Feedback on Light That Casts No Shadow

 I first read "Light That Casts No Shadow" by Watanabe Junichi in around the year of 1987 and reviewed it several times in the following few years. After that, due to some dramatic events happening in my life, I did not have access to that book any more until recently when I accidentally found it on Internet. I read it once more and was surprised to find that the first impression about it was still there, fresh and vivid, after two decades. After this reading, I know that I owe this masterpiece a feedback.

Speaking a little bit lengthy about this book, I just would like to state that it has been engraved in my mind for such a long time, long enough for everything in it to become so familiar and loving to me: from Dr. Naoe, the main male character, to Noriko, the main female character, to the Oriental Hospital, the main background of the story... "Light That Casts No Shadow" is a unique and special masterpiece in its own way. It is unique and special because it has created unique and special characters. Dr. Naoe and Noriko are the two typical examples.

Dr. Naoe is a skilled, talented and professional surgeon who is in his late 30s. The turning point in his life is when he discovered that he suffered from Spine Cancer, a disease which he had been studying for a long time but could not find a treatment to cure it yet. As an irony of destiny, now he is a victim of it ,consciously watching it, step by step, destroying his health, his career, his life... 

The most terrible thing in a human's life probably is knowing in advance the day he or she leaves this world. As a doctor, Naoe knows, and knows very well the day he becomes disabled, the day he will no longer exist. In addition to that, the death is approaching him together with an unbearable, tormenting pain that makes his remaining days a fire hell. The way Naoe faces his tragedy, the way he perceives life and death, the way he treats other people together with his attractive cold look have made this character an adorable legend. 

He has suffered his pain in silence, not bothering anybody. He has done whatever he could for his patients in his best capacity during his remaining days. On the threshold of death, he has learnt the way to see people with their true nature. Also on the threshold of death, he has shown us an astonishing compassion which seems to be missing in these days' society. 

In Naoe's unique and controversial lifestyle, there is no room for hypocrisy. He volunteers to look like a bad guy - a bad guy with a cold look but having a warm and sincere heart. We barely find in his life a minute of lying or cheating. Everything he does, he does it for other people's sake. 

His most beautiful image is probably when he dumps himself in the Sikosu Lake to end his life. I don't encourage self-destruction. But in this case, when it helps to uphold a human being's self-esteem, a precious mental value, it should be honored. After all, we would die someday ,sooner or later, wouldn't we? It is not when we die it matters, but how we die, is it? I believe that his corpse would never surface as he wished. Moreover, I also believe that it would not be rotten either. Probably because the frozen snow would keep his corpse intact. Probably because he would become immortal with his bravery. 

Some people might feel offended with the way he indulged himself into constant sexual activities to avoid his tragedy. Some people might even find it immoral. Actually, as a human being, on one hand I don't think that is something we should be proud of, but on the other hand, as as human being, I don't think it is unacceptable either. That sexual indulgence has by itself illustrated the terrible pain he had been sufferring, the ultimate hopeless situation he had been in, which makes his deeds and thinkings in his last days more human and noble.

Noriko is just a nurse working at the Oriental Hospital who loves Naoe with an unconditional love. She is a typical image of Japanese traditional women which seems to be rare these days. In her mind, love means giving and never asking for return. She has loved Naoe with such a kind of love. She would come when Naoe wants her to come and she would leave when he doesn't need her any more. She just loves him in her silent, loyal and simple way, being happy when allowed to be near him and keeping on waiting when he is away. 

Some people who demand equality in every aspect of their lives may feel pity for her. But is it necessary? She is completely happy in her own world of love. Her love is sacred because it is true love. Isn't it true that when you truly love somebody, there would be no room for demanding and calculation? The happiest moment in her life may be the minutes she knows that she is carrying a drop of his blood in her body. Anyway, her love is finally rewarded. 

Her image which most impressed me may be when she was wandering around the snow-covered city to recapture Naoe's figure after she already knew that he had gone. That image is so touching that I believe she didn't feel any cold in that freezing atmosphere. Simply because in her mind at the time, it was Naoe there waiting for her.

If you have read this book and not felt like it, you might have been lucky enough not to experience enough severe pain (physically, mentally, or spiritually) in you life and I congratulate you on that. God must have blessed you. Otherwise, you would find here a sympathy which helps you to live stronger, to stand better, to fight harder and after all , to die more nicely.

01/05/2010

Jeffrey Thai