“A wonderful, ideal family centered around an empty well.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
Japanese
「空井戸を中心にしたすてきな理想的な家庭」
English
“A wonderful, ideal family centered around an empty well.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima presents an image of an ideal family centered around an empty well, which carries a layered and symbolic meaning. The well, often a symbol of depth, nourishment, and life-giving resources, is described here as empty, which creates a stark contrast with the idea of an ideal family. The empty well may represent a lack or void at the heart of the family, suggesting that the ideal or perfect family may be founded on an illusion or emptiness that cannot truly fulfill the deep, emotional needs of its members. The image conveys a sense of unrealized potential and hollowness, where the family structure, although seemingly perfect, is ultimately unable to provide the substance that one might expect from an ideal home.
Mishima’s portrayal of this “ideal family” with the empty well reflects his broader critique of societal ideals and familial structures in post-war Japan. In many of his works, Mishima explored the tension between outward appearances and inner realities, particularly the way that traditional ideals were often pursued without a true understanding of the deeper emotional needs or human complexities at play. The empty well becomes a powerful metaphor for the superficiality of social expectations, particularly the idea of a perfect family, which, though often idealized, may actually be empty or unfulfilling at its core.
In a modern context, Mishima’s quote could be interpreted as a commentary on contemporary ideals of the family unit, which are often shaped by external expectations and social norms. Today, the image of the ideal family—a nuclear family or a family that appears happy and successful—can sometimes mask hidden struggles or emotional voids within the home. The empty well represents how families, despite their outward appearances, can be marked by unspoken tensions, unmet emotional needs, and the gap between idealization and reality. Mishima’s words remind us to question whether our societal ideals of the perfect family truly capture the complex emotional realities of family life.
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