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1. I. Introduction
a. Title of the story
The title of the story is “Of a Promise Kept.” It was written by Lafcadio
Hearn. This is regarded as one of the examples of Chinese Literatures. The
story depicts about a man who kept and fulfilled his promise by killing himself.
b. Setting of the Story
i. Description of the time setting
The story happened on the particular day of festival Choyo and that
was the ninth day of the ninth month. The time was spring. It was the season
of chrysanthemums where in they were in bloom.
ii. Description of the place setting
The story happened in the village of Kato in the province of Harima.
The day was beautiful; the sky without a cloud, and the air was so pure.
c. Characterization
i. Main characters
 HasebeSemon
- brother of Akana Soyomon
- he patiently waited for Soyomon’s return
 Akana Soyomon
- he is the brother of Hasebe Semon by adoption and he was
an Izumo Samurai
- he went to Izumo to visit his birthplace
ii. Subordinate characters
Mother of Akana Soyomon and and Hasebe Semon
AkanaTanji
- cousin of Akana Soyomon
 Lord Tsunehisa
- He is the new ruler of Izumo. He is a skilled soldier and of
great courage; cunning and cruel.
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2. d. Theme
The story is about a man who kept a promise to his adopted brother and
killed himself in order to fulfill his promise.
e. Plot
i. Main Incidents
 Akana was an Izumo samurai. He wanted to visit his birthplace, Izumo.
 Akana Soyomon bids goodbye several hundred years ago to his brother by
adoption, Hasebe Semon and said that he shall return in the early autumn.
 They agreed that he will be back in a particular day of the festival Choyo
and that was the ninth day of the ninth month.
 Akana Soyomon strode away the village of Kato in the ravine of Harima-
and Hasebe Semon and his mother looked after him with tears in their
eyes.
 The autumn came, Hasebe prepared to welcome his adopted brother. He
made ready a feast of good things, bought wine, decorated the guestroom,
and fulfilled the vases of the alcove with chrysanthemums of two colors.
 Hasebe’s mother said that it will be difficult for Akana to come on that day
but Hasebe has faith in him so he watched and waited in vain.
ii. Climax
 Just as Hasebe was about to enter their house, he perceived a tall man
approaching and quickly. He recognized Akana. Akana fulfilled his promise
to his adopted brother, Hasebe Semon. Akana explained why he was late
and told what happened on his journey to his birthplace, Izumo. He also
told the cruelty of Lord Tsunehisa, the new ruler. Hasebe was so delighted
for his return. Then, he instantly disappeared.
iii. Resolution
 Hasebe knew that Akana killed himself in order to fulfill his promise. He set
out of Castle Tonda and went to the house of AkanaTanji. He learned that,
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3. on the night of the ninth day of the ninth month, Akana had performed
Harakiri in the house of his cousin, Akana Tanji.
II. Biography of the Author
Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904)
Considered one of modern America’s leading prose impressionists,
Lafcadio Hearn produced a large body of work that is more closely related to
nineteenth-century European than American literature. His sketches, short
stories, and novellas demonstrate a vision of evil and the supernatural
reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Baudelaire. Hearn is also
recognized as a perceptive literary critic whose readings and theories reflect
his devotion to the beautiful and bizarre.—Contemporary Authors Online
Lafcadio Hearn is an European-born American author, wrote novels
and articles with exotic themes in highly precise and polished prose.
Lafcadio Hearn was born June 27, 1850, on the Greek island of Santa
Maura. His mother was Maltese and his father a British army surgeon of Anglo-
Irish extraction. When Hearn was 2, his mother abandoned him to an aunt in
Dublin, who later sent him to St. Cuthbert's College to prepare for the
priesthood. There he lost his left eye in an accident; he lost much of his
religious faith as well. His other eye, strained by incessant reading, bulged
badly.
At 19, extremely short, disfigured, and psychologically maimed, Hearn
arrived in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he eventually became a reporter for the
Inquirer. In 1874 he married a local African American girl, breaking the Ohio
laws against miscegenation. The marriage lasted 3 years and cost Hearn his
job. Sent by another periodical to New Orleans, he found there the colorful,
exotic ambience that would energize his pen.
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4. By 1881 Hearn had become the successful literary editor of the New
Orleans Times Democrat, to which he contributed local-color sketches, obscure
folktales and legends, and translations of French writers. His first book, One of
Cleopatra's Nights (1882), was a perceptive translation of six Théophile
Gautier stories. He also contributed to Harper's Weekly and the Century. His
literary propensities were becoming more obvious; he was attracted by the
romantic, strange, and grotesque, but he presented these against real
backgrounds or with real people.
He published a book of obscure legends and stories, Stray Leaves from
Strange Literature (1884) and Some Chinese Ghosts (1887). He lived for 2
years in the West Indies, where he wrote his first novels, Chita (1889), a
Rousseauesque romance, and Youma (1890), concerning a slave rebellion.
Both narratives illustrate his deft, polished, precise prose and emphasis on
description which often overshadow the brittle and abstract plot and
characterization. After making remarkable works in America as a journalist, he
went to Japan in 1890 as a journey report writer of a magazine. But as soon
as he arrived in Yokohama, he quit the job because of dissatisfaction with the
contract.
After that, he moved to Matsué as an English teacher of Shimané
Prefectural Middle School. In Matsué, he got acquainted with his lifelong friend
Nishida Sentarô, a colleague teacher, and married Koizumi Setsu.
In 1891, he moved to Kumamoto and had taught at the Fifth High School for 3
years. KanôJigorô, the president of the School of that time, is known as the
man who spread judo to the world.
In 1896, when he lived in Kôbé after he worked as a journalist there, he got
Japanese citizenship and a new name, Koizumi Yakumo. This name was taken
from "Kojiki", a Japanese ancient myth.
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5. On that year, he moved to Tôkyô and began to teach at the Imperial
University of Tôkyô. There he got respect of students and many of them
madea remarkable literary career.
In addition, he wrote much reports of Japan and published in America.
His works was read by so many people as an introduction of Japan.
During this happy period Hearn composed his best prose--minute
examinations of Japan, its people, and its folkways: Glimpses of Unfamiliar
Japan (1894); Kokoro(1896); Gleanings in Buddha-fields (1897); Exotics and
Retrospectives (1898); In Ghostly Japan (1899); Shadowings (1900); and
Kwaidan and Japan: an Attempt at Interpretation (1904).
He quit the Imperial University in 1903 and began to teach at Waseda
University on the year next. But after only a half year he died of angina
pectoris.
III. Brief Summary
The time was spring, and the place was the village of Kato in the
province of Harima. Akana was an Izumo samurai. He wanted to visit his
birthplace, Izumo. Akana Soyomon bids goodbye several hundred years ago to
his brother by adoption, Hasebe Semon and said that he shall return in the
early autumn. They agreed that he will be back in a particular day of the
festival Choyo and that is the ninth day of the ninth month. Akana Soyomon
strode away the village of Kato in the ravine of Harima- and Hasebe Semon
and his mother looked after him with tears in their eyes.
The autumn came, Hasebe prepared to welcome his adopted brother.
He made ready a feast of good things, bought wine, decorated the
guestroom, and fulfilled the vases of the alcove with chrysanthemums of two
colors. Hasebe’s mother said that it will be difficult for Akana to come on that
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6. day but Hasebe has faith in him so he watched and waited in vain. Just as
Hasebe was about to enter their house, he perceived a tall man approaching
and quickly. He recognized Akana. Akana fulfilled his promise to his adopted
brother, Hasebe Semon. Akana explained why he was late and told what
happened on his journey to Izumo. He also told the cruelty of Lord Tsunehisa,
the new ruler. Then, he instantly disappeared. Hasebe Semon knew that
Akana Soyomon killed himself in order to fulfill his promise. He set out of
Castle Tonda. He sacrificed his own life so that his brother will not be
disappointed.
He learned that, on the night of the ninth day of the ninth month,
Akana had performed Harakiri in the house of his cousin, Akana Tanji and
reproached Akana Tanji for the treachery done, and slew him in the midst of
his family. Akana escaped without hurt. Lord Tsunehisa heard the story and
gave commands that Hasebe should not be pursued. Although he was an
unscrupulous and cruel man, Lord Tsunehisa could respect the love of truth in
others, and could admire the friendship and courage of Hasebe Semon.
IV. Comments and Analysis
A. On Literary Trend/s exemplified by the found or work
i. Comment on the beginning
The beginning was good because it was a flashback wherein
AkanaSoyomon bids goodbye to his adopted brother several hundred years
ago and promised to return in the early autumn.
iii. Comment on the ending
The ending was nice and splendid. I was touched because Akana
Soyomon sacrificed his own life and when the personality of Lord Tsunehisa
altered and admired the friendship and courage of Hasebe Semon.
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7. iv. Comment on the plot
The plot is well-organized because it consists of series of events. It is
also systematically stated.
v. Comment on the techniques and methods of narration
The techniques and methods of narration were beyond expectation. It
triggers the minds of the readers to finish the story. The events that had
happened in the story are in organized manner.
B. On Literary Devices and Elements
i. Comment on the use of words and language
Words and language use are in depth. There are some words that are
hard to understand but there is no offense words used. The grammar is also
exemplary. The author used some Japanese words but they were translated in
English language.
ii. Comment on the elemental passions of life exemplified by
the work
On the beginning, brotherly love was showed in the story wherein
Akana Soyomon promised his adopted brother, Hasebe Semon to return on a
particular day. Friendship and courage were showedin the ending of the story.
iii. Comment on the setting
The time and the place setting were suited for the story. The setting
was appropriate in the narrated events.
iv. Comment on the use and choice of characters
The characters that were used in the story are perfectly suited for their
roles. They were fitted to the roles that it was assigned for them.
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8. v. Comment on the style of writing of the author
The style of writing of the author is exemplary. It captures the
attention and interest and can touch the feelings of every reader. It could also
satisfy the readers.
C. Analysis on Moral Values
i. Extract the lesson learned from the story
“Promises aren’t made to be broken”
It means that promises are made to be fulfilled when the right time
comes. It is a test for a true gentleman.
o Don’t be selfish. It could ruin you. Never forget what you have
promised to someone. It should be kept and fulfilled when the
right time comes.
ii. Point out and illustrate the philosophy of the author
The philosophy of the author is:
A promise should be kept and fulfilled. If one breaks his promise,
people may begin to doubt about his character.
Personal Comments and Impressions
a. Negative comments (if there are any)
I can’t state negative comments because the story was well-narrated
and well-organized.
b. Positive comments
Generally, the story was exemplary. This relates to every situation in life
that promises aren’t made to be broken. Instead, it should be fulfilled.
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9. c. General impressions
It is well-executed. The narration of events was well-organized and
presented systematically.
Bibliography/References
A. Book
Ornos, Petra S.et.al. 2004. Wonders of the Literary World. Balubaran, Valenzuela City:Mutya
Publishing House, Inc.
B. Internet
http://www.bookrags.com/biography/lafcadio-hearn/
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