Collective and social memory: Black Rain - Essay Example

Though Shigematsu was the only one who was in the city during the bombings, his wife and his niece were caught by the black rain not knowing that it was poisonous. Now they lead simple life together in the village. Everything seems normal in five years after the bombings: women plant rice, spread rumors, men work, and go fishing. They are surrounded by beautiful nature; nevertheless, the time has stopped for them. Not occasionally, the man in the boat escaping that black rain catches the clock, and this symbol appears for several times later during peaceful family evenings.

It is evident that for those who survived the Hiroshima bombings life will never the same as before. The tragedy has divided their life into “before” and “after”. Shigematsu and Shigeko are the married couple, who take care of their niece, Yasuko. Despite having her own father and mother-in-law Yasuko prefers living with her aunt and her uncle. Shigematsu explains to her father that the bombing united them, and now they feel certain connection and responsibility for each other. It is no wonder that they want to remain together as it is hard to communicate with those who had not seen those fearful scenes of Hiroshima after the bombings and did not feel this mysterious black rain.

In the film the events from different time periods are intermingled. Memories about the horrors of the war come along with peaceful scenes of rural life. The director wants the viewer to feel the horror of the war that is why scenes in Hiroshima are full with dead bodies, mad and desperate people, and blood. It is evident that those scenes haunt the main heroes that is why in mutual company they often remain silent understanding each other’s pain. The life of the family is concentrated on the desire of Shigematsu to find a decent husband for beautiful Yatsuko and “to see