The Grasshopper

and the Bell

Cricket

by Yasunari
Kawabata


Grasshopper

Bell Cricket
Grasshoppers are
symbolic of most of
the mediocre
events in life that
we often neglect.

Bell cricket stands
for the precious
things in life that
are worth
treasuring.

SETTING
The Grasshopper and the Bell
Cricket is set behind a university
in an embankment.
The embankment is a very
colorful and magical place lit up
by home-made lanterns.





CHARACTERS
NARRATOR
Who might be the narrator
in this story? What clues
are provided in the story?
What is this story all about ?
lanterns
insects
young love
PLOT
A young boy and a young girl fell in love
unexpectedly.

It started off with a scene set with beautiful
multicolored lanterns in Japan.

Some children made their own lanterns out
of cardboard and tissue paper.

The young boy at first is advising his friends
that he has a sacred grasshopper and that
he is giving it away.



As several children crowd around him, a
young girl approaches and voices her
desire for the grasshopper.

But once Fujio hands her the
grasshopper, Kiyoko realizes that it is
not a grasshopper, but a cricket.

Then they unknowingly fall in love.

THEMES :
CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE,
JOY, FRIENDSHIP,LOVE,
CULTURE, DIVERSITY
AND CREATIVITY

,
The children in the embankment are
disinterested with the problems of the world.
Their only worries are their lanterns and
finding a grasshopper, or maybe even a bell
cricket. Specifically, the main characters, Fujio
and Kiyoko, are very innocent. They are
unaware of their futures, and are focused only
on the present and finding a grasshopper or a
bell cricket.

METAPHORS / SYMBOLS

varicoloured lanterns
DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS
OF CHILDREN
Red lantern having intense emotion
Pink gentle emotions
Yellow wisdom and intellect



Indigo dignity and high
aspirations

Violet noble, spiritual
aspirations,honor, spirituality
and self-esteem.

Green social stability and
greediness
u
VALUES
The story is able to provide a
simplistic view of the world.

It excludes biased impressions of
friendship and love.

Illustrating friendship, Kawabata
creatively chosen the grasshopper
as its symbol. "Does anyone want
a grasshopper?
IMAGES :
SIGHT IMAGERY

CONNECTION
Yasunary Kawabata uses
the title The Grasshopper
and the Bell Cricket as a
symbol to differentiate
different kinds of people.
REFLECTION: DRAW IMAGES
SEEN IN THE SELECTION.
ASSIGNMENT :
1. Prepare for a test on the Introduction
to Literature, east and west literature,
Swaddling Clothes and The Grasshopper
and the Bell Cricket.
2. Interpret the poem Song from Shi
Ching and be able to discuss it in class.
3. What different stages in life of a
woman is shown in the poem ? Explain
your answer.