Read the following excerpt from "The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket" and answer the question.

Question

"And finally, to your clouded, wounded heart, even a true bell cricket will seem like a grasshopper. Should that day come, when it seems to you that the world is only full of grasshoppers, I will think it a pity that you have no way to remember tonight's play of light, when your name was written in green by your beautiful lantern on a girl's breast."

What themes is Kawabata referring to in these final lines?
Question options:

A)

Death and forgiveness

B)

Happiness and justice

C)

Pain and hatred

D)

Aging and romantic love

Answer 1

In the final lines of "The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket," Kawabata reflects on themes of perception and the impact of emotional state on one's ability to appreciate beauty and connection. The lines suggest that a heart that is clouded and wounded may struggle to recognize true beauty (the bell cricket) and instead see only the mundane (the grasshopper). The reference to remembering a special moment (the play of light and the writing of a name) emphasizes the importance of memory and the bittersweet nature of love and connection.

Given these insights, the most fitting option from the choices provided would be:

D) Aging and romantic love.

While not strictly about aging, it touches on the passage of time and how romantic experiences can be overshadowed by pain.