RE: Asleep in Nara, Part 13 (Mikoshi-nyūdō)
I dunno if the music-aide helped, for sure the music definitely was making think of established lines being subverted. Well, reaching the end and the music-halfway done, I think I've seen many established lines appropriately subverted here. From the subversion of relations, power-dynamics, behaviours and competency of oure main protagonists. Fo' sho', the one thing that truly was subverted was the expectation that all established lines were going to be subverted: in particular, Sebastian's intent remaining the same. In a sick sense of the horrors of life, Sebastian finally gets back at Persephone but bleeds profusely his American exceptionalism.
From the buildup of his forced subservience, he's been at it to get back at her and try to make it so he's the one in charge or the net-beneficiary of the deal. This type of exceptionalism to having to share and be sated with one's lot doesn't stop at the equalization line but, in a sick sense that cares not about being equal, becoming master over something of which the one has never really dealt with. This American exceptionalism really does shows its colours here (and this POV is relying on the contingency with Sebastian as a "human" and Persephone a "dæmon"; also note how Sebastian is presumably a cishet white male and Persephone some dæmonic-possessing spirit that probably identifies as female. For which, many of settler-colonists called the Indigenous peoples dæmons and had done many nasty deeds to them, especially the females and other genders). And this gets all encapsulated with the dæmon trap after the dæmon monk basically mauled her to near-death. Wherewith this exceptionalism can be relayed to the Wendigos, corrupt shamans and cannibal people, which connects to Nature for which Nature has a nasty habit of being brutal on Indigenous peoples; wherewith further, the Amerikkkkan exceptionalists can exploit the misery of Indigenous peoples for whatever deal they want when the Amerikkkans had to settle with not being land-grabbing ærses.
But that's enough extended metaphors to drive home the point that Sebastian reflects Amerikkkan exceptionalism in some degrees and how he grows in strength and competency as he abuses the knowledge of his untimely companion to their detriment. Of course, that's one of many themes that doesn't necessarily include the hilarity of Sebastian being in Japan in general and American exceptionalism in the trend of Japanese subordination to the USA.
I don't disagree with your comment (except for that damn pink snake thing again). You are correct that Sebastian is possessed of the spirit of American exceptionalism, and he looks for every opportunity to turn the tide in his favor. Some of those attempts are weak, like trying to seize the katar in Inoue's garden, and others are power plays, like dragging a mostly incapacitated Persephone into a devil's trap.
The choice of unfolding this tale in Japan, rather than in Virginia, and Sebastian's frequent cultural faux pas, are intended to evoke this American exceptionalism and obliviousness.
Furthermore, though, the setting obviously also indicates a sense of displacement. Once again, you're correct: Sebastian has gotten hold of something he does not understand, and his hubris convinces him he can manage it. Besides being out of his element geospatially, Sebastian is out of his element cosmically, and he does not fully appreciate the implications of that displacement.
Persephone is playing at a cosmic game Sebastian only guesses at. He knows she is on a mission, but he doesn't know the nature of that mission. He is missing crucial information. That doesn't stop him from trying to interrupt this cosmic game of chess by removing himself from the board. He knows he is only a pawn, and he knows enough about chess to realize that pawns get sacrificed, but that with enough skill, cunning, and luck, a pawn can become a queen, rook, bishop, or knight.
The mistake he makes is in assuming all that skill, cunning, and luck is his own, rather than Persephone's. This game he is in, you see, is far more complex than chess.
But let's not pretend Persephone is a blameless hero either. She has not been a good mentor to him, and she's been exceptionally deceptive. It's clearly a strategy she has used in the past, but has anything in the story so far indicated that strategy has ever ultimately panned out? What about Ken? Do you think she treated Ken this way? Persephone, too, has faults aplenty.
But enough authorial self-analysis. Thanks for the upvote and the resteem. The end will be here soon.
Now I had a whole laundry list ready to continue on the American Exceptionalism metaphor that Sebestian was replacing in name (Form) but exacting in Content. Like how with the displacement of Indigenous peoples and abusing their land contributes to Global Warming. To then connect to Sebastian’s entrapping of Persephone and how that’ll lead to a cascade of horrible events if he keeps her there. Also the fact that American Exceptionalism blinds people from actually maintaining the land which, as a byproduct, causes to move further and further into Indigenous terroritories (if other settler-colonists weren’t there already). Which that can attributed to his blood lust. Then of course smoking reflecting environmental racism and so on and so on.
Now are the Indigenous totally free from sin? No. But are the majority of Indigenous peoples sinners qua sin and deserve their horrid history with settler-colonialists? No, absolutely no. While the extended metaphor is flawed, so are all figurative comparisons between to things regardless of how well they line up together. The fact is that this theme of American Exceptionalism (along with the other themes like dæmons, hitman/cleaner/fixer culture, Faustian deals and so on and so on...) is reflected well here. So as to the Persephone question: she has only done and still ENACTS what her environment has compelled her to do; and that can be a whole super-theme of Capitalism and the irrationality of Capital that forces all rationalities to bend towards its whims. But the agent and the environment need each other to get the roles they do but to also reproduce one another as to sustain themselves and the one helping in with the feeding of information into one another.
We can go on and on, but final pitstop: this wasn’t autoanalysis of the text qua Authorial eyes. This was more akin to Authorial explanation of the themes that feed into the creation of the story. So gotcha their bucko.
I'm glad you're so attached to Persephone. I think you have a soft spot in your heart for her. :)
There definitely is a need for non-male gendered characters to be represented well; in both “good” and “bad” morale spots and without a stereotype that comes along with them. Persephone had done that well here, especially playing of well Sebastian’s americaness (thank you for not making him into an expat, that probably make him a very crass character).