The Grasshopper and the Bell-Cricket

The bell cricket symbolizes The Elusiveness of Beauty. It is the sound of the bell cricket that calls to the children and the narrator in the story, a rare and beautiful sound that inspires introspection and, for the adult narrator, nostalgia. Its sound inspires the insect hunt, where the children literally search through darkness, in the form of the bushes and cherry trees, to discover it. Once found, the chorus of children reacts to the wonder of the creature compared to its foil, the grasshopper, a common insect that represents conformity, as opposed to the uniqueness of the bell cricket. Later in the story, the bell cricket represents the gift of love, as it is presented to Kiyoko from Fujio’s hand and later placed in the protection of her small insect cage. This act of true love follows the theme of authenticity and enlightenment.

The lanterns symbolize authenticity and support the theme of Modernism and the Virtue of Originality. The store-bought lanterns are juxtaposed against the handcrafted lanterns. The narrator appreciates the artistry, color, wisdom, and craftsmanship