Gifted Hands: Saino
No Aru Te, A Novel by Kenneth
Fenter
Review by Ron Paradis
This novel is filled with suspense, intrigue,
and tragic comedy. It involves romances discovered in the wake of sacrifices.
Will the long lost prince and princess find each other and reunite? The two
main characters, Charlie and Keiko, are a mixed race college couple kept apart
intentionally by way of her mother’s parental deception. A prearranged Japanese
marriage is desired by Keiko’s mother. The reason is more a matter of cultural
and financial concerns than outright prejudice, though.
In essence, this book contains the elements
of a spy novel. There is the intrigue of a cat and mouse chase with good guys
and bad guys. Are the private eyes’ intentions good or evil? A mystery is
revealed at the end, as the characters did not realize how much danger they
were really in from the mobsters in hot pursuit. A detective’s snapshots are
taken for his client to help find her daughter. They are used to perpetrate a
jealous encounter from an enraged husband highly trained in the martial arts.
The novel takes place in two different eras,
beginning in the mid 1950’s, then twenty years later, in the late 1970’s. In
the beginning, the young couple is affected by attitudes of post WWII Japan and
America. As they come back together in a different time, Japan is becoming
increasingly westernized, especially among the youth. The elders cling to
traditional ways, as if with a death grip. The omiai, prearranged marriages are still common, yet are looked down
upon by many characters in this novel.
Charlie and the young foreign teachers and
missionaries that he meets in Nagasaki cope with cultural differences. The
novel lets readers experience Japan as a tourist through Charlie's experiences
and first impressions. For example, on the evening of his first full day in
Japan, while looking for a place to spend the night, he meets an American and
his Japanese friend. They have come from working out at their dojo (martial arts gym). They take
Charlie for a snack and introduce him to the public bath.
The American explains that in olden times men
joined their buddies there to soak and commune in the large public hot tubs.
Charlie expressed concern about whether the bath was open for men and women. As
explained to Charlie, “Nakedness is a Christian offense.” However, in small
towns like Isahaya the laws were not strict. Charlie was mortified when two
women got into the bath with them. Charlie had been preparing to get out of the
tub because of the high water temperature when the women appeared. On the verge
of passing out from the hot water, he makes his exit, to the amusement of the
Japanese bathers.
From there, he and his new acquaintances go
eat and get drunk together while making important connections in the community.
Their acceptance as colleagues is indicated by the exchange of business cards
(meishi). This introduction teaches Charlie lessons both positive and negative
that are tempered as his stay in Japan continues, and his first impressions
change to understanding of what had happened that night.
Missionaries tended not to last long, due to
the Japanese acceptance of many faiths and practices at once. The shame culture
prevails. Honor has supreme value, even over life itself. Charlie is told that
the honorable ritual in response to shame is the taking of one’s own life.
A central question posed is that of who has
the right to judge others. And is this judgment tarnished with preconceived
notions? Perhaps only divine guidance plus an intertwining of cultures and
faiths can lead to a happy ending here, rather than a horrible tragedy. Between
the tragic humor, irony, martial arts, spy intrigue and suspense, a movie could
be based on this novel. The cinematic version would be the combination of a
James Bond movie, “The Hangover”, and “Love Story.”
A repeated theme is that the Japanese culture
has different attitudes than Americans in some ways. For example, there is a
lifetime relationship between teachers and their students; children and their
parents. Favors may go around only to come back around later. Children respect
and take care of their elders, who have kindly raised and cared for them as
youngsters. Extended families under one roof contrast with families in the
United States spread far and wide, possibly out of contact with each other.
The downside of extended families would be
cramped quarters with thin walls. The sacrifice is that of privacy for lovers.
An institution in Japan compensates in the form of rent-by-the-hour motels. The
double standards and inferior treatment of women are exposed and criticized in
the novel. I suppose that Americans have their share of fault in regard to
double standards in treatment of women also.
“Gifted Hands” is actually the
title of a poem written by the character Hideaki Haraguchi (Pancho) in
reference to Charlie and Keiko’s separation, then reunion as accomplished
artists. Pancho is a poet who has a small percentage of Ainu, with a heavy
beard as a throwback trait. The Ainu are a Caucasian indigenous people who
predate the Asians who later populated Japan. The prejudice can flow both ways.
“Pancho” is a nickname given to him by the Catholic priest, Father Alvarez, who
runs the International Center where Pancho works, and where Charlie stays when
he arrives in Nagasaki. Pancho considers his blood impure. He gravitates to a
young woman in the book who is a mix of Japanese and American, and has a like
interest in literature. This is significant in that, according to the two
characters, men and women of mixed races are not considered marriageable to
pure Japanese. They are a miraculous find for each other.
