The Sound of Waves

Rating:
Summary: A Charming and Well-Written Novel
Review: Yukio Mishima wrote The Sound of Waves following a visit to Greece and his immersion in the literature of ancient Greece. His fascination with the Mediterranean world and his affection for ancient literature (in particular, Daphnis and Chloe) is reflected in this sunny novel. He produced a very approachable and charming story about a island fishing village, and it is no wonder that this book was the first selected for translation into English in 1956 (published in Japan in 1954).

The novel centers around Shinji, a young fisherman, and Hatsue, who had been given away by her father Terukichi but was called back by him when his son died so he could marry his daughter and adopt the husband into his family. The story follows what one would expect in a small village where everyone is known and gossip abounds. It is assumed that Hatsue will marry Yasuo, who is from a family that is well off whereas Shinji is poor. Love, however, takes a different hand and when Shinji and Hatsue see each other something begins that cannot be stopped. Of course, there are obstacles in their way and Terukichi places his daughter under house arrest because of the gossip that has grown over their relationship. But the reader understands early that Shinji is bound to triumph over adversity and win Hatsue because his character is noble and hard-working. I don't think anyone would doubt the end of the novel; it is the character development and Mishima's powers of description that keep your attention.

What adds so much to this novel is Mishima's description of island life. For example, he brilliantly describes the women divers who struggle to bring up abalone and notes how they cut their toes when they use their foot to push off the sea floor. We also have descriptions of the men of the island relaxing in the bath-house, the meetings of the islands Young Men's Association and such mundane tasks as the women fetching water from the local spring.

Mishima's fascination with the cultures of the Mediterranean did not last long and he repudiated The Sound of Waves. This novel may not be characteristic of Mishima's writing but it is a good place to start to get to know his writing before advancing on into Confessions of a Mask. The Sound of Waves is a lyrical and sunny book that deserves a high readership.