The Way of the Gods

"The Way of the Gods" by John Luther Long is a story about Shijiro Arisuga, a samurai in Japan, who juggles his loyalty to old traditions with the excitement and draw of the new ways coming from the West. It looks at the ideas of being happy and sad. The story begins by exploring the idea that joy and sadness are connected, especially in Japan, with Shijiro thinking back on the five times when he was most happy. As Shijiro remembers growing up, things get complicated by social pressures tied to his family honor and his feelings for Yoné, a familiar friend since childhood. He is stuck between the old world and the new, trying to figure out what he wants for himself while dealing with his responsibilities to his family and the emperor.