I Swear To Tell The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth... sorta

In a world like we’re in, where free market reigns supreme and to succeed means doing whatever is necessary, it’s required to look out for number one (yourself) and protect your image, whether it’s through little white lies or blatant dishonesty. This isn’t a quality that is alien to people of known moral stature, either; take President Franklin Roosevelt for example. Considered by many historians as one of the greatest Presidents of our nation, next to Lincoln and Washington, he would never allow the media to portray him in his wheelchair, where he spent much of his time due to polio. Such a small thing, yes, but still a non-truth used to protect his image.

In the same manner, Masuji Ono, in Kazuo Ishiguro’s An Artist of the Floating World, protects his reputation but then elaborates on some details to elevate it. Of course, this is hard to completely pin-point since he narrates his own story and we don’t know what he is or isn’t leaving out, but we can address the aspects we have questions about, of which there are many. One example is the manner in which he obtained his illustrious house on the basis of his merit. The reader is told that there were investigations similar to those involved in marriage negotiations and there was some concern expressed by Ono’s wife (p9). What those concerns may have been, we’re not told (or at least by page 60, where the class is for its reading assignment). Another example is the marriage negotiations for his daughter Noriko that was suddenly cut off at the last moment. When his other daughter, Setsuko, asks his about it, he cuts her off and mildly states that he “…may have appeared a little short” (18) and again, we are left with no explanation. There is also the matter of his art: if he’s so proud of his art, why doesn’t he display it in his own home and why did he have to retire? Let’s face it, art isn’t an occupation that requires someone to retire due to age, it’s usually due to something that would physically obstruct their ability. These are just a few of many “holes” in his narrative that are easy for the reader to pick up on, suggesting Ishiguro had a specific purpose for doing so. Perhaps it’s meant as an analysis of everyone’s self narrative…

Maybe the more holes that you can find in someone’s self narrative says more about their character than the image they’re trying to project. Maybe the holes in someone’s self narrative bring their credibility into question.

Maybe this would call into question whether it’s more important to protect your image or to show more integrity by being honest about yourself…

“Selective emphasis, choice, is inevitable whenever reflection occurs. This is not an evil. Deception comes only when the presence and operation of choice is concealed, disguised, denied.” John Dewey (1859--1952)