"Yukio Mishima’s Confessions of a Mask (1949) is another “I” novel, a coming-of-age story of a young man navigating his homosexuality. Fine, he likes men. Shrug. " -- Given the nature of my current work, I feel the need to drop in here and remind us that it's "shrug" now only because of a lot of hard-won victories. In 1949, when that story was written, of course, liking men was a big big big problem for any queer man (as of course it still is in 2023, in parts of the US/world). I know you know that, but it's easy for us to forget the struggles that made that wonderful shrug possible. 🏳️🌈
Also, your reference to your fellow sumo-lover reminds me of our conversation the other day -- about how if someone loves what we love and we mention it, they will inevitably speak up, thus no need to do the opposite. I'm glad you found a fellow devotee!
Confessions of a Mask haunted me. Attraction and evisceration being knotted together like that definitely opened a lot of chasms in my mind...when my roommate Bryce read that book, he already had an informed depiction of St. Sebastian in his head, and his interest in religious art hinges on its simultaneous reverence and sensuality and how it contradicts the chastity of the Word. Not my expertise per se, but Bryce would be the first to note the homoerotic undertones in those artworks. So it's plain to see how brutality would factor in as well. Also, the title Confessions of a Mask, through the lens of Japan's social customs of indirect, high-content language, stokes up more thought about masking messages and meaning and, in this case, desire. Just you mentioning it makes me want to read it again—how dangerous.
If you want to try another Mishima book, the first I read of his was the Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, which, when I think about your Goner story (and book???), might give some food for thought about the tragedies and pitfalls of masculinity.
Anyway, great post as always—sorry I came to it late, I'll be back in two days >:)
"Yukio Mishima’s Confessions of a Mask (1949) is another “I” novel, a coming-of-age story of a young man navigating his homosexuality. Fine, he likes men. Shrug. " -- Given the nature of my current work, I feel the need to drop in here and remind us that it's "shrug" now only because of a lot of hard-won victories. In 1949, when that story was written, of course, liking men was a big big big problem for any queer man (as of course it still is in 2023, in parts of the US/world). I know you know that, but it's easy for us to forget the struggles that made that wonderful shrug possible. 🏳️🌈
Also, your reference to your fellow sumo-lover reminds me of our conversation the other day -- about how if someone loves what we love and we mention it, they will inevitably speak up, thus no need to do the opposite. I'm glad you found a fellow devotee!
"...because monsters..." indeed - wonderful post that covered so much
Confessions of a Mask haunted me. Attraction and evisceration being knotted together like that definitely opened a lot of chasms in my mind...when my roommate Bryce read that book, he already had an informed depiction of St. Sebastian in his head, and his interest in religious art hinges on its simultaneous reverence and sensuality and how it contradicts the chastity of the Word. Not my expertise per se, but Bryce would be the first to note the homoerotic undertones in those artworks. So it's plain to see how brutality would factor in as well. Also, the title Confessions of a Mask, through the lens of Japan's social customs of indirect, high-content language, stokes up more thought about masking messages and meaning and, in this case, desire. Just you mentioning it makes me want to read it again—how dangerous.
If you want to try another Mishima book, the first I read of his was the Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, which, when I think about your Goner story (and book???), might give some food for thought about the tragedies and pitfalls of masculinity.
Anyway, great post as always—sorry I came to it late, I'll be back in two days >:)