A Tale for the Time Being

        Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being presents an extremely eye-opening account of the role that time plays in a person's life. After finishing the novel, one aspect that prominently stood out to me was the definition of what it really means to live that is developed throughout the novel. This idea is highlighted prominently in the scene just prior to Jiko’s death. Here, Nao explains that it is tradition for a Zen master to write a poem on their deathbed. On the following page, Nao reveals Jiko’s final poem, which is the single character meaning “to live.” Nao then reveals Jiko’s final words, “For now… for the time being”(362). I believe that this aspect of the novel helps progress the novel towards its final meaning. Throughout the entirety of the novel, Nao is fixated on how limited her life is. Constantly, she discusses the idea of the moment. In Appendix A, Ruth translates Nao’s idea of the moment, writing, “A moment is a very small particle of time. It is so small that one day is made of 6,400,099,980 moments”(407). Thus, because Nao is captivated by this definition. Rather than living in the moment and making the most of her limited time, as she repeatedly emphasizes, Nao instead fixates on the mere passage of time. Throughout the novel, it is the lessons she learns from Jiko that contribute to the end of this narrative. 

        After Jiko’s death, and in the final events of the novel, Nao finally learns what it means to live. On the final page, Nao details her plan to write the story of Jiko’s life, stating, “at least until I finish writing her story, I absolutely don’t want to die. The thought of letting Jiko down brings tears to my eyes… this is a big improvement in my state of mind, to actually be worried about dying like a normal person”(390). While throughout the novel it is clear that Jiko has an immense positive impact on Nao, this is the first time that Nao truly recognizes the value in life. Seeing the full life lived by Jiko, Nao learns that she has the full potential to have an equally successful life. Thus, rather than being a novel about death, in the end, readers learn that the novel is truly about learning how to live. 



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