Deep River (深い河) by Shūsaku Endō (遠藤 周作)

The plot of “Deep River” is very spiritual, mystical. The characters – Japanese tourists travel to India, each of them with a different purpose and expectation. The book reveals layer by layer their spiritual enlightenment and change. The Japanese people are portrayed as individuals – the novel describes and goes deep into Japanese culture, each level of the cultural being has to identify itself – the search for an identity – spiritual, social is all the book tells about. Endo was a Christian writer, all his book concentrated on religion, Christianity in Japan. The trip to India is to prove that God is everywhere.

We have lots of characters; Isobe, Tanaka, Mitsuko, Numada, Kiguchi, Enami, Mr. Sanjo, Mrs. Sanjo, Otsu, Keiko. Chamuda and Kali –  represent Indian Goddess. In Asian world the Christianity was just a grain of sand, it had to fight for its being, the attempts were put down, the forceful crusades – unsuccessful. As was mentioned each of the characters wants to find something in India – the Ganges – is very symbolical – it stands for endless human attempt to find and understand God, inner self. Isobe a manager wants to find peace after his wife’s death, she died of cancer, he tries to understand the loss, he tries to understand why “God” – took his wife away, he is looking for causes, he is looking for answers, a new beginning, perhaps. It is very important  to acknowledge that Christianity in Japan must have been accepted, Japan defended itself from absorbing “foreign faith”, Japan had to learn how to accept contextualization of songs, of gospels, the meaning of words so different and strange to them. New written text had been submitted, new language emerged in Japan, the context of Japanese language started changing. What Japanese people had to understand were spiritual, double meanings of religion. Japan didn't obey the faith, in contrary, Japanese people started “bending” – the religion to their needs, they started changing the Christianity structurally, even though it started being widespread notion, Christianity still reminded a bit aside, a bit isolated from other religions, the Catholics were often persecuted and victimized. Our characters of “Deep River”- know their uniqueness – they are very careful, know the possible threats. Endo tries to write theologically, he goes deep into theology – the inner core of religion. His books are not autobiographical, yet, they reflect his experiences, he focuses on Christianity, however, he also writes about clashes of religions – Buddhism, which came to Japan from India and China. Another protagonist of “Deep River” is Mitsuko, She represent – sophistication, she is “evil” – she doesn't have ethical perception of goodness and bad; she is very clever, she was a top-graded student at faculty of French Philology, she wants to seduce a quiet, shy student – Otsu, they had a short-termed affair, eventually, it ends, they both go their separate ways, Mistuko returns to her doomed marriage, her lover to the Seminary. The two lovers were never meant to meet again, however, Mistuko follows him, she feels need to be nearby, he gives her a sense of protection, a sense of being …. The Ganges is like her never-ending affairs, every turn and twist means something new, she changes during the trip, she hates men, she was deeply hurt by them, she cannot trust anyone, only Otsu is in her vicinity of acceptance and “trust”. Endo describes Japanese people as “heartless”; emotionally dry, therefore prejudiced for their demeanor. Women are exceptional – they sacrifice everything in the name of men, the men dominated culture governs their choices, they are “deprived” of self-decisions, they devote anything to fit the frame of expectation of the society. Alike in China man is a prime subject, he must be obeyed, respected and acknowledged.  Erotic life is aside, the needs are aside, they are awoken when there is a signal, Japanese women are like geisha – content with waiting and patience – with boiling up sensuality. What Endo underlines is a chase for material goods, the blindness of society and underestimation of Christian non-materialistic values as a leading tool to reach an absolute faith. Nonetheless he also criticizes Catholicism for authoritarian powers, absolute powers, lack of flexibility and mercy; autocratic, inquisitive leadership. Endo explains that true Catholicism should be based on hope and ability to forget and forgive. Selfishness dominates human mind, lack of sensitivity, and humane goodness. The God is mystical, good, leader, who cures sick and victimized, poor, never shows mercy for sinners and outcasts of the society, he is a judge, a reasonable judge. Endo's works are very poetic – he prizes God, he loves him,  in all his novels he shows his devotion toward Christianity. He describes Otsu to show us how difficult it is to determine “self-being”, how difficult is to find oneself in faith, Otsu struggles but shows his endurance. Self – consciousness is the most important,  people search for it, they try to find what really connects them – dreams, goals, life … each of them tries to understand the common factor that brings them together. Is reincarnation possible? Isobe believes it is – he promised his dying wife he will look for her and live for her in another life. Numada represents a personification of freedom, he is free among animals, animals imprisoned by people, he found his spiritual place within nature, he talks with animals,   understands them, he feels that he finally found peace and tranquility. Birds represents eternity – they fly everywhere, are everywhere, the nature is good, pure, divine, Numada doesn't see its cruel, dark side, it is out of his perception, imagination.

“…Something quickly swung from one coconut tree to another, and when he turned his eyes and inhaled the sultry, unrefi ned aroma, like the fermented smell of sake brewing that emerged from the earth and the trees. The unadorned aroma of life. That life fl owed back and forth between the trees and the chirping of the birds and the wind that slowly set the leaves fl uttering….”

Another character Enami – studied history and culture of India, he stayed in the place he belongs to. The journey along the Ganges has to bring answers to what is important in life …. The characters are looking for peace and quiet, tranquility, the future is important, the past must be forgotten. For all of the protagonists it is very difficult, the past returns, they realized that the decisions they made were faulty, wrong and determined their lives, the trajectory of choice is irreversible, must be accepted, however, the characters must understand that the constant rejection of presence is perceived as escapism, truly, on one can escape forever. It must be some kind of a safe harbor to stay, to live in. Therefore the narration in Endo novels is so rich in metaphors and comparisons, symbols are significant; a tree, a bird, a storm, a thunder, darkness, the sea, the lake,  silence, love, hatred are portrayed by means of various descriptive symbols. For example the cherry trees are tombs – are part of a graveyard, it might be understood as a symbol of rebirth, a sacred place;

“ … the cherries at Mount Yoshino were all put there in place of grave makers…”

Existentialism is crucial to flow like a river through the chapters of life, to exist means to live, to develop, to thrive, to accept and to decline new ideas, religion, thoughts. It is all within human capacity. By means of metaphors Endo presented a metaphysical, mythical or even magical world. Ganges is a symbol, the balance between the life and the death, Ganges flows through India, it is like a “conveyor belt” it takes everyone regardless of religion, perception of life, social background. The river absorbs everything, dead animals, ashes, it gives its strength and fertilizes it. The ‘gifts of nature” make Ganges alive all the time.

“…Death on the banks of the Ganges takes on an inexpressible dignity. Though I am a Christian and I refuse the sense of the transmigration of the soul, I am moved by the profound dignity of Hindu mourning and funeral rites…”

Ganges is everything for India, it keeps Indian people alive, it feeds them, it takes them when the flood comes, and again, compensates loses by feeding again, the balance is kept. The river symbolizes life itself, the life which is  very unpredictable, calm and quiet, another time rough and violent. Endo is looking for some unity between western world and Japan, he encourages Japan to be more open toward other nations, other possibilities and realities. Japan with its cultural heritage mustn't reject other cultures, it causes a complete isolation, alienation.