Discuss the role and significance of Yasuo in The Sound of Waves

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Essay - Discuss the role and significance of Yasuo

In typical romance novels, the role of the antagonist or the foil is essential. It is the character which pushes the plot of the story along to a climax.  Towards the end of the story, the foil suffers from the result of his actions and wrongdoings, and the main characters live “happily ever after”.

In the book The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima, Yasuo is precisely this character. Mishima presents Yasuo as a weak, detestable and somewhat ridiculous character. Alongside with Chiyoko, both characters serve as an obstacle to Shinji and Hatsue’s love affair. His selfish and objectionable behavior is constantly juxtaposed with Shinji’s virtuous behavior throughout the novel. The author also uses Yasuo to invite skepticism about the merits of a rapidly modernizing urban Japan in creating fulfillment and moral guidance.

When Yasuo is first introduced in the text, Mishima draws the reader’s attention to his status and wealth, coming from “one of the wealthiest families on the island”.  Only nineteen years old, he was already the leader of the Young Men’s Association of Uta-jima, and was a young figure of authority. “Young as he was, he already knew the secret of giving himself importance, and he always came late to their meetings.” Even then, he would enter the room by “opening the door with a bang”. A stark contrast can be seen here, when Mishima portrays Shinji to be introverted and taciturn, where he “remained silent as usual, listening to the others” whilst sitting in a corner. Here, Mishima already foreshadows that Yasuo’s self-confidence and arrogance will be the cause of his imminent failure.

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Mishima places emphasis on the descriptions of Yasuo’s “fat” body and “crafty” eyebrows. The negative lexical field creates a rather grotesque image, and there is a hint of mockery by the author. He had also “inherited a red complexion from his tippling father”. The color of his complexion – red, often has connotations and associations with danger, and the diction “tippling” relates to alcohol and the negative influences from the mainland and Western cultures. Another great comparison is made with Shinji’s sunburnt skin, and exceedingly dark but clear eyes, highlighting Shinji’s purity. Yasuo also spoke “glibly, with no trace of ...

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