A Living God – Semi-Long Q&A (5 Marks Each)

Answer within 100-150 words incorporating the details mentioned in (a) and (b).

Q 1. Why does Hamaguchi set fire to his rice fields instead of seeking help from the temple priests?

(a) He realizes that time is limited and explaining the danger would take too long
(b) Setting the fire creates an immediate signal that draws the villagers toward the plateau

Hamaguchi understands that a tsunami is approaching based on the sea's unusual retreat, but the villagers remain oblivious to the danger, continuing their festival celebrations. Seeking help from temple priests would consume precious time in explanations and discussions that the villagers might not even understand or believe. Instead, Hamaguchi demonstrates quick thinking and decisive action. Seeing his valuable rice fields burning, the villagers naturally rush toward the plateau to help extinguish the fire. This clever strategy serves dual purposes: it effectively communicates urgency through action rather than words, and it brings the villagers to safety on higher ground just as the tsunami strikes below. Hamaguchi's choice reveals his practical wisdom and leadership. Rather than relying on religious authority or lengthy explanations, he uses an immediate, visible crisis to achieve the greater good of saving his entire community. His willingness to destroy his year's harvest—his livelihood and wealth—demonstrates that he values human life far more than material possessions. This pragmatic approach contrasts sharply with appealing to priests, showing that true leadership sometimes requires unconventional solutions and personal sacrifice.

Q 2. How does Hamaguchi recognize the approaching tsunami and what knowledge enables him to act so decisively?

(a) He notices the sea receding and the ocean floor becoming exposed
(b) He recalls stories from his grandfather about this phenomenon preceding tsunamis

Hamaguchi's wisdom emerges from his connection to ancestral knowledge passed down through generations. When he observes the sea suddenly withdrawing, exposing the bare ocean floor—a sight that astonishes and confuses the villagers—Hamaguchi recognizes it as a grave warning. His grandfather had shared stories about this ominous sign, teaching him that such a retreat precedes a massive, destructive wave. This inherited knowledge transforms observation into understanding and understanding into action. While younger villagers gaze at the unusual sight with curiosity and wonder, perhaps even planning to explore the exposed seabed, Hamaguchi's mind immediately recalls his grandfather's warnings. He doesn't waste time doubting or seeking confirmation; he acts with absolute conviction. This immediate, confident response reveals how ancestral wisdom equips him for crisis. Unlike the villagers who lack this knowledge and therefore remain vulnerable, Hamaguchi possesses both the awareness and understanding necessary for effective leadership. His story emphasizes the value of listening to elders and preserving traditional knowledge. Hamaguchi's decisive action saves his entire community precisely because he trusts and applies the lessons his grandfather taught him decades earlier.

Q 3. What is the significance of Hamaguchi's sacrifice and how does it establish him as a "living god"?

(a) He destroys his entire rice harvest—his primary source of wealth and livelihood
(b) He acts without hesitation, prioritizing his people's lives above his own material loss

Q 4. How does the story contrast different responses to the tsunami warning and what does this reveal about leadership?

(a) The villagers continue celebrating the festival, unaware of the danger
(b) Hamaguchi immediately recognizes the danger and takes decisive action to save them

The contrast between the villagers' ignorance and Hamaguchi's awareness illuminates fundamental aspects of leadership. While the community participates in their harvest festival, celebrating and worshipping their god Ujima, they remain blind to an actual catastrophe approaching. They enjoy their moment of gratitude without understanding that death is moments away. Hamaguchi, however, stands alert and observant on his plateau. His keen awareness detects the unnatural signs that everyone else overlooks. More importantly, he doesn't simply recognize the danger—he acts immediately and decisively. While priests might deliberate or the villagers might question his intentions, Hamaguchi burns his fields without waiting for consensus or validation. This demonstrates that true leadership requires both vision and courage. A leader must see what others cannot and possess the willingness to make difficult decisions that others might question initially. Hamaguchi's response contrasts sharply with the villagers' passivity and the likely ineffectiveness of priesthood. Effective leadership during crisis involves personal sacrifice, quick action, and the ability to inspire people toward safety even when they don't understand the danger. Hamaguchi embodies the ideal leader: observant, wise, courageous, and willing to bear personal cost for community benefit. His example shows that leadership transcends authority or wealth—it depends on character, foresight, and commitment to one's people.