Poems and haiku are interspersed throughout
the novel, creating an artistic flair. Many of the characters express artistic
talent including Father Alvarez (Padre). Though he is Mexican and Catholic, the
Padre keeps an open mind to all races, religions, and cultures. He therefore is
a hero to the Japanese people.
Japanese youth have become more “Americanized”
both in dress and thought. While portrayal of nudity is accepted in Japan, the
reasoning is no shame of biological anatomy. For example, breasts are simply a
device used to feed babies. Increasingly, though, breasts are becoming a symbol
of sexuality, as in the United States and other westernized countries. Some
traditions that appear very different are actually similar in essence between
the countries.
This novel is filled with references to World
War II, and especially the plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki via B-29 bomber.
The reality of how the bomb shaped the lives of the people is explored in its
tragedy and horrors. A commitment to peace now abounds, such as with
visitations to the Peace Park. The Japanese honor their ancestral victims of
mass destruction with shrines and hospitals. Those scarred by radiation remain
ashamed, and cloak themselves in veils. Keiko was able to guard her identity
for so long by wearing veils. People assumed she was horribly disfigured by
radiation. Some very tender moments took place when she was able to unveil her
beauty first to her mother, then to the world, as a famous koto musician.
Keiko and her mother shared a long-time Christian
ancestry. As a minority religion in Japan they kept it a secret. For example,
their Buddhist shrine had Christian symbology hidden on the back, out of sight.
Keiko always wore a crucifix around her neck. It was kept tucked underneath her
clothing out of sight. She wished to not offend and not to be looked down upon.
A crucial decision for Charlie and Keiko was whether to forgive her mother for
the deception that kept them apart for twenty years. Keiko said she could not
forgive. Then she pulled out her crucifix, kissed it, and stated she must
forgive and be true to her faith. This led to Keiko and her mother becoming
happily reunited. Her mother gave them her blessing to marry.
Historically, Japanese Christians (Kakure
Kirishitans) had to hide their faith for hundreds of years. Those possessing
Bibles were killed. So, scripture was passed down by word of mouth, taking on
changes. Wars and slaughter throughout history have been precipitated by the
attitude that a country’s prevalent religion is the only true religion. So,
those professing other religions must be converted or killed, even if the
fundamental morals are the same. The ultimate irony of war is the mixing of
cultures.
Some lessons I learned from this book were:
If someone loses contact with you there may be a misunderstanding to resolve,
or something unknown going on. Do not make assumptions. It is great to learn
other languages. English is not the only language spoken on our planet.
Learning foreign languages helps one to function in other societies, and helps
others to function in ours. It is difficult to cooperate and avoid
misunderstandings without understanding what others are saying. Honesty has its
rewards. A person’s intentions may or may not be malicious. One must understand
their own traditional role in a foreign culture prior to marrying into it. One
must be prepared to embrace the differences in a foreign culture before
becoming a part of it.
The novel, though fictional, is accurate
geographically, and to the style and traditions of the Japanese culture and
ways of thinking. Attention to culture in this novel includes style of dress,
foods, and other detailed descriptions, including holidays, cultural ways,
behaviors, attitudes, infrastructure, architecture, politics, and even weather.
I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the Tokonoma shrine in Japanese homes.
Though not a religious shrine, it functions as a place of honor to show off a
piece of art and a flower arrangement, or some other precious item that the
family possesses. Because it contains the family's most precious treasure or
some statement of art, that is a place of honor, and thus a special guest will be
seated in front of it. Charlie had the honor of being seated there, but did not
entirely understand the significance.
Characters’ thoughts are italicized, giving
an internal perspective into ways of thought. The author, Kenneth Fenter,
writes with the authority of his own experiences while living and conducting
business in Japan. This makes the novel believable even with the magical,
mystical, and spiritual events that take place.
This is a well-organized novel, and is easy
to follow. It begins with a summation of previous events as background from the
previous novel, Pivotal Times: The Freshman Year. Also
to the reader’s advantage is the “Author’s Note” which explains the experiences
and perspectives involved in writing this work. An Author’s Notes at the end gives
a summation of events that clarifies the significance of this novel in
retrospect. The book is organized into 41 chronological chapters, like scenes
in a movie, over the span of 365 pages. The characters, time frame, and
settings are identified at the beginning of each chapter. A glossary allows the
reader to look up the meanings of actual Japanese words that are interspersed
for a realistic effect. Japanese phonetic pronunciation of English words for
less fluent characters is used to create realism also, (an editor’s nightmare).
I would recommend this novel to anyone for
the entertainment value it provides. This book would particularly bring
enjoyment to those who like to travel and to learn about other cultures, the
historical origins, and cultural evolution. In other words, the accuracy of the
background details and the descriptions make this book a learning experience.
The story line embeds certain lessons to be learned.
