세대를 통해 보는 ｢헌등사(獻燈使)｣

A Study Focusing on the Generations of Characters in “The Emissary”

This article focuses on each generation that appears in “The Emissary” and examines their characteristics. While “The Emissary” has been discussed from various perspectives, including the environment, language, and disasters, research focusing on generations is rare. In a polluted environment, Yoshiro, who is over 100 years old, takes care of his great-grandchild, Mumei, while Yoshiro’s daughter and Mumei’s parent are among them. They are now free to live the life they want and can be said to be irresponsible people. The baby boomers to which Yoshiro belongs were born after the war and are the main characters who have led the period of high economic growth in Japan. And it is still the most common generation in Japanese society, which has entered a super-aged society. It can be said that Yoshiro feels guilty and fulfills his responsibilities as a message he wants to convey to the baby boomers, the older generation. Mumei can be said that it is a future generation that cannot identify the generation. It appeals to the value and flexibility of thinking that modern people have lost through the conditions of the emissary, which requires unknown people who are weak but healthy in mind, other minds, responsibility, tolerance, and flexible thinking.

本稿では｢獻燈使｣に登場する各世代に注目し、その特徴について考察してみた。これまで｢獻燈使｣は環境、言語、災害など多様な観点から議論されてきたが、世代に注目した研究は探しにくい。 汚染された環境の中で百歳を超える義郎は曾孫である無名の世話をしているが、その間には義郎の娘と無名の父が存在する。彼らは現在、自分の望む人生を自由に生きており、無責任な人物であると言える。 義郎が属する団塊世代は日本の高度経済成長期を導いてきた主役である。そして超高齢社会に進入した日本社会に依然として最も多い世代でもある。義郎が自責の念を感じて責任を尽すのは、団塊世代すなわち、既成世代に伝えたいメッセージともいえよう。無名の場合、世代を特定できない未来の世代ともいえる。体は弱いが精神が健康である無名や利他の心、責任感、包容力、柔軟な思考などが必要な獻燈使の条件などを通じて現代人たちが失った価値をアピールしている。