story analysis in a grove by my prose class students

1. “In a Grove”Vina | Tikvy | Dita | Ega | Dwitama | Anisa | Huda

2. “In a Grove”
By Ryunosuke Akutagawa
It was firstly published in the
January 1922 edition of the
Japanese literature monthly
Shincho
In short, it tells a story about a
death of man named Takehiro
through seven different
accounts.

3. There was evidence for struggle, but that
the man has died due to wound in his
chest caused by a sword. There is no
weapon, only a rope and a comb.
A Woodcutter
A Buddhist Priest
A Policeman
He said that he has met the man during his
journey accompanied by a woman on a fine
maned horse.
The man had a sword, a bow, and a black
quiver.
He has captured a known criminal called
Tajomaru who is suspected as the
murderer. Tajomaru also brings a bow and
a black quiver, however, he did not have a
sword.
An Old Woman
The mother of the woman who was seen with
the dead man. She reveals that the dead man
was Kanazawa no Takehiro, a samurai and
husband of her daughter Massago.

4. He admitted that he has met the couple
and that he wanted Masago. He tricked
them to be separated. He tied Takehiro
then raped Masago.
He had a duel with Taehiro and killed
him.
Tajomaru’s Confession
The Story of the
Murdered Man
The Confession
of a Woman
Tajomaru has left after he raped her, and
her husband was looking at her with
hatred. She was very ashamed and
decided to kill herself, but she wanted her
husband to go with her.
She argued that Takehiro has agreed to die
with her and she killed him.
Masago has been raped, the criminal
persuaded her to go with him and
become his wife. Masago agreed with
this proposal, but asked Tajomaru to kill
Takehiro first.
Taehiro admitted to have suicide
afterwards.

5. PLOT
Orientation
Raising Action
ClimaxStarts with the confession
of the Woodcutter which
gives an idea that there was
a murder. There are only
rope and comb with the
dead body
Raising action appears when
the Buddhist Priest gives
testimony that is
contradictive with the
Woodcutter in terms of the
things that were carried by
Takehiro
The climax raises when
Masago, Tajomaru, and
Takehiro give their
accounts of the
murder.
Each of them gives
contradictive testimony
and all of them claim to
have killed Takehiro,
including Takehiro
himself.

6. CHARACTERS
A Woodcutter A Buddhist Priest A Policeman An Old Woman
The one who found the
body in a grove.
Described that the body
was lying flat on his back
The mother of Takehiro’s
wife, Masago. Giving
information about who
Takehiro was
The man who arrested
the Primary suspect,
Tajomaru
Saw the victim and his
wife from the road of
Sekiyama to
Yamashina

7. CHARACTERS
Tajomaru Masago Kawasagu no Takehiro
A well known criminal
who is suspected as
Takehiro’s murderer .
Has admitted to kill
Takehiro
19 year old beautiful
wife of Takehiro. Was
raped by Tajomaru.
Has admitted to kill
Takehiro
The dead man found
in a grove.
Has admitted to kill
himself.

8. Point of View
A form of 7 dramatic monologues
The titles are in form of
third person point of
view
1
The contents of the
testimony are in form of
first person point of view
2
The old man looked at him. “Another
brandy,” he said.
“You’ll be drunk,” the waiter said.
“Yes sir, ….. You ask me if I say a
sword or any such thing?”
THE TESTIMONY OF A WOODCUTTER
QUESTIONED BY A HIGH POLICE COMMISIONER

9. Setting
1
2
1
2
Setting of Place
Setting of Time
In Japan, near the
Yamashina stage road, in a
grove of unnamed mountain
Setting of Place of Minor
Events
Interview to the witnesses and
suspected murder in a police
station
Paranormal practice in an
unknown place
The early era of
Sengoku (Sengoku
Jidai) in year 1500
Kyoto is used as the
name of the capital city of
Japan
The use of Bushido
(Samurai ethic), such as
kimono, samurai, bow
and arrow, and sword
Evidences

10. Style
1
2
3
The style that is
used is
Unorthodox
Narrative style
Akutagawa, as the writer, has
various characters who give
contradictive yet equally
possible accounts of the murder
The narration of the story is
delivered in form of 7
dramatized monologues
containing different testimonies
of different people
The readers are left with
ambiguity and given the
role as a judge to figure
out the pieces of puzzle

11. “People will alter the
truth to make them look
better. It teaches us to
analyze the facts and

12. THANK YOU…