Chapter 19 – Secret Places
Secret Places – complete poem
Chapter notes:
• Lovers find secret places in this violent world — The theme of this chapter is hidden spaces, where their true selves can be revealed. Like the temple room filled with paintings. Or the one painted screen with the cherry tree hanging out of the river and the grassy spot underneath it. These are all secret space where Katsuro and Sakura are safe from the obligations that pull on them. The poem by Rumi is a perfect fit for this chapter.
• Licking suddenly dry lips, Sakura crossed over into the darkness. — This is a metaphor for Sakura trusting Katsuro. She is going into the unknown for him, literally and figuratively. She knows nothing about him now, so it’s a total leap of faith for her. This moment marks the beginning of her choosing to trust him.
• “Rice candy,” she said. But unlike other children, he did not snatch it right out of her hand. In fact, he didn’t move at all. She nudged her hand at him. “You can have it.” — There are lots of similarities and difference between them. His reaction to the candy illustrates how different his life has been than hers. But now they share the same secret, so they have a common bond connecting them. Neither realized it until now.
• “Then…. Then we’re ok,” he said, eyes shining silver-blue in the half light. — Like the burnished gold hair from the last chapter, this is just a little hint of his blue eyes.
• Her bond with him was still there, unchanged. Time hadn’t touched it. — Direct reference to the painted panel in the temple. The scene with the spot under the cherry tree that is untouched by the seasons and passage of time. It means that their bond is true, that in those secret spaces where they are connected time does not change how they feel about each other. Sakura is beginning to have some sense of a deeper connection.
• “I need to get back,” she said quietly. She stood, reluctantly turned her back on the tranquil scene and peered into the dark woods. But if Katsuro was disappointed, he didn’t say a word. He stood up beside her and dusted his pants. “This way,” he said simply. He stepped around her to lead her back to the field. — Like most things in the real world, it’s hard to grasp those special moments when you’re in them. It’s only once they’ve passed do you realize how unique, amazing or out-of-reach they are. So, like all the ‘secret places’ Sakura and Katsuro have encountered so far, the time they spend together in those safe places is very short. But the memories stay with them both for a long time.
• “No way!” he shot back immediately. “Bring some more of those candies!” Sakura’s mouth dropped open at his cheeky response. — First hint of Naruto’s joking personality. Which has never had an opportunity to shine through before. More of this to come.
Spoiler Notes:
• Hope gave way to happiness. Laughing, Katsuro grabbed her hand and gave a quick squeeze. Her hair ruffled lightly. — Katsuro’s ‘wind thing,’ as Sakura calls it, makes an appearance here. She’ll continue to notice it and associate it with him, so the hints will become more obvious if you’re looking for them.
• Her bond with him was still there, unchanged. Time hadn’t touched it. — There is a deeper foreshadowing in this language, because one day they will be cut off from each other completely. But their bond will remain true, waiting for them like all the ‘secret places’ they’ve shared, when they finally do turn back to each other.
11 Nov 2010 No Comments
Chapter 19 notes
Chapter 19 – Secret Places
Secret Places – complete poem
Chapter notes:
• Lovers find secret places in this violent world — The theme of this chapter is hidden spaces, where their true selves can be revealed. Like the temple room filled with paintings. Or the one painted screen with the cherry tree hanging out of the river and the grassy spot underneath it. These are all secret space where Katsuro and Sakura are safe from the obligations that pull on them. The poem by Rumi is a perfect fit for this chapter.
• Licking suddenly dry lips, Sakura crossed over into the darkness. — This is a metaphor for Sakura trusting Katsuro. She is going into the unknown for him, literally and figuratively. She knows nothing about him now, so it’s a total leap of faith for her. This moment marks the beginning of her choosing to trust him.
• “Rice candy,” she said. But unlike other children, he did not snatch it right out of her hand. In fact, he didn’t move at all. She nudged her hand at him. “You can have it.” — There are lots of similarities and difference between them. His reaction to the candy illustrates how different his life has been than hers. But now they share the same secret, so they have a common bond connecting them. Neither realized it until now.
• “Then…. Then we’re ok,” he said, eyes shining silver-blue in the half light. — Like the burnished gold hair from the last chapter, this is just a little hint of his blue eyes.
• Her bond with him was still there, unchanged. Time hadn’t touched it. — Direct reference to the painted panel in the temple. The scene with the spot under the cherry tree that is untouched by the seasons and passage of time. It means that their bond is true, that in those secret spaces where they are connected time does not change how they feel about each other. Sakura is beginning to have some sense of a deeper connection.
• “I need to get back,” she said quietly. She stood, reluctantly turned her back on the tranquil scene and peered into the dark woods. But if Katsuro was disappointed, he didn’t say a word. He stood up beside her and dusted his pants. “This way,” he said simply. He stepped around her to lead her back to the field. — Like most things in the real world, it’s hard to grasp those special moments when you’re in them. It’s only once they’ve passed do you realize how unique, amazing or out-of-reach they are. So, like all the ‘secret places’ Sakura and Katsuro have encountered so far, the time they spend together in those safe places is very short. But the memories stay with them both for a long time.
• “No way!” he shot back immediately. “Bring some more of those candies!” Sakura’s mouth dropped open at his cheeky response. — First hint of Naruto’s joking personality. Which has never had an opportunity to shine through before. More of this to come.
Spoiler Notes:
• Hope gave way to happiness. Laughing, Katsuro grabbed her hand and gave a quick squeeze. Her hair ruffled lightly. — Katsuro’s ‘wind thing,’ as Sakura calls it, makes an appearance here. She’ll continue to notice it and associate it with him, so the hints will become more obvious if you’re looking for them.
• Her bond with him was still there, unchanged. Time hadn’t touched it. — There is a deeper foreshadowing in this language, because one day they will be cut off from each other completely. But their bond will remain true, waiting for them like all the ‘secret places’ they’ve shared, when they finally do turn back to each other.
by tricksie in Chapter Notes