The origins of kiko, or travel literature, in Japan spans to well over 1000 years ago. One of the earliest examples of kiko is Ki no Tsurayuki’s Tosa nikki, a diary which Tsurayuki wrote most likely in 935 during the Heian period of Japan. Another important example of kiko, which is similar in ways yet also very dissimilar to Ki no Tsurayuki’s Tosa nikki, due in part to the many years that the two are separated by in terms of when they were composed, is Matsuo Basho’s Oku no hosomichi, or Narrow Road to the Interior/Narrow Road to the Deep North, which was written in the late 17th century during the Edo period of Japan. Ki no Tsurayuki’s Tosa nikki describes Tsurayuki’s return to his home in the capital after having completed his …show more content…
So are the years that pass by. Those who steer a boat across a sea, or drive a horse over the earth till they succumb to the weight of years, spend every minute of their lives traveling. There are a great number of ancients, too, who died on the road. I myself have been tempted for a long time by the cloud-moving wind---filled with a strong desire to wander.
While Ki no Tsurayuki was returning to the capital due to his urge to go home and perhaps even more so because of his position as a court official, Matsuo Basho was journeying from his own personal desire to do so, as a Zen monk as well as from his desires as a poet to see the wild north of Japan and the places that many famous poets from before him had been to. This mood of Basho in Oku no hosomichi works against the sort of traditional poetic essence of travel as seen in the Tosa nikki: to have a longing for the capital. In Oku no hosomichi, the road becomes home establishing a new view on traveling: that one has no center and no return. Basho literally makes the road his home, for he sells his house in Edo before going on his long journey, and gives up most of his earthly possessions. During the Tosa nikki, the mood of Tsurayuki is often melancholy whereas in Oku no hosomichi there is some suffering, but
This chapter also illustrates the harsh reality of travel at this time. “All day they rolled slowly along the road, and at night the stopped near water. In the day ancient leaky radiator sent up columns of steam,loose connecting rods hammered and pounded.
“Journeys, planned and unplanned, are an inevitable part of life. Their consequences, foreseen or unforeseen, play an important part in a person’s growth.”
Do you feel that your movement is limited due to your appearance? Nikki Giovanna, author of the poem Choices, is an activist, writer, educator, and poet who originally published this poem in 1972 in a collection of poetry titled My House. Furthermore, Giovanna’s inspiration towards creating this poem is the Black Arts Movement, Civil Rights Movement, Equal Rights Amendment, and through her personal experiences as an African American female. This poem cornerstones the dilemma of the African American race.
The comment “We’ve been traveling a long time…” can also represent a metaphor comparing the long and difficult journey of their ancestors to their own.
Reflections Within is a non-traditional stanzaic poem made up of five stanzas containing thirty-four lines that do not form a specific metrical pattern. Rather it is supported by its thematic structure. Each of the five stanzas vary in the amount of lines that each contain. The first stanza is a sestet containing six lines. The same can be observed of the second stanza. The third stanza contains eight lines or an octave. Stanzas four and five are oddly in that their number of lines which are five and nine.
An enormous wave crashes into your boat nearly tipping it. The howling wind tosses the boat from side to side. Lightning strikes the stern sending you into darkness. The next morning you wake up to a calm, quiet sea ready for smooth sailing. Somedays the water is perfectly still making for easy travel, yet other days you have to endure a restless, unforgiving sea. This is how the road of life is perceived. The seas my father has conquered has taught me that life isn’t always smooth sailing.
The premise of the novel (Year of Wonders) could be seen as the antithesis of a journey as the villagers voluntarily agree to undertake a quarantine, which means they literally cannot go anywhere. In what way does this text represent a journey?
Sometimes the destination of your journey matters and in other cases the destination is pointless. These characters go on journeys to to learn lessons or reach a destination. In “The Odyssey” by Homer and “The Cruelest Journey” by Kira Salak, goes through obstacles into their journey where they endure new things during their journey.
“A man who has been through bitter experiences and traveled far enjoys even his sufferings after a time”- Homer. Why do people go on journeys? What is the benefit, if anything? The Odyssey, written by Homer, describes the life of a man, Odysseus, who undertakes a journey to reach a destination. Leaving his home town of Ithaca, he arrives at Troy for the Trojan War.
In Conclusion “Drifters” “Lucky Miles” “Last seen at 12.10AM” and “The Ivory trail” all have impacts which affect each traveler in different
Traveling from one place to another, physically moving, is beneficial in changing scenery and changing perspective however, physical travel is not the only travel that brings about a positive change in people. Metaphysical travel, also known as a mental or spiritual exploration, is just as powerful as a physical one. Dante, in his epic poem Inferno, and Odysseus, in the epic tale written by Homer known as The Odyssey, experience travel in the physical and mental state. Dante travels through Purgatory, Hell, and Heaven upon force to reevaluate where he has come in his life. Dante’s journey forces him to think about the cost of decisions each person makes in this life that affects the next one. Odysseus is physically separated from his family and most go through mental and physical obstacles to get back to them. He must figure out what he wants most and find the strength to fight for it. Though Dante and Odysseus experience contrasting adventures and tribulations both individual’s journeys change their future courses and give them enlightenment into the rest of their lives. Both forms of travel are valid for growth and necessary to bring about positive and new perspective to Dante and Odysseus.
There is huge change in feelings from sadness to threatening, very destructive thoughts. Sappho purposely
For someone to be on the road, people usually assume that they have lost hope in life, or that they were not that determine to maintain a place in our social class.Those who decided to live on the road do it for a different reason, reason that are either a push or pull factor. Someone who has helicopter parents, or having a difficult time trying to fit into society can find a reason to venture out and find self. Someone who felt like they no longer have a purpose in life, can find it by going on the road, because no one know you better than yourself. When writing a story of your life, do not let anyone else hold the pen. Just like the north star, which helped slaves find their way from slavery and captivity. In order to find true self, risk must be taken. While life on the road can seem like an act of avoidance of reality and problems, it can help someone find a purpose for life and their true self, therefore I believe that life on the road, is helpfully for those who are struggling with problems.
A famous Japanese writer Ihara Saikaku, born in 1642, was a son of a wealthy merchant in Osaka. He had a wife and three kids, one of which was blind and in addition to taking care of his family, he learned to write haikai poetry and comics at a young age. Since his wife died at a young age, he became adventurous as “he traveled extensively writing about the various parts of the country” (Rollins, para.4). One of his first novels is called Koshoku Ichidai Otoko in 1682, which led to Saikaku becoming the first Japanese writer able to reflect the life of the modern city Japan and how he supported equality.
While vacation may seem like a week away from home, traveling has so many positive aspects. Whether one travels for a few days, or for a year, it can open the eyes of many people and change their views. While on the road, people often discover who they really are and create relationships with people they will never forget. During this adventure, people learn new languages, and connect with the world in a new way. Traveling is beneficial to both a persons mental and physical health; it makes the mind more creative, and it's a great way to exercise .