The Story of the Aged Mother

The point of view in "The Aged Mother" is third-person omniscient, where the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters. This perspective allows readers to gain insights into the emotions and motivations of both the aged mother and her son.

"The Aged Mother" is a Japanese folktale about a mother and her son who defy a decree that all elderly people must be abandoned. The story emphasizes the value of wisdom, respect for elders, and the importance of familial bonds. It conveys themes of love, sacrifice, and the wisdom that comes with age.

In the story of the Aged Mother, the exposition introduces the setting of a country where a cruel law orders all old people to be taken up to the mountain and left to die. It also sets up the relationship between the aging mother and her devoted son. The exposition establishes the conflict between the harsh law and the son's determination to save his mother.

"The Aged Mother" is a Japanese folktale about a cruel ruler who orders all old people to be abandoned and left to die. A farmer must make the difficult decision to abandon his elderly mother upon the ruler's orders, but she ultimately helps him see the importance of respecting and caring for the elderly. Through her wisdom and guidance, they find a way to save her and all the other old people in their village.

"The Story of the Aged Mother" is a Japanese folktale about a cruel ruler who decrees that all elderly people must be killed. A devoted son disobeys the order, fleeing with his mother to a remote mountain. The mother sacrifices herself to save her son, conveying wisdom and guidance before passing away. The tale celebrates the bond between a mother and her child and the importance of respecting elders.

The author wrote the story of "The Aged Mother" to convey a moral lesson about the importance of respect, wisdom, and the bond between mother and child. The story highlights traditional values and the wisdom passed down from one generation to the next.

The theme of "The Story of the Aged Mother" centers around the love and respect between a mother and her son, as well as the wisdom that comes with age. The story showcases the importance of family bonds, sacrifice, and traditional wisdom passed down through generations.

In the story "The Aged Mother," Shinano is the province where the Emperor's decree to abandon elderly people was to be carried out. It is where the son and his mother lived, and it is from Shinano that they were to be banished as a result of the cruel law.

The conflict in the Japanese folktale "The Aged Mother" arises when a cruel ruler decrees that all elderly people must be abandoned and left to die. The protagonist, a devoted son, must choose between obeying the ruler's command and saving his mother's life, leading to a moral dilemma and a test of traditional values.

"The Aged Mother" is a folktale from Japan about an emperor who issued a decree to kill all elderly people. A kind son saves his mother by taking her to a mountain and hiding her. With the guidance of the mother, the son learns the importance of wisdom and respect for elders. The story emphasizes the value of wisdom, family bonds, and the respect for the elderly.

The moral lesson of "The Aged Mother" is the importance of respecting and caring for the elderly, as well as the wisdom they possess. It also speaks to the resilience and strength that can be found in older individuals.

to abandoning all the aged people

The conflict in the story "The Aged Mother" revolves around a decree issued by the despotic ruler, which mandated that all elderly people should be abandoned and left to die in the mountains. The conflict is between the ruler's heartless decree and the son's love and determination to save his mother. It highlights the struggle between tradition and humanity.

A short summary of "The Story of the Aged Mother" is:

A degree was given by a wicked ruler to put to death all old people. A poor farmer took his aged mother up a mountain to obey the degree, but could not. He brought his mother down the mountain and hid her. The wicked ruler demanded that a twisted straw rope be made. It was the aged mother who told how to make the rope. The son told the governor the story and the degree was abolished.

"The Aged Mother" is a Japanese folktale that follows a mother and her son as they face a harsh government decree that all elderly people must be abandoned and left to die. The story explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the wisdom that comes with old age. It emphasizes the importance of respecting and valuing the elderly.

THE STORY OF THE AGED MOTHER

A Japanese Folktale

Long, long ago there lived at the foot of the mountain a poor farmer and his aged, widowed mother. They owned a bit of land which supplied them with food, and their humble were peaceful and happy.

Shinano was governed by a despotic leader who though a warrior, had a great and cowardly shrinking from anything suggestive of failing health and strength. This caused him to send out a cruel proclamation. The entire province was given strict orders to immediately put to death all aged people. Those were barbarous days, and the custom of abandoning old people to die was not common. The poor farmer loved his aged mother with tender reverence, and the order filled his heart with sorrow. But no one ever thought a second time about obeying the mandate of the governor, so with many deep hopeless sighs, the youth prepared for what at that time was considered the kindest mode of death.

Just at sundown, when his dayÂ's work was ended, he took a quantity of unwhitened rice which is principal food for poor, cooked and dried it, and tying it in a square cloth, swung and bundle around his neck along with a gourd filled with cool, sweet water. Then he lifted his helpless old mother to his back and stated on his painful journey up the mountain. The road was long and steep; the narrowed road was crossed and recrossed by many paths made by the hunters and woodcutters. In some place, they mingled in a confused puzzled, but he gave no heed. One path or another, it mattered not. On he went, climbing blindly upward Â- ever upward towards the high bare summit of what is know as Obatsuyama, the mountain of the Â"abandoning of agedÂ".

