The Young Man and the Sea

Yukio Mishima was a literary genius, having been nominated three times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. In fact, one of the major literary awards in Japan was named in his honor. Like many artists, his life was a study in contrasts. Black-and-white images of the young author revealed his good looks. (He had a short stint in modeling.) He performed the seppuku on November 25, 1970. He was 45 years of age. Mishima's life was a riddle, as those familiar with his works would be reminded of "The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea" (1965). The West took notice. (A film version was released in 1976, changing the setting from Japan to England.)

"There must be a special destiny in store for me; a glittering, special-order kind no ordinary man would be permitted."

The novel was about a teenage boy, his widowed mother, and his lover who came from the sea. The story focused on sexuality. The lad was obsessed about death, but not his own. Was Mishika hinting of a political change? Readers have to read between the lines.

He longed for a storm

Noburu, thirteen years of age, was fascinated by the sea. He was looking at it every night. Whenever the moon was up, he wished to hear the sounds from the depth. Every now and then, he was distracted by the sight of his mother's room which he could see through a peep hole. One evening, he saw his mother with another man in that room. Ryuji was a sailor whom Noburu admired a lot. He was eccentric, which his friends approved of. The boys were at the early stage of puberty, but they still loathed the ways of adults. Everyone in Yokohama except the sailor. Then Noburu's world darkened after his mother told him that Ryuji would be his stepfather.

Noburu believed Ryuji betrayed him, and his friends shared the sentiment. Ryuji had no idea, and if he did, he would thought it was what teenagers go through. But Noburu and his friends were in a savage mood and nothing more than a violent act would satisfy them. The sailor was their target.

Look again

Some would categorize the novel as a coming-of-age tale, albeit a darker version. They have a point, but this wouldn't be the genre that Mishima had in mind. There would be comparison to William Golding's “Lord of the Flies” (1954), which is close. Japan is identified with lush surroundings and symmetrical structures. It's also known for its gorgeous volcanoes. But when they erupt.

Those who are familiar with Japanese history would suggest that the story denotes political change. It seems an unlikely idea, but those who knew Mishima's life would somehow agree. (Mishima became active in politics during the later part of his life, and his suicide might have something to do with it.)

It would be safe not to categorized the novel. It may be incomprehensible like the sea, but this is no sea story.