American Literature

Patriotism written by Yukio Mishima (year) is a powerful short story that revolves around patriotism and honor, the bizarre expressions of love and suicide.  It talks about a lieutenant in the Japanese army, Shinji, who comes home and informs his wife, Reiko, about his closest friend becoming a mutineer.  They make a decision to end their lives together and for the last time, makes love before the seppuku, which is a Japanese ritual suicide that is done through disembowelment of the samurai class.  On the other hand, Three Million Yen also written by Mishima (year) talks about a prudent couple who spends the day at an amusement park where they sexually perform in front of paying old women. 

    Both short stories seem to identify tales of honor, love and devotion.  Both take into account the bizarre exploits of love and intercourse, with the use of contrast and comparison to identify the implication of Japanese culture with respect to love, devotion, and honor.
     Mishimas short stories, specifically Patriotism and Three Million Yen, describe the implication of honor, love, devotion, and sexual intercourse.

Patriotism by Yukio Mishima
    Patriotism written by Mishima talks of honor, as indicated in the following text
On looking into each others eyes and discovering there an honorable death, they had felt themselves safe once more behind steel walls which none could destroy, encased in an impenetrable armor of Beauty and Truth. (Mishima, year, p.102)

It appears that patriotism has been directly linked to honor and devotion to ones country, with death as a special, irrevocable offer that is justly claimed through the offering of life.

    Patriotism also talks of love and devotion, as indicated in the following text
 In the lieutenants face, as he hurried silently out into the snowy morning, Reiko had read the determination to die.  If her husband did not return, her own decision was made she too would die. (Mishima, year, p.96)

It appears that patriotism is also directly linked to love and devotion, about offering ones life, about dying for the sake of honor and justice.  

Three Million Yen by Yukio Mishima
Three Million Yen written by Mishima also talks of honor, as indicated in the text
First there had to be a secure livelihood and enough money, more than enough money, to see that the child had surroundings of which a parent need not be ashamed, if not, perhaps, enough to see it all the way to adulthood. (Mishima, year, p.32)

Here, honor and devotion appeared, not through patriotism, but in the way people care for their loved ones in a fiscal, monetary way as well as through love and concern. 

    Three Million Yen also talks of love and devotion, as implied in the text
    Fortunately, he was in love with Kiyoko.  To face the future hopefully, therefore, he had only to follow the conditions laid down by nature.  Now and then some other woman made motion to his direction, but he sensed something unnatural in pleasure for the sake of pleasure. (Mishima, year, p.33)

Here, it appears that love is defined as pleasure being driven through sexual intercourse, with devotion being present in connubial affection and enjoyment.  Love is being defined here as the conditions of naturethe basic, intrinsic method of expressing love through pleasure.

    In both short stories, Mishima expressed love and honor in bizarre expressions.  Love and devotion are being interpreted in terms of offering ones life and the pleasure of love through intercourse.  The common element revolves around the need to be together, in life and in death, of being in one with nature, and of offering oneself for the sake of a loved one.