An Analysis of “The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket”

Yasunary Kawabata uses this title as a symbol to differentiate between two different kinds. It also reflects the author affiliations with his culture, especially when he describes the base of the embankment. “Was a bobbing cluster of beautiful varicolored lantern such as one might seat at a festival in a remote country village.”(p.366) Kawabata uses various methods to tell the story. As a first person, re-tell the story as he remembers being a child from a time of innocence youth.

He also concentrates describing the children’s past-time. “Each day with cardboard, paper, brush, scissors, penknife, and glue” (Kawabata) The Children’s would gather around and make new lanterns, with the hope of being the best one. During late evening hunting insect was their major adventure, using their hand made lantern to light their path among the bushes.

As any child Fujio, crying out of excitement of discovering what they all were hopping to find a Grasshopper. All the children answer to his call. To Fujio surprise a sweet voice said, “Yes I would like to have it,” (p.367) a girl named Kiyoko Responded! After she saw it, she identified it as a Bell Cricket.

Yasunary Kawabata gives us the impressions that love and friendship is not always being right, but being able to accept someone else’s opinion.

Works Cited

Kawabata, Yasunary. “The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket. “The Norton Introduction to Literature.” Alison, Booth. J. Paul Hunter and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2006. 366 – 368.