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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelJiro Osaragi?s The Journey portrays a complex problem of love and greed
during postwar Japan near the end of American occupation. The Journey gives a
simple picture on the changing perspective of the Japanese in perceiving life,
particularly money. Moreover, this thesis is about the efforts of the two main
characters, Taeko Okamoto and Ryosuke Tsugawa, in avoiding greediness. It
happens that Taeko succeeds in avoiding greediness, while Ryosuke fails. In this
study, I use literary theories, namely characterization and conflict. Then, I analyze
why Taeko succeeds in avoiding greediness, while Ryosuke fails. Moreover, I
also analyze the result of Taeko?s success and Ryosuke?s failure. Taeko succeeds
in avoiding greediness because she has some strong values about money, and the
first is that she sees money as the outcome of her self reliance. Secondly, money
cannot give happiness and love in life. As a result of this, Taeko becomes a strong
and brave woman in facing her life. It is because her success in avoiding
greediness gives her new self confidence. On the contrary, Ryosuke sees money
as a means to elevate social status, and it is something that comes from taking
advantages of others. The result of his failure in avoiding greediness is that he is
not trusted anymore by his business colleagues and his fiance. It turns out that
Ryosuke?s life is very lonely.