Discuss the Ways in Which Lian Hearn Develops the Theme of Personal Identity in Across the Nightingale Floor

This name change signifies a change in personality for Takeo as he seems to develop more as a character and we find out more about him. The lord notices his acute hearing and gets the boy a teacher in order to fully develop these hidden traits that the boy posses.

The teacher goes by the name of Kenji and he himself helps the boy to discover who he really is and develops the talents that Takeo does not anything about. Takeo finds out that his father was an assassin and hence he will have the same powers as his father.

Overall he finds that he can be in 2 places at once, draw spectacular pictures, make dogs fall asleep within seconds and also has the amazing ability to hear anything.

The story then changes completely and focuses on another person, Kaede. She is being held hostage by the evil Lord Noguchi who is one of the major enemies of Lord Otori. She then kills a man who tries to rape her and gets a bad name for herself. She becomes the lady of death with many people fearing that if they marry her they two will suffer the same fate, death. We find out that she is a very placid quiet girl almost like Takeo, as she kills the man who tries to kill her she develops into a person who is more confident and seems to bond better with some of the other characters.

Kaede is set to marry an old man who unbeknown to the reader is Lord Shigeru. She begins on a long journey to meet this Lord Shigeru who she is set to marry. Lord Shigeru also sets of as they are set to meet halfway.

Meanwhile Takeo is developing his talents and becomes more confident and is finally speaking to people. He also becomes more boyish by playing tricks on his teacher and being very open with regards to his views towards people. He is also training to become a warrior in order to fight for his new clan.

Lian Hearn then directs the reader's attention towards the meeting point and describes the surrounding and how Takeo is taking in his new surroundings. Takeo is staying in the village where the meeting is set to take place and one night goes out exploring as he can hear strange noises. He finds that people are being hung from the castle walls as they have betrayed their leader Lord Iida. Takeo finds this constant moaning very annoying and decides to help the villages by giving them a poison. This is the first time that the reader finds out Takeo has used his talents to his advantage. Takeo manages to sneak past people by being in two places at once. He then scales the walls and gives the villages the poison that kills them instantly.

From this point on Takeo's personality seems to be more robust his confidence levels have been boosted. He becomes more of a warrior and is more unforgiving in his ways. Kaede meanwhile is training to also become a warrior as she wants to impress her new husband.

Takeo sees Kaede around the village and they instantly fall in love but neither shows it as both know that Kaede is set to marry Lord Shigeru.

The book ends with Lord Shigeru getting seriously injured by Lord Iida and Takeo has to kill him in order to stop him from suffering. Takeo then gets Lord Shigeru's magical sword which also seems to have a great effect on Takeo's personal identity he seems to become more or a warrior not a boy any more he has now killed some one with a sword.

Kaede then meets Takeo and they both confirm each others thoughts that they were both madly in love with each other. They share one evening together before then being split apart again as Takeo had an obligation to join his tribe again. Once again his identity seems to be smashed into pieces and he becomes Tomasu again the quite little boy as he joins another tribe.