Endo is the first catholic to put it forward with such force and to. Deep river is a story of a kind usually dared only by veteran writers a direct, seemingly guileless inquiry into the meaning of life. Review of deep river, by shusaku endo dan schneider. This silence of jesus who passes by at the moment of persecution is the theme of shusaku endos elegantly written, gripping, and muchacclaimed 1966 novel, silence a film adaptation of which, directed by martin scorsese, will appear in 2015. Father rodrigues has come to japan to find the truth behind unthinkable rumours that his famous teacher ferreira has. Memories, and autobiogra,phical confessions art is a wound turned to the light. Shusaku endo 19231996 is widely regarded as one of the most important japanese authors of the late twentieth century. Shusaku endo, the muchdecorated japanese writer who died in 1996, was intensely absorbed with the task of living as a japanese and as a believing christian.
The scene of endos novel, however, is 17thcentury japan rather than china, and his missionaries. His most famous book, silence, originally published in 1969, helps to. Screen memories, and autobiogra, phical confessions. January 25th, 2010 skip to comments shusaku endo 19231996 shusaku endo was an awardwinning japanese fiction writer and television personality, born in tokyo in 1923. His most famous book, silence, origi nally published in 1969. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of deep river by shusaku endo. Shusaku endo was a japanese catholic whose fiction explored the conundrum of his faith. Deep river chapter three, the case of mitsuko summary. Unzen shusaku endo postmodernism endo uses pastiche, which is the combination of multiple elements, to provide the reader with several different points of views and perspectives of that have taken.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Upset and confused, the two priests decide to defy the countrys ban on christianity to learn the truth themselves. Shusaku endos wonderful fool is an incisive commentary on the materialism and spiritual emptiness of 1950s japan. In the best passages of the book a western reader will see parallel human. The life story of japanese famous author shusaku endo video created for theological studies class at loyola marymount university.
Deep river 1993 follows four diverse japanese people who meet at indias holy ganges river. In deep river, author shusaku endo follows the paths of four japanese people on a tour of india that, for each of them, is a pilgrimage. Pdf on jan 1, 2012, justyna weronika kasza and others published a. It is the story of a jesuit missionary sent to 17th century japan, who endures persecution in the time of kakure kirishitan hidden christians that followed the defeat of the shimabara rebellion. Deep river by shusaku endo author theme reads librarything. Deep river is a good read but lacks the philosophical weight and credibility of silence. Assuredly this is no new problem but one which he has inherited from a long line ofjapanese writers and intellectuals from the time ofmeiji. His most famous book, silence, origi nally published in. It does not proclaim or preach in manner similar to the missionaries of its historic setting, but rather is a stirring novel of questions that in their nature are unanswerable all the while remaining a simple story of. I opened it and could not close it until i had finished it. While sometimes shaky, the novel deep river by shusaku endo on faith is also profound in parts. Otsu and mitsuko, though, are the sort of people we bump into only in. Shusaku endos reading of the passion critique of the japanese novel silence by william t.
Soon to be a major motion picture directed by martin scorsese in this powerful psychological drama set in the. Once again, endo addresses the theme of religious belief. A japanese catholic, endo tells the story of two seventeenthcentury missionaries attempting to shore up the oppressed japanese christian movement. But he was too ill to attend the ceremonies at the imperial palace. Shusaku endo 1923 1996 was a japanese author who wrote from the rare perspective of a japanese roman catholic. Endo even from his early days is the conflict between east and west, especially in its relationship to chris tianity. Deep river is an authentic and rewarding story that peers directly into the heart and mind of one of japans really great writers. He has fixated most of his writings on two main crossing issues such as eastern and western cultures specifically between japanese culture. Each of the 5 characters stories was engaging and poignant in a different way, but it really grabbed me after they arrived in india. Two portuguese jesuit priests travel to a country hostile to their religion, where feudal. Silence, chinmoku is a 1966 novel of theological fiction by japanese author shusaku endo, published in english by peter owen publishers. Shusaku endo 19231996 was born in tokyo, graduated from keio university, then studied in lyon, france.
