# Rashōmon explained — Short Fiction > Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke. ## What happens A jobless lackey takes shelter under the Rashōmon gate in decaying Kyoto, contemplating whether to starve or turn thief. He discovers an old hag pulling hair from corpses to make wigs, and after initially condemning her, he is swayed by her justification of survival, ultimately robbing her and embracing a life of crime. ## Themes in this chapter ### Moral Ambiguity The lackey's initial condemnation of the hag's actions gives way to his own theft, blurring the line between good and evil. ### Illusion vs. Reality The lackey's initial sense of righteousness is shattered by the hag's rationalization, revealing the harsh reality of survival. ### Suffering and Compassion The hag's justification for her actions stems from the necessity to avoid starvation, highlighting the suffering that drives moral compromise. ## Character check-ins ### Rashōmon The gate itself serves as a setting and symbol of decay and moral ambiguity. ### The Badger Mentioned as one of the creatures that inhabit the abandoned gate. ### the Buddha Implied through the reference to Buddhist images being broken and sold for firewood. ## Key lines > I’m pulling out hair, pulling out this woman’s hair, because I’m going to make wigs. The old hag explains that she is collecting hair from the dead to make wigs for a living. _This reveals the hag's pragmatic approach to survival, which challenges the lackey's moral outrage._ > Then I guess you won’t blame me for turning highwayman, will you? I, too, must starve else. The lackey decides to rob the hag, using the same logic of necessity to justify his actions. _This marks the lackey's descent into theft, mirroring the hag's rationalization._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_59_se/chapters/rash-mon - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_59_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_59_se/chapters