What is the theme in Some Prefer Nettles by Junichiro Tanizaki?

Puppets are a theme in the book. At the beginning of the book, Misako's father has invited Misako and Kaname to come see a puppet show with him. They are not interested, since they find traditional Japanese puppet theater to be boring. During the performance, however, Kaname finds the performance to be enchanting, and for him it begins to symbolize everything that is charming and Japanese. These huge puppets are performed by three puppeteers each, and move primarily through the torso and head, suggesting emotion through subtle nuances of pose.