The Temple Of The Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima

 

Mizoguchi is the son of the local priest.  But he becomes traumatized when he sees his mother making love with another man and is left with a severe stutter.  His father expects him to take over the local temple when he is grown so he is sent for instruction to the temple of the golden pavilion, one of the most revered sites in the country and where the head is a friend of his fathers.

Mizoguchi's stutter once again sets him apart and he doesn't make friends easily.  Over his time there, he makes two friends.  One accepts him as he is and is a good influence while the other becomes friends with him as he is in the same outsider status as he is born with a clubfoot.  This friend is a bad influence and tries to lead Mizoguchi into trouble.

One night a prostitute comes to the temple as a tourist with a soldier.  The two start to argue and the soldier hits her and knocks her to the ground.  He instructs Mizoguchi to stand on her stomach and he complies.  He expects to feel guilty but instead feels powerful and like he has revenge on all the women who have rejected him.

This sets Mizoguchi on a trail of trouble.  He starts skipping his classes and finding trouble wherever he can.  He finally decides that the beauty of the temple is what sets him apart from others as he can never obtain beauty himself.  He decides that if he burnt down the temple it would free him for a normal life.  Will he commit this final act?

Yukio Mishima is considered one of the preeminent Japanese authors of modern times.  Many readers will have heard of his novel The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea which was made into a movie.  In this novel, the reader is transported into the Japanese culture with its emphasis on honor and tradition and what occurs when someone is not able to live up to the expectations of such a culture.  The reader will watch with horror as Mizogchi strays further and further from the honorable plans of his youth.  This book is recommended for readers of multicultural and literary fiction.