DEJ+-+Jerry

His only companions were Stars. His only home was the sea. (15) But soon he met Fusako, consummate incarnation of land.

This stanza of the poem illustrates Ryuji's change from glory seeking sailor to a land dweller and his fall from grace with the sea. Before meeting Fusako, Ryuji's "only companions were Stars". The stars are symbolic of Ryuji's ideas of a personal glory and attainment, while the word itself is capitalized to emphasize its importance. The personification of stars as companions also develops a sense of personal familiarity and bonding. Ryuji's "only home was the sea". The metaphor of the sea as Ryuji's home suggests a sense of belonging and comfort for Ryuji while sailing. However, the use of the past tense with the words "were" and "was" hints that Ryuji no longer has such connections with the sea and glory. This idea is consolidated with the word "but", which illustrates a change of tone and flow of ideas. Ryuji meets Fusako, who is described as a "consummate incarnation of land". The word choice "consummate" and "incarnation" imply a perfect embodiment of land, shifting the focus away from the sea. Furthermore, the word consummate has sexual connotations and makes an allusion to Ryuji's sexual relationship with Fusako.