He develops a painful longing for Kei's beautiful concubine - but they cannot touch; they don't even speak. Joncour said he know that. He had on a dark tunic, and wore no jewels. On the first paragraph of the story,shows ” Level of life” while we are reading that it looks like showing an affection to one person.We also observed, that the characters are “PLAYERS”, it means that they’re having another man/woman in their life. He already went to military but as time passed, he. What specific parts in the text tell you this? Thou, the spirit of … Joncour and Hara Kei's mistress have sex by proxy. The setting of the story is Japan, when it just open the country to foreigners. Hara Kei- a baron that Herve Joncour wanted to talk to with about the silkworms. This implies that Herve Joncour seemed more concerned with the girl rather than the silk eggs. He came from Rusia before he step in Japan. Hama Kei is a Japanese subculture which can be roughly translated into “beach style”. We realized that, Herve Joncour left Japan and the girl who wanted his to stay. You can read its 90 pages – 65 chapters - in a sitting. It is an offshoot of the umbrella style Mori Kei, so let’s begin with the bigger one, shall we? He met Hara Kei to buy eggs. What does the protagonist feel, why does he feel this way? Who wrote the letters to Herve Joncour ? Seta or Silk in English translation is a Novel Made by and Italian writer Alessandro Baricco during 1996. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. In 1861 French silkworm merchant Herve Joncour travels to Japan, where he encounters the mysterious Hara Kei. In the text it states that “For the first time he smiled.” when Hara Kei proposed for him to return. With both elaborate and quiet gestures, the couple make their love known to each other, but they will never be able to express it. Herve is deeply attracted. The cup symbolizes the age and platform for new discoveries. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with He had on a dark tunic, and wore no jewels. The only visible sign of his power was a woman lying beside him, unmoving, her head resting on his lap, eyes closed, arms hidden under a loose red robe that spread around her, like a flame, on the ash-colored mat. The woman without Asian eyes is the mistress of Hara Kei and was also the woman who Joncour fell in love with, despite being married. A great historical novel focused on the production of silk in France around the time of the American Civil War. That's the issue at the heart of "Silk," adapted from Italian scribe Alessandro Baricco's flowery, bestselling novella by Mary Zimmerman. For us, it’s not love. SILK BY ALESSANDRO BARICCO ( ITALY ) Silk [Excerpt] by Alessandro Baricco (Italy) A rice-paper panel slid open, and Herve Joncour entered. He is associated with dark, somber colors. Where Harve Joncour is wishing a trade of silk to a Japanese Emperor Hara Kei at first they have a good relationship but when Hara kei find out that Harve Joncour is … Herve offered Hara the golds he have just to give him the real silkworm eggs. The Girl -the baron's mistress or concubine who is wearing a beautiful loose red robe. The main characters are Nerve Conjour, Hara Kei and the Mistress. His name is Herve Joncour. But she leaves him a note that says, “Come back or I shall die,” which he reads in France. As Joncour parries with Hara Kei while they sip tea, his eyes meet those of the young woman whose head rests in Hara Kei's lap, a woman the potentate strokes as if she were a pet. But when he is in the Japan he fall in love with the mistress of Hara Kei his transaction within the end of the… MORI KEI is one of the many, many Japanese styles, Keis, and this particular Kei focuses on the forest people. Because of that love they commit sin to Hara Kei by having an affair. During Joncour's third visit to Japan, Hara Kei's mistress releases the birds from the aviary. There Hervé is granted an audience with a local aristocrat, Hara Kei, who agrees to sell him some silkworm eggs. Joncour went to Japan to buy silkworm egg. Once in a remote area of Japan he finds himself face to face with Hara Kei, a village tyrant who stands between him and the precious silkworm eggs. His father is the mayor of the town where he came from. Denouement Herve Joncour feed backed it was the fish eggs that he got instead of silk worm eggs, Hara Kei once replied again that was for the false gold Herve Joncour paid for them. He works through Hara Kei in whose household is a very young women with eyes there were not of an oriental slant. Hara Kei was sitting cross-legged, on the floor, in the farthest corner of the room. