Introduction
In this story, water figures prominently, being both a source of trouble and an essential resource that people from different perspectives can perceive. Throughout the narrative, several transitions occur to various memories and beliefs associated with water. This element is endowed with other properties and is perceived differently by the characters, depending on their life experiences and personal attitudes. Thus, water in this story is the central element of the plot that connects several generations of people through memories.
Discussion
The story highlights the importance of water and its distinctiveness from the rest of the environment. The main character describes the father’s death: “Dying underwater didn’t count” (p. 10). In the character’s perception, water is depicted as a substance that significantly differs from the land and the world familiar to humans. Hence, water contrasts with land, showing a certain sense of the strangeness of this substance to humans. In addition, at the same incident, it is mentioned that the word jusui is used to describe death in the water, further separating death in water from the end on land. Therefore, water is portrayed as something mysterious and, to a certain extent, alien to humans.
Despite the negative experiences associated with water, this substance appears as a deity throughout the story. The main character explicitly mentions it: “I’ll admit that, at the time, the Water Deity was taking up more attention than my husband. (p. 15). In this aspect, an essential element in the description of the role of water is the mention of the water god Suijin. Mentioning the elements of religion, in this case, reveals that water has been an essential element for people for a long time. Thus, water is highlighted as a vital element in people’s lives and directly personified in faith and religious imagery.
Conclusion
The image of water is the central element of the whole story, as the plot is formed based on its description. Water is described in the context of several generations and reflects people’s life experiences, beliefs, and attitudes. In this aspect, water is not just a liquid that people need in various parts of life, despite the description in the story of the processes associated with the everyday use of water. Water in this story has the features of mystery and strangeness for people, and at the same time, it is deified and personified in religious images.