A review by florencebrino
The Dancing Girl of Izu by Yasunari Kawabata

4.0

Naturally, I did not speak.

Love fades in the most curious of ways. Differences between characters, tastes, choices. Monotony; the attraction seems to dwindle through the years, in a minute. It evaporates when someone loves too much whereas the other person only exists, yearning for another opportunity. The tragedy of never being in love with somebody else's mind. Admiration slowly fades away. A growing indifference that cannot be concealed behind a thousand cherry blossoms. Possibilities that offer a myriad of colors and shapes.

A young student from Tokyo in a solitary journey through the Izu Peninsula. A walk of endless miles. The search for opportunities only to take a look at her face. To listen to the sound of her drum; evidence that she is still there.

I could not bear the silences when the drum stopped. I sank down into the depths of the sound of the rain. (13)

The universe conspires nothing; it is you deliberately looking for a fortunate stroke of serendipity. And then you achieve it. And then you stay silent. Because it is not your turn to speak and doubt floods your disquieted heart and you have to keep your sense of pride intact. The human way to go. The most common pretext to flee from the extraordinary.

This story is about one of the possible reasons as to why infatuation fades. Kawabata portrays with perfection the nature of first love. A love blended with torment which later dissolved into thin air after a misunderstanding.
The burden disappeared. As to the extent of the burden, I think we all have a standard against which to measure it. We all have made its acquaintance.

The moment you realize you are free ends with a burst of laughter.



Dec 12, 15
* Also on my blog.
** This is a review of the short story. Review of the entire collection here.