The Artist's Remorse: Retrospection And Memory In Post-War Japan In An Artist Of The Floating World By Kazuo Ishiguro

Abstract

This paper explores the themes of retrospection, memory, and remorse in Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel An Artist of the Floating World. Through the central character, Masuji Ono, Ishiguro depicts the plight of an ex-propaganda artist in post-war Japan, haunted by the moral choices of his past. But the novel explores how identity is shaped by memory and how historical narratives evolve across generations. An exploration of the novel’s symbolism, narrative structure, and thematic depth is undertaken, as this research sheds new light on the specific way the novel examines collective and personal guilt in a society which is rapidly modernizing.