetic delight, 2. Art for Earning Money / Business purpose, 3. Art for Nationalism / Imperialism - Art for the propaganda of Government Power, 4. Art for the Poor / Marxism, and 5. No need of art and artist (Masuji's father's approach)

Art for the aesthetic delight, art for the art sake and it give to pleasure principle. Here we know that the writer and poet any person write a something for his or her passion or any interest. Something writer their and share some work, that time we not think about how is effective or changeable but they always tries to fulfill your desire and write for delight or sake of art. Sometime art show for the voiceless, poor and downtrodden people. Now I give to example... George Orwell write novel not for the sake of art but he always show the reality through his work and he tries aware about the present time.  Another angle of Art  for nation, monarch, imperial power, powerful positioned people. Now I would like to share same interesting example like the John Dryden also write the monarch or powerfull positioned people like (King David)and he bacame favorable person by King.and he became a poet laureate. It means we desire to became the power and famous person then we staring for sharing a good side of the powerful people and then spread the propaganda for the other. And another art for the Business, capitalist, profit and livelihood. So many good writer or artist, painters actor... famous personalities person invest their skill and their art give to profit. Amitabh bachchan sir is good actor, talented artists and he performed as a good actor and earn money. It means not only art for the sake of art, art for the earning, art for business or art for government propaganda for power. And masuji Ono father also desire to his son became a businessman but masuji one not like any business but he interesting for the painting and he's desire to became famous artist. Here we see the no value for the art or any artist in the world but only value for the business. 

What is the relevance of this novel to our time?

In this novel protagonist of Masuji Ono, the deepest desire to bacame the famous artist and pursuit of style that will earn him acknowledgement as a great artist. He joined the Takeda's firm and after he joined at the Villa of Seiji Muriyama and bacome favourite student. After he leave and begins to create paintings with political messages. And here we see the Masuji Ono not create a own way of style of painting but he following other's ideas and cannot point to any unique contributions of his own. But, infact, he was only one of the many artist of his time who painted derivative work in styles invented by others. 

In this time Everyone find the easiest way to completed your work and other things. This time was faster on one can't find in unique ways to works and  easy way  to copy to other. And another thing is intergeneration gap and no one can change their style to create uniqueness. The novel shoes how the world in which Ono was an important artist is already floating away, superseded by new current, ideas, events and artist.

Here we find my understanding of this novel "An Artist of the Floating world" If you think any changes or any added then we write in a comment section. Thank you for Reading.