Character Analysis: The Samurai's Garden

Adversity and sickness targets people without bias. Disease can afflict anyone, and people discriminate against people regardless of circumstances. Very few options give relief for social outcasts, and they must learn to live with the ailments and circumstances they find themselves in. How people react and allow possibly horrid conditions to affect them defines their character. Gardens provide one way for people to cope with extraneous circumstances. Many of these gardens developed into masterpieces that reflected the gardener. Gail Tsukiyama’s novel, The Samurai’s Garden, utilizes gardens to depict the characters who tend to them. The characters in The Samurai’s Garden faced extreme challenges with sickness and discrimination. Matsu, who worked hard throughout his life serving other people, found solace and purpose in his garden. Tirelessly, he planted and cared for various plants and landscape features. His garden provided a means for him to express his creativity and true nature. Described as a quite individual, Matsu kept mostly to himself and his thoughts. He experienced a different perspective of disease from his friends who actually suffered physical ailments. At a young age, his sister committed suicide because of leprosy, and he felt her loss throughout the novel. He accompanied his father in the garden before her death and
Matsu’s garden contained a complexity that only presented itself after intense analyzation. It took Stephen many days before he bonded with Matsu due to his hard appearance and demeanor. Once he got past the surface, however, Stephen uncovered Matsu’s complexity. Sachi used her garden as a therapeutic tool and it adopted her persona. Through the harsh appearance of her rock garden, a beauty presented itself. Even under all her scars, Sachi’s physical beauty and the beauty of her personality presented itself to Stephen and they grew an incredible