National Narratives in Floating World

     I think that narratives make people grow up in either good or bad ways.  We encounter a lot of narratives in our daily life.  Simply, I can say that our experience depends on what narratives we have experienced.  What about national narratives?  They are "mechanisms for providing a deep, horizontal comradeship amongst people who are never likely to meet one another in their lives" (Burton 38).  A national narrative is sometimes effected in world affairs.  Take the example of German nationalism during WWII.  The world lost so many people who wanted to live because of this tragedy.  This is an example of a bad effect of national narratives. 

     On the other hand, the World Cup soccer tournament, which "an estimated 3 billion people are likely to watch," (Burton 39) is a good example of a national narrative.  This event is watched by the global community to share common excitement and happiness.  Therefore, national narratives can move a people's destiny in either good or bad ways even if the people does not want it. 

     How about Ono's destiny?  Ono is the character of An artist of the floating world by Kazuo Ishiguro.  Ono was effected by the changing movement of his country, Japan.  He strayed off the floating world which was post-war Japan.  At that time in Japan, the national narrative became totally different compared to before the war.  He used to promote imperialism by drawing pictures which improved Japanese public opinion towards the war.  The national narrative Ono helped to create is what caused so many Japanese to change their mind.  It was a really good thing to do before the war because Japan was imperialist and controlled by a small few.  The leaders needed to control the anti-war sentiments. Therefore, Ono's job was very important in the pre-war period.  However, over time people change.  After the war, Japan's imperialist system collapsed because Japan lost the war.  Japan moved from imperialism to democracy to walk as an open country.  Japan really regretted that they had a war that hurt so many people.  So, Japan destroyed their abilities to wage war on other nations. 

     Ono often asked himself whether what he did was a good thing for his country.  He said that, "[a]n artist's concern is to capture beauty wherever he finds it.  But however skilfully he may come to do this, he will have influence on the sort of matters you talk of." (Ishiguro, 172) 
 When he became an artist he wanted to capture beauty, but national circumstances before the war changed his fundamental idea; his sense of values.  After all, he supported imperialism, but later regretted it.

     In conclusion, national narratives effect many people whether they want it or not.  Ono is one of the people national narrative effected.  He held much pain due to his past experience.  I want him to obtain a new sense of value for a new age.  He should understand a new age's narrative and throw away past narratives to live in a new age of Japan.