Q 5. What does the story teach about the nature of true divinity and how does it challenge conventional religious practice?

(a) The villagers initially worship Ujima through festival rituals and prayers
(b) Hamaguchi becomes a "living god" through selfless action rather than worship or position

Q 6. How does Hamaguchi's care for the villagers extend beyond the moment of rescue and what does this reveal about his character?

(a) After the tsunami destroys the village, leaving the villagers homeless and destitute
(b) Hamaguchi immediately offers his house as refuge for the displaced villagers

Hamaguchi's compassion extends far beyond the dramatic moment of rescue. Once the tsunami passes and the villagers witness the complete destruction of their homes and belongings, they face an uncertain future with no shelter or resources. Yet Hamaguchi doesn't simply congratulate himself on saving their lives and leave them to fend for themselves. Instead, he immediately opens his home—his own residence—to provide shelter for the homeless villagers. This continued care reveals that his sacrifice isn't a single heroic gesture but an ongoing commitment to his people's wellbeing. Hamaguchi understands that surviving the tsunami is only the first step; the villagers must now rebuild their lives. His willingness to house them demonstrates genuine compassion and practical wisdom. A lesser leader might view his duty as completed once the crisis passes. Hamaguchi recognizes that his responsibility extends to helping his community recover and restore themselves. This action reinforces why the villagers consider him a "living god." His divinity isn't proven in a single moment of courage but rather in his consistent, sustained commitment to his community's welfare. Hamaguchi embodies the ideal of servant leadership—someone whose primary concern remains the well-being of those he leads, even when it requires personal inconvenience and continued sacrifice. His character ultimately proves that true greatness lies in sustained compassion and responsibility.

Q 7. What role does Tada play in the story and how does his initial reaction contrast with the eventual outcome?

(a) Tada shouts at his grandfather to stop burning the rice, not understanding the danger
(b) He later becomes part of a community that reveres Hamaguchi as a savior

Q 8. How does the story's setting in a Japanese village and its reference to specific cultural elements enhance its themes?

(a) The story involves traditional Japanese concepts like Ujima worship and the village muraosa system
(b) The coastal setting and vulnerability to tsunamis create urgent stakes for the narrative

Hearn deliberately sets this story in a specific cultural and geographical context that amplifies its themes. The Japanese coastal village faces constant vulnerability to tsunamis—a recurring natural disaster that has likely devastated previous generations. This setting establishes genuine, high stakes; the villagers' danger is not hypothetical but historically inevitable. The inclusion of Ujima, the village's kami or god, emphasizes the contrast between ritual devotion and actual protection. The villagers' festival celebrates their god's blessing while remaining unconscious of approaching peril—highlighting religion's limitations when detached from practical wisdom. Hamaguchi's position as muraosa, the village headman chosen from among the wealthiest (choji), carries specific cultural weight. In feudal Japan, leadership demanded not just authority but genuine responsibility for community welfare. Hamaguchi embodies this ideal by placing his people's lives above his own prosperity. The story also reflects the Japanese value of giri—duty or obligation that may require personal sacrifice. Hamaguchi's willingness to destroy his rice fields exemplifies giri in action. Furthermore, Hearn notes that the villagers believe a person's spirit can exist in multiple places simultaneously—a concept reflecting Japanese spiritual beliefs about the interconnectedness of all beings. By rooting the story in these specific cultural elements, Hearn creates a narrative that feels authentic to Japanese experience while universalizing its lessons about leadership, sacrifice, and true divinity. The cultural specificity actually deepens the story's broader human relevance.