# The Pipe explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke.

## What happens

The chapter tells the story of Maeda Narihiro, a daimyo who is immensely proud of his pure gold pipe. When the priest Kōchiyama Sōshun visits, he admires the pipe and then wheedles it out of Narihiro, who gives it away despite his attachment. Afterward, Narihiro feels a strange sense of satisfaction and relief, but soon switches to a silver pipe, which creates a new problem as he becomes obsessed with the new pipe's appearance.

## Themes in this