Good Example Of Essay On David Mitchell: The Thousand Autumns Of Jacob De Zoet

David Mitchell is a famous English writer. He spent more than five years in Hiroshima, teaching English to Japanese students that let him to write his last novel "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet". The experience of living in Japan formed the basis for a novel about the country.
The events take place at the end of the eighteenth century. The young Dutchman Jacob de Zoet comes to Dejima – an artificial island near Nagasaki – as a part of a trade mission of the Dutch East India Company. At that times Japan was one of the most closed countries in the world, so even Dejima had a special legal and political status. This artificial island area of ​​about one hectare is the only place on the Japanese territory, where the Dutch can land.
The bride of Jacob Anna stayed at their homeland, as her father was against marriage with Jacob, unless the groom achieves something in life. Therefore, de Zoet was sent to Japan as a private clerk, hoping to gain experience and earn money. He is sailing on the ship together with the new director, whose aim is to investigate the flagrant corruption cases in which his predecessor was involved. Jacob has to check the books and try to detect the committed violations, so he gets down to business in good faith immediately.
Meanwhile, the trade affairs at the Netherlands go wrong. Holland desperately needs a Japanese copper to deliver it to the center of the East India Company in Batavia, but the Japanese do not intend to increase the quota. The new director decided to put forward an ultimatum. He forgets a letter to the Governor of Batavia with the requirement to increase the quota for Japanese copper and forces to sign this letter de Zoet. The Japanese agree with the ultimatum partially and increase the quota slightly. The Dutch ship loades with copper, ready to sail. De Zoet checkes the paper and detects a fraud – copper loaded more than it was written. It turnes out that the new director is the same corrupt, like his predecessor, and deals with smuggling. That is why Jacob does not agree to sign papers, depriving of all the prospects to become a major control in Dejima. The new director deprives him any hopes and de Zoet turns back to regular clerk with nothing.
Speaking about the book, it is written in typical Japanese style. Rigid hierarchy, customs, domestic relations and relations with foreigners – everything is trumpeted by the main characters very well. Although there are some strange storylines based on mysticism, and it is quite difficult to perceive it. Secondly, is it also interesting enough from a historical perspective. Trade and cultural relations between Japan and European countries in the 18th century – this is not a well-known topic.
Mitchell demonstrates a detailed description of ancient realities and living conditions, many invoices, often very naturalistic and physiological, up to a rigorous description of the process of delivery. Historical documents, moral principles, reports and laws – the author takes everything into account. But intrigue, suspense and excitement appear just at the end of the story when finally the acute and inescapable conflict becomes obvious.
Mitchell's book is a wonderful novel that is remarkable for its historicity. This is not an adventurous novel and romance; it is historical and contains a lot of interesting information about the life in Japan of that period. For example, the reader can learn how Japanese Christianity is strictly prohibited. All the Europeans arriving at Dejima have to get rid of Christian books. He learns that the foreigners were not even allowed to study Japanese and the Japanese – to teach Japanese language. Japanese girls were forbidden to set foot on Dejima, but for the prostitutes. Perhaps this is a puzzle of the book.