The eyes of the old mother were not so dim but that they noted the reckless hastening from one path to another, and her loving heart grew anxious. Her son did not know the mountainÂ's many paths and his return might be one of danger, so she stretched forth her hand and snapping the twigs from brushes as they passed, she quietly dropped a handful every few steps of the way so that they climbed, the narrow path behind them was dotted at frequently intervals with tiny piles of twigs. At last the summit was reached. Weary and heart sick, the youth gently released his burden and silently prepared a place of comfort as his last duty to the loved one. Gathering fallen pine needle, he made a soft cushion and tenderly lifting his old mother therein, he wrapped her padded coat more closely about the stooping shoulders and with tearful eyes and an aching heart said farewell.

The trembling motherÂ's voice was full of unselfish love as she gave her last injunction. Â"Let not thine eyes be blinded, my son.Â" She said. Â"The mountain road is full of dangers. LOOK carefully and follow the path which holds the piles of twigs. They will guide you to the familiar way farther downÂ". The sonÂ's surprised eyes looked back over the path, then at the poor old, shriveled hands all scratched and soiled by their work of love. His heart smote him and bowing to the grounds, he cried aloud: Â"oh, Honorable mother, thy kindness thrusts my heart! I will not leave thee. Together we will follow the path of twigs, and together we will die!Â"

Once more he shouldered his burden (how light it seemed no) and hastened down the path, through the shadows and the moonlight, to the little hut in the valley. Beneath the kitchen floor was a walled closet for food, which was covered and hidden from view. There the son his mother, supplying her with everything needful and continually watching and fearing. Time passed, and he was beginning to feel safe when again the governor sent forth heralds bearing an unreasonable order, seemingly as a boast of his power. His demand was that his subject should present him with a rope of ashes. The entire province trembled with dread. The order must be obeyed yet who in all Shinano could make a rope of ashes?

One night, in great distress, the son whispered the news to his hidden mother. Â"Wait!Â" she said. Â"I will think. I will thinkÂ" On the second day she told him what to do. Â"Make rope twisted straw,Â" she said. Â"Then stretch it upon a row of flat stones and burn it there on the windless night.Â" He called the people together and did as she said and when the blaze and died, behold upon the stones with every twist and fiber showing perfectly. Lay a rope of whithead ashes.

The governor was pleased at the wit of the youth and praised greatly, but he demanded to know where he had obtained his wisdom. Â"Alas! Alas!Â" cried the farmer, Â"the truth must be told!Â" and with deep bows he related his story. The governor listened and then meditated in silence. Finally he lifted his head. Â"Shinano needs more than strength of youth,Â" he said gravely. Â"Ah, that I should have forgotten the well-know saying, Â"with the crown of snow, there cometh a wisdom!Â" That very hour the cruel law was abolished, and custom drifted into as far a past that only legends remains.

The main characters in the story of "The Aged Mother" are the aged mother and her son, who faces a difficult decision that challenges his loyalty and forces him to reassess his values. The story showcases the deep bond between the mother and son as they navigate the harsh realities of life together.

The values of the aged mother in the story include sacrifice, love, loyalty, wisdom, and resilience. She exemplifies selflessness through her willingness to be sacrificed for her son and demonstrates unconditional love and strength in the face of hardship. Her wisdom and guidance serve as a source of support for her son and reflect the importance of family bonds and respect for elders.

"The Aged Mother" is a Japanese folktale about a cruel ruler who orders the elderly to be abandoned and left to die. A son defies this decree by carrying his mother to a remote mountain, where she imparts wisdom that saves the village from the ruler's tyranny. The story highlights the value of respect for elders and the importance of listening to their wisdom.

The elements of the short story "The Aged Mother" by Matsuo Basho include a mother-son relationship, a moral lesson, and themes of wisdom and sacrifice. The story's setting in feudal Japan and the use of nature as a teacher are also important elements that contribute to its overall message.

Abdul Qadir Gilani, a renowned Islamic scholar and Sufi saint, had a close and loving relationship with his mother. His mother was a pious woman who played a pivotal role in shaping his spiritual journey. She supported and encouraged him in his pursuit of knowledge and devotion to serving God. Their bond is often cited as an example of the importance of a mother's guidance in nurturing a child's spiritual growth.

She does not show any weakness even at the crucial moments of her son 's death . She wants to administer respectable burial rites of her son . She is not at all ashamed of his deeds . She symbolizes an ideal mother who wants to secure her love for her children at any cost .

The climax of "The Story of the Aged Mother" occurs when the mother and her son are forced to climb the mountain to be executed. At the peak, the mother sacrifices herself by revealing the wisdom of the mountain plants, saving her son and the village from hunger and death. This pivotal moment highlights the mother's selflessness and wisdom.

"The Aged Mother" is a Japanese folktale about a cruel ruler who orders all elderly people to be sent to a mountain to die. The story follows a son who saves his mother by taking her up the mountain, but they discover the beauty of life and nature together. It teaches the importance of respecting and caring for the elderly.