The Samurai's Garden

In The Samurai’s Garden, Tsukiyama, a 21st-century woman, writes in first person as a man. Considering the cultural setting of the novel (1930s Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War), why might she have chosen this narrator?

Stephen’s book is his storytelling method. Why does Tsukiyama choose this means of expression for her narrator (vs. simply having him “speak” his thoughts, his feelings, and the novel’s events)? Please consider Stephen’s personality, the journal style’s effect on the reader, and the importance of the act of creation as put forth in the novel.

Flowers are a central symbol in The Samurai’s Garden. Please choose three instances of flowers as symbol from the novel and explain how they help us to understand Stephen’s journey.