"A Pale View of Hills" Analysis

Introduction

A Pale View of Hills, is set in the context of post-war Japan after the country’s defeat in WWII. As a result of the war, the country had entered a stage of transition, moving away from its traditional ideals towards western ideals. It is during this shift that A Pale View of Hills takes place. The reaction of Japanese society towards this change is reflected through various characters - conservative and liberal alike. The focus of this book is largely on the oppression of women in traditional Japanese society. This essay will analyze the representation of women in the novel, with particular attention to the patriarchal nature of Japanese society and the societal expectation on women. This analysis will draw on both the characters' interactions and their internal struggles to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by women in this transitional period.

Patriarchal Society

A Pale View of Hills suggests that Japan used to be centered around a patriarchal society and highlights the subservient role of women. This can be seen through the husband-spouse relationship between Etsuko and Jiro, which could be representative of a typical husband-spouse relationship in Japan. There is a strong adherence to traditional values and also a strong sense of duty and obligation. This is evident during the visit by Jiro’s co-workers where Jiro calls out to Etsuko to “get some tea for the gentle-men”, despite the fact that “(She) was already on (her) way to the kitchen” (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 45). This line supports the gender roles women were expected to play and the duties they were obligated to perform. In addition, during this continued interaction between Jiro and his co-workers, one of his co-workers had mentioned that upon discovering his wife’s desire to vote for another political party, he had threatened her and expected her to vote for his preferred party. He mentions “My wife votes for Yoshida just because he looks like her uncle. That’s typical of women. They don’t understand politics. They think they can choose the country’s leaders the same way they choose dresses” (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 48). He also did not deny the fact he had threatened his wife with a seven-iron. This statement elucidates the misogynistic values that were present in Japanese society and possibly its attitudes towards women. Furthermore, Jiro and Ogata-San had both agreed later that “husband and wife voting for different public parties is a sad state of affairs” which suggests that Etsuko is expected to mirror Jiro’s views in public (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 49). This representation of Etsuko could be a parallel to the roles undertaken by Japanese women leading up to post-war Japan.

Suppression of the Female Voice

This suppression of the female voice is further stressed in Chapter 7 where Etsuko is seen “gazing emptily at the view from (her) apartment window” and recognizes “a pale outline of hills” and the “rare sense of relief from the emptiness of those long afternoons (she) spent in her apartment” (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 73). The image of the window is a symbol of entrapment - being able to see the outside perspective but limited to her confines within. The emptiness of those long afternoons could suggest Etsuko’s yearning for something more, possibly liberty. However, the fact that the hills she mentions could only be seen on a clear day, yet palely, also seems to suggest that whatever she yearns for may not necessarily exist. This imagery effectively suggests the suffocating ideals of patriarchal Japanese society, and how it limits the freedom of women. This theme is further explored through the various interactions Etsuko has with other female characters, who similarly express a desire for autonomy but are constrained by societal norms.

Societal Expectations and Motherhood

The representation of women is not only seen through the patriarchal attitudes of Japanese society but also through societal expectations placed on women. Of these expectations, some were discussed earlier in relation to patriarchal values, such as subservience and obligation. A Pale View of Hills suggests that a woman’s identity is her family. The idea of “Ryosai Kenbo”, good wife, wise mother, was expected of women living in Japan leading up to the end of the war. This universal theme of motherhood is depicted in A Pale View of Hills, however in the form of expectations of Japanese society, and its effects on these women.

Etsuko’s and Sachiko’s narrative draws around the ideals of motherhood, almost bordering on an obsession with it. Motherhood can be clearly seen through Sachiko and her daughter, Mariko’s shared relationship. Through Etsuko's narration, readers first see Sachiko leaving Mariko alone at home on numerous occasions and not having sent her to “study in school” (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 95). The universal idea of being a “good mother” in post-war Japan manifests itself in Sachiko, who repeatedly emphasizes “My daughter is of utmost importance to me” (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 98). This statement is repeated throughout the novel and can be said to reveal Sachiko’s internal worry that she is not well capable of bringing a child up. Similarly, Etsuko mentions, “in those days, such small things were capable of arousing in me every kind of misgiving about motherhood” depicting her anxiety of becoming a mother in the future largely due to the societal expectations placed upon her (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 102).

Cultural Shifts and Consequences

At the same time, Sachiko’s own worries are paralleled to Etsuko's mothering skills, which contribute to the plot of the novel. Etsuko admits on several occasions that she knew “Keiko wouldn't be happy”, yet she brought her to live in England (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 110). The shift between the two different cultures had caused Keiko to feel alienated in England and subsequently withdrawing from social life and locking herself in her “fanatically guarded” room which gave her privacy (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 115). This can be said to contribute to Keiko’s eventual decision to commit suicide due to her inability to assimilate and adapt. Even then, Etsuko attempts to justify herself by saying “it was for her own good that I vehemently opposed her(Keiko)”, insisting that they moved from Japan to England (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 120). Keiko’s initial reluctance to move is seen through Etsuko’s telling of Mariko’s similar reluctance to move to America, despite the reassurance that it would be alright there. Both Sachiko and Etsuko had dreamed of their daughters having the agency to choose a life they wanted, which was not apparent in Japan at that time. It was with these societal expectations of motherhood that these two women had decided to leave Japan for a land with more opportunities. However, this eventually backfired as depicted through Keiko’s suicide. Even then, due to the immense societal expectations of women, they are unable to come to terms with their daughter’s misfortune and continue to suppress and hide their emotions. The societal expectations of motherhood have been effective in characterizing characters such as Etsuko who display signs of guilt by repressing her memories of Keiko, saying that “it was in the past” (Ishiguro, 1982, p. 125). It is with these societal expectations that one is able to see the anxiety of the female characters in keeping up to the expectations of motherhood.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the context of A Pale View of Hills provides an excellent backdrop to portray the representation of women leading up to pre-war Japan. The patriarchal values imbued within Japanese society, together with societal expectations such as motherhood, have been useful in depicting the psychological state of women in post-war Japan who were unable to attain total liberty and often suppressed their emotions. This analysis highlights the complexities of navigating personal desires and societal expectations in a rapidly changing world, ultimately revealing the resilience and struggles of women during this tumultuous period.

References:

Ishiguro, K. (1982). A Pale View of Hills. Faber and Faber.