As a Jesuit missionary of Portuguese descent, Silence's Father Sebastien Rodrigues experiences a lot of crazy new things during his time in Japan. He meets poor villagers who are saint-like in their devotion to Catholicism; he meets powerful samurai with absolute power over life and death; he even meets the real bosses, the men whose brutal ban on Christianity brought Rodrigues to their shores in the first place. In the end, Rodrigues's response to Japan—not to mention Japan's response to him—speaks volumes about the relationship between their respective cultures.
Questions About Visions of Japan
- What do the various plant metaphors say about the Western view of Japan?
- Why do so many Japanese villagers flock to Christianity?
- Is the Japanese government justified in its ban of Christianity? Explain.
- How do Rodrigues's preconceptions affect his understanding of Japan?