The Effect Of The Opening In Woman And The Dunes

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The effect of the Opening of The Woman and the Dunes by Kobo Abe (1964) The Woman and the Dunes a novel by Kobo Abe is about a man named Nicki Jumpei, an entomologist whose search for an insect leads him to being kidnapped by villagers and forced to work in a in the burning sand dunes. During the opening of the novel we are given insight on the man’s society he lives in and his personal disposition through Abe’s effective use of literary techniques. The man is seen as living in a society where there is high government control and partial inconsideration for its people. The beginning opens with “a man disappear[ing]” (1), this reveals that the society is possibly unsafe and the ‘higher-ups’ are untrustworthy. Building on to this, “missing persons are not really uncommon” (4), the city has experienced many disappearances and is not apathetic to the people hence the man gone missing shows how insignificant he is. In addition, “the theory had been advanced that the man tired of life, had committed suicide” (25-26) this also reveals that the society has given up on the search further showing how they are not fully concerned about the people. The society overall is seen as being focused on moving on and not focusing on individuals, it is mostly long sighted and the overall tone in which the report is filed is sincere and to the point. The man’s persona is portrayed during the report that is given by the Officials. The man is presented by being mysterious and lonely as “his work involved some secret” (14) and he had “quite normal behavior” (14). Moreover, it shows how the man is not fully known by others giving him a shady character. Also, “the man had been alone” (23), when on the train and appeared to be going mountain climbing which is usually done with people. He appears to have a nature that involves not interacting with others. He may also be self-sympathetic

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