While searching for the novel silence by shusaku endo at the local library i came across one of his later novels, deep river. Adolescents, on the other hand, blush quite frequently. Shusaku endos classic novel of enduring faith in dangerous times, soon to be a major motion picture directed by martin scorsese, starring andrew garfield, liam neeson, and adam driver silence i regard as a masterpiece, a lucid and elegant drama. Cavanaugh, commonweal, march, 1998 i found the full article text via the public librarys database, couldnt find a quick easy link, sorry.
Publication date 1994 topics japanese publisher new york. Jesus christ, the nobel prize and shusaku endo the japan. Last year, one of japans bestknown novelists, shusaku endo, was to have received the culture prize from the hands of the emperor. Silence is betterknown and considered by many to be his masterpiece. Silence is the most important novel of the acclaimed japanese author shusaku endo. He won many major literary awards and was nominated for the nobel prize several times. To ask other readers questions about deep river, please sign up. Examining the transformation of mitsuko and otsu deep river by shusaku endo discusses several themes and ideas of the human condition while following several main characters that converge on the river ganges two of the main protagonists that are followed in the novel are on different journeys with their lives, but are heavily influenced by one another. Shusaku endo has had a long career in literary works. Discover book depositorys huge selection of shusaku endo books online. This is the second shusaku endo novel i have read as part of a year long read of endos works on. Kiguchi, isobe and numada are realistic characters, and their stories are quietly effective.
A group of japanese tourists travel to india, for their own reasons and seeking their own redemptions. Owen speculated that it was due to pressure from the japanese themselves, because endo had. I wonder at the faith and christianity of shusaku endo a thoughtful, reflectfull japanese. Screen memories, and autobiogra,phical confessions. Mention the name of endo shusaku 192396 in literary circles, and chances are that the cliched portrayals of him as japanese christian author, or even as the japanese graham greene, will not be long in surfacing. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Silence was written in the 60s and deep river was written in the 90s. When he died in 1996, only two novels were chosen to be placed inside his. In this richly detailed setting, endo offers a faith that, using the river as metaphor, comfortingly blends all the great religions together. Shusaku endo, a japanese catholic, is an intriguing character himself, and so one is impelled to read more of his work. He lived with his parents in manchuria until 1933, when they divorced, then accompanied his mother back to her hometown, kobe, japan. Endos novels framed both his arguments against the eurocentrism of mainstream catholicism and his struggle to transplant the roots of his faith into an uncongenial japanese landscape. Caryl phillips on his inspiration, shusaku endo books.
In a place where two rivers meet, endo tried to reconcile the east west dichotomy in his own thinking. They are all on a journey to accomplish something they. Deep river by shusaku endo and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The sinister theology of endos silence the catholic thing. This short 200 page novel packs more emotional punch and character depth is a paragraph than most books do in a chapter. He has written some very compelling novels that dive deep down into the journey of spiritual learning. Here is the essay that helped me understand the ambiguity of the ending. In the deep river, endos last novel about the pursuit of faith, written during his period of suffering from tuberculosis, diabetes and kidney disease, he portrays. River, symbol, plot, and narrative in shusaku endos deep river. Deep river, fukai kawa is a novel by shusaku endo published in 1993. A famous contemporary japanese writer, he won many major literary awards. When he died in 1996, only two novels were chosen to be placed inside his coffin.
Endo, the recipient of americas campion award in 1990, spoke with william johnston, s. Father rodrigues and father garrpe have just received bad news. He was an unlikely inspiration for caryl phillips, who analyses the enduring appeal of. Thirty years separate deep river translated by van c gessel, peter shusaku endo s most probing novel since his masterpiece, silence. Read online deep river pdf by shusaku endo for free. A novel picador modern classics download pdf mobi epub kindle. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on deep river by shusaku endo. The fact that so little of the book has to do with the west, in any way, is at 1 st a bit unsettling, then quite a relief.