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. ( Log Out / Where the girl who seems so being mysterious is the mistress of Hara Kei, the French-speaking nobleman in the story.The shocking part of the story is that when business man, Herve Joncour, fell in love with the mistress of Hara Kei. ( Log Out / It’s a novella written in a lyrical style almost like a fable or even a fairy tale. He paid based on the price that Hara Kei gave. why do you think so? Hara Kei is the Japanese village lord who Joncour bought silk worm eggs from. The only visible sign of his power was a woman lying beside him, unmoving, her head resting on his lap, eyes closed, arms hidden under a loose red robe that spread around her, like a flame, on the ash-colored mat. Explicitly silence occupied the whole room. This story is all about a trader of silk. Joncour and Hara Kei's mistress have sex by proxy. It is called a LUST because no matter what happens , if you really love someone you will sacrifice and fight for your love. Silk is a story with a Western body but an Eastern soul, a tale of how an alien culture becomes a lens through which Joncour sees his own culture and himself more clearly. When it is time for Joncour to make a fourth trip to Japan, war has broken out. He finds Hara Kei's village burned to the ground. ( Log Out / Hara Kei conducts the silkworm egg transaction via an associate and does not say goodbye when Joncour leaves. During the audience, however, Hervé is distracted by a woman in Hara Kei’s retinue—a wife or a mistress—who does not have oriental eyes. And this woman named Hara Kei is with this trader the whole story. Welcome back. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Unfortunately, an epidemic spread through their land, which cause his bankruptcy and forced him to go overseas. A young boy appears and gives him the glove that he had dropped on the pile of Hara Kei's mistress's clothes. He deals silkworm eggs on the black market and rules over a rural village located in the mountains. He had on a dark tunic and wore no jewels. He already went to military but as time passed, he was able to create a business out of silkworm eggs that was able to suffice the needs of his wife. why did she do what she did. I'm not ashamed to recognise this is one of the most mesmerising books I have ever read, every single image described has stayed with me for years...anyone else? When it is time for Joncour to make a fourth trip to Japan, war has broken out. When it is time for Joncour to make a fourth trip to Japan, war has broken out. What was the meening of the ring with blue flowers ? Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Hara Kei was sitting cross-legged, on the floor, in the farthest corner of the room. But the moment he does, Joncour is enslaved. I can understand your fascination with the book. Hara Kei conducts the silkworm egg transaction via an associate and does not say goodbye when Joncour leaves. “Silk”(Excerpt) by Alessandro Baricco (Italy) Sep23 . As European silkworms succumb to various diseases and the industry fails, Herve makes his first trip to Japan to illegally buy silk worms. Hara Kei said if you leave here you will get what you want. He paid based on the price that Hara Kei gave. The protagonist felt a rush of curiosity, fascination and maybe even a hint of lust throughout the entire exchange. Sankei-en (三溪園, Three Creeks Garden) is a traditional Japanese-style garden in Naka Ward, Yokohama, Japan, which opened in 1906. That’s why he paid with fake gold. Reader Q&A, Hara Kei wish to see him back to his land. Love in a strange place – the tagline of our lesson in 21st Century of the Philippines and the World. Hara Kei said to him that the eggs that he is selling are eggs from the fish. what does the protagonist feel.why does he feel this way?what specific parts in the text tell you this? At the end of the story, there’s a lines that we are confused, the lines are, ” When you leave here, you will have what you want.” and ” When I leave this island, alive, you will receive the gold that is due to you. Hara Kei; Analysis of Silk. He rose, took a few steps backward, and bowed. I’m still confused to this story. The year is 1861. Hara Kei said to him that the eggs that he is selling are eggs from the fish. He finds Hara Kei’s village burned to the ground. Hara Kei was sitting cross-legged, on the floor, in the farthest corner of the room. Joncour said that if he leave in Kei’s island safely, he will receive the gold he deserve. The last thing he saw before he left, was her eyes, staring into his perfectly mute.”. The story contains many elements that are found in myths, from a protagonist on a hero's journey (Hervé Joncour), an item of great value (the mistress of Hara Kei), an evil king (Hara Kei), a mysterious mentor (Baldabiou), a mother figure (Madame Blanche), and a faithful wife (Hélène Joncour). Silk worm procurer Herve Joncour falls for the mistress of a local Japanese village lord, Hara Kei, as he travels several times to Japan following the epidemic that hit the hatcheries of Europe.. He goes to the Japan to collect or buy eggs of silk worm. It all about the feelings of the main characters. Hara Kei conducts the silkworm egg transaction via an associate and does not say goodbye when Joncour leaves. Ask the Author. We are never sure if she is Kei’s daughter or wife/mistress/lover. The story revolves on the topic of adultery. With eyes there were not of an oriental slant, `` Come back or I shall die.,! 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