Chapter 2 Summary

When H hears tambourine music and drums, he runs away because the music signals the approach of Christian street preachers. H also dislikes tambourine music because his mother, Toshiko, plays the instrument with the street preachers. The route the preachers travel through the city goes right by H's school, and his friends tease him because of his mother's chanting and playing. Toshiko's actions embarrass H greatly. H tells his mother that her tambourine playing is embarrassing and asks her to stop. Toshiko tells him he shouldn't be embarrassed because she is bringing God to those who do not know him.

Toshiko's parents are Buddhists and are unhappy that she is a Christian. The parents urge Toshiko her to give up Christianity, but she is unmoved. Her parents feel that forcing her to marry Morio and move to Kobe is a contributing factor to...