This short story has a very simple plot & very simple language but its author hasn’t failed to convey a very important message regarding teachers. Though the story is based on Japan, the moral message it conveys represents teachers all around the world.
This short story brings out the role of a proper teacher. Teacher is seen as a traveller who merely gives shelter but doesn’t remain in a student’s life forever. Nevertheless the moral message she leaves behind will last forever in the student’s life. The word teacher refers not to the physical body of the teacher but it’s seen as a symbolic entity of integrity & morality. Here in the story we clearly see how Miss Kikui simply guides Miyako-san towards maturity not by her words but by simply by existing. Kawabata presents this as exactly what is expected from the symbolic totality known as the teacher. To help us realize who a real teacher is Kawabata depicts the difference between the two teachers. The previous literature teacher was only good at the subject. He was not a good teacher. Though he existed in the school in the form of body, he was somewhere else in his mind. He never belonged there and finally after getting a lecturer post, went to where he belonged to an upper school. Miss Kikui was the exact definition of the word teacher and belonged to the school psychologically as well as physically. More importantly she had something to give to her students, whereas the previous teacher didn’t. He only gave them the subject knowledge & nothing more. The way how he left without the slightest remorse itself shows that he didn’t care about his students in the least bit. 
The way Kawabata develops Miyako’s character is marvellous. Though one may assume Miyako’s attraction towards Miss kikui as romantic or sexual that is so not the case. The truth is Miyako loves herself too much and she sees her future self, the person she wants to be in the future in Miss Kikui. This is mostly because of her age. Miyako is at the age where she tries to identify her gender. It is the existence of Miss Kikui that helps her realize her gender & more importantly to become mature. Miss kikui‘s beauty immensely inspires her & she wants to be as much beautiful or rather more beautiful than Miss Kikui. What we must clearly understand here is that she’s not attracted to Miss kikui but to herself. She hasn’t realized this. Miss Kikui is like a mirror which reflects the very person Miyako dreams to be in the future and this makes her attracted to her teacher. But the truth is she doesn’t love Miss kikui but herself. This is known as the narcissistic stage of sexual identity which everyone of us experience when we grow up. It doesn’t have to be as intense as with Miyako & depends on how narcissistic you are. It is wonderful how Kawabata depicts such profound reality regarding human nature in such a simple story.
What is really interesting in the story is how the teacher is well aware of her student’s feelings but not once does she become angry or scolds her. That’s because she has a clear & brilliant insight to her student’s mentality. She knows that Miyako is on her way to maturity & that she herself is the beacon which guides her path. Therefore she never disturbs her student’s development. Her silence itself educates Miyako and finally makes her a mature young woman. Though Miss Kikui leaves at the end she leaves an unforgettable lesson & experience in Miyako’s life defining what is true meeting. In this regard Miss Kikui becomes a complete teacher & Miyako a complete student.In this story Yasunari Kawabata highlights the importance of a teacher’s moral role and the relationship between a teacher & a student. I believe the title “Morning Clouds” is very apt because real teachers are also like floating clouds. They give temporary shelter to a student’s life from which springs up a lasting impact and like clouds they disappear from your life empty handed but having given you a lot.
Source: My own ideas, Lesson notes of ENG111
No comments:
Post a Comment