Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify themes and symbols from the story, and support their choices with details from the text.
Mitsuye’s letter to Mariko originally makes her feel uncomfortable and unable to do what is being asked of her. Yet, when Mitsuye mentions that they can “speak for the dead”, this hits home for Mariko. She thinks about all of the people she had to watch die, and wonders if by bearing witness about the dangers of nuclear weapons, maybe she can find a purpose for herself. In fact, “bearing witness” is what the Jewish people have done who survived the Holocaust and concentration camps. It’s an important theme for students to remember, because if no one bears witness about the consequences of things like nuclear weapons and prejudice, these are mistakes the world might be doomed to repeat in the future.
The narrator remarks that for Mariko, “She often felt as if she were neither dead nor alive, only an organism living out her allotted timespan because fate had chosen not to take her life that day.” For Mariko, the scars on her face from the glass made her an outcast in her uncle’s town of Tomo Village, where the people thought the infected cuts meant that Mariko was bad luck. Rather than disagree with them, or try to stand up for herself, as soon as the cuts heal, she flees Japan. Mariko does not understand why she lived while so many others died that day, which is a common feeling for people who survive mass-tragedies. This guilt keeps Mariko trapped emotionally, but bearing witness might finally give her the opportunity to move on.
Mariko’s scars from the glass embedded in her skin which caused nerve damage have given her a permanently cynical twist to her mouth. She feels as if the scars are punishment for the people she had to leave behind when she was triaging the victims of the bombing. They are a constant reminder not only of the horrors of that day, but also of the awful choices she had to make that she is still haunted by to this day.
The yard work, raking leaves, that Mariko does throughout the majority of the story represents her mulling over Mitsuye’s request. While she initially decides she’ll write back the next day and tell her no, as Mariko continues to think back to her experiences on the day of the bombing, she comes to the decision that bearing witness is something she needs to do. After she decides to do it after all, she begins weeding her flowerbeds, preparing them for spring. Spring, typically representing new life and new opportunities, mirrors Mariko’s resolve to give her life new purpose with this opportunity.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in “Autumn Gardening”. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Begin your lesson by sharing a short, familiar story or folktale. Ask students to pick out any objects, colors, or actions that seem important. Guide them to notice how these details might represent bigger ideas, just like in “Autumn Gardening.”
Show students images or passages from the story that feature recurring objects or actions, such as Mariko’s scars or gardening. Encourage discussion about what these might mean beyond their literal sense, supporting their ideas with text evidence.
Ask students to think of objects or activities in their own lives that could have special meaning. Have them share with a partner or the class, connecting personal experiences to the story’s use of symbolism.
Instruct students to create a simple storyboard for a short scene (real or imagined) that uses at least one symbol. Prompt them to illustrate and write a short explanation of how their chosen symbol relates to the theme or message of their scene.
Invite students to present their storyboards and explain their symbols. Lead a discussion on how using symbols can help authors and readers communicate deeper meanings. Reinforce the connection to “Autumn Gardening” and real-world storytelling.
The main themes in 'Autumn Gardening' include bearing witness to past tragedies, survivor’s guilt, and the search for purpose after trauma. The story explores how remembering and sharing painful histories can help individuals and communities heal and avoid repeating past mistakes.
Students can identify symbols in 'Autumn Gardening' by looking for objects or actions that represent deeper ideas, such as Mariko’s scars symbolizing guilt and trauma, or gardening as a metaphor for healing and new beginnings. Encourage students to connect details from the text to these larger meanings.
Mariko's gardening symbolizes her inner reflection and growth. As she tends to her yard and prepares for spring, it mirrors her decision to accept the responsibility of bearing witness and finding new purpose after her painful experiences.
To teach survivor’s guilt in 'Autumn Gardening', discuss Mariko's feelings of isolation and her struggle to understand why she survived when others did not. Use text evidence to explore how these emotions shape her actions and highlight ways people cope with traumatic events.
Bearing witness in 'Autumn Gardening' is crucial as it helps characters like Mariko find meaning and healing after tragedy. By sharing painful memories, the story shows how individuals can honor lost lives and help prevent history from repeating itself.