Banh 1

Randy Banh

Dr. Brown
Tenth Honors World Literature ­ 6th
20 January 2014

Diversions for Toranaga

Throughout stories, heroes or villains provide distractions to achieve their goal. This is no different in
Shogun by James Clavell where the hero Blackthorne creates three diversions to aid
Toranaga. Blackthorne provides three diversions by saving Toranaga’s life by acting like a fool, protecting his identity, and teaching him how to dive.
When going to the ship, Blackthorne saves Toranaga’s life by acting like a fool. As
Ishido confronts who he believes is Kiri, Blackthorne interrupts this act by stepping in and dancing. This saves Toranag’as life as being discovered escaping would most definitely cause him death. Dancing was good as it provides a distraction for Toranaga to continue to the ship.
Blackthorne protects Toranaga’s identity when boarding the ship. Because Blackthorne sees it is Toranaga boarding the ship and not kiri, Blackthorne is aware that Toranaga wishes to escape with his identity a secret. Blackthorne protects Toranaga’s identity by dancing to distract
Ishido to catch sight of who Kiri really is. He also potentially protects Toranaga’s identity by fighting against assassins. Blackthorne is able to protect Toranaga’s identity by dancing and fighting assassins.
Blackthorne is able to create a diversion through teaching Toranaga how to dive. Not only are Blackthorne’s diversions to protect Toranaga, but they are also to