Deep River (novel)
Encyclopedia
is a novel
by Shusaku Endo
published in 1993. When he died in 1996, only two novels were chosen to be placed inside his coffin. Deep River was one of them.
tourists on a tour to India
. Each of these tourists goes to India for different purposes and with different expectations. Even though the tour is interrupted when Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi
is assassinated by militant Sikhs, each of these tourists finds their own spiritual discovery on the banks of the Ganges River
.
One of the tourists is Osamu Isobe. He is a middle-class manager whose wife has died of cancer. On her deathbed she asks him to look for her in a future reincarnation
. His search takes him to India, even though he has doubts about reincarnation.
Kiguchi is haunted by war-time horrors in Burma and seeks to have Buddhist rituals performed in India for the souls of his friends in the Japanese army as well as his enemies. He is also impressed by a foreign Christian
volunteer who helped his sick friend deal with tragic experiences during the war.
Numada has a deep love for animals ever since he was a child in Manchuria
. He believes that a pet bird he owns has died in his place. He goes to India to visit a bird sanctuary.
Mitsuko Naruse, after a failed marriage, realizes that she is a person incapable of love. She goes to India hoping to find the meaning of life
. Her values are challenged by the awaiting Otsu, a former schoolmate she once cruelly seduced and then left. Although he had a promising career as a Catholic
priest, Otsu’s heretical ideas of a pantheistic God
have led to his expulsion. He helps carry dead Indians to the local crematoria so that their ashes can be spread over the Ganges. His efforts ultimately lead to his peril as he is caught in the anti-Sikh uproars in the country. Meanwhile, Mitsuko meets two nuns from the Missionaries of Charity
and begins to understand Otsu's idea of God.
(also named Fukai kawa) was made in 1995. It was directed by Kei Kumai
.
episode Sundown
, Dogen, leader of the Others at the Temple is seen reading the novel.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Shusaku Endo
Shusaku Endo
Shūsaku Endō was a 20th-century Japanese author who wrote from the unusual perspective of being both Japanese and Catholic...
published in 1993. When he died in 1996, only two novels were chosen to be placed inside his coffin. Deep River was one of them.
Plot summary
The story traces the journey of four JapaneseJapanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
tourists on a tour to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Each of these tourists goes to India for different purposes and with different expectations. Even though the tour is interrupted when Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
is assassinated by militant Sikhs, each of these tourists finds their own spiritual discovery on the banks of the Ganges River
Ganges River
The Ganges or Ganga, , is a trans-boundary river of India and Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. By discharge it...
.
One of the tourists is Osamu Isobe. He is a middle-class manager whose wife has died of cancer. On her deathbed she asks him to look for her in a future reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
. His search takes him to India, even though he has doubts about reincarnation.
Kiguchi is haunted by war-time horrors in Burma and seeks to have Buddhist rituals performed in India for the souls of his friends in the Japanese army as well as his enemies. He is also impressed by a foreign Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
volunteer who helped his sick friend deal with tragic experiences during the war.
Numada has a deep love for animals ever since he was a child in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. He believes that a pet bird he owns has died in his place. He goes to India to visit a bird sanctuary.
Mitsuko Naruse, after a failed marriage, realizes that she is a person incapable of love. She goes to India hoping to find the meaning of life
Meaning of life
The meaning of life constitutes a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of life or existence in general. This concept can be expressed through a variety of related questions, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the meaning of it all?" It has...
. Her values are challenged by the awaiting Otsu, a former schoolmate she once cruelly seduced and then left. Although he had a promising career as a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priest, Otsu’s heretical ideas of a pantheistic God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
have led to his expulsion. He helps carry dead Indians to the local crematoria so that their ashes can be spread over the Ganges. His efforts ultimately lead to his peril as he is caught in the anti-Sikh uproars in the country. Meanwhile, Mitsuko meets two nuns from the Missionaries of Charity
Missionaries of Charity
Missionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, which consists of over 4,500 sisters and is active in 133 countries...
and begins to understand Otsu's idea of God.
Film adaption
A film based on the novelDeep River (film)
is a 1995 Japanese film directed by Kei Kumai. It is based on the novel of the same title by Shusaku Endo. The film version was chosen as Japan's official submission to the 68th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, but did not manage to receive a nomination....
(also named Fukai kawa) was made in 1995. It was directed by Kei Kumai
Kei Kumai
was a Japanese film director from Azumino, Nagano prefecture. After his studies in literature at Shinshu University, he worked as director's assistant....
.
In popular culture
In LostLost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
episode Sundown
Sundown (Lost)
"Sundown" is the sixth television episode of the American Broadcasting Company's sixth season of the serial drama television series Lost and 109th episode overall. The episode aired on March 2, 2010 on ABC in the United States...
, Dogen, leader of the Others at the Temple is seen reading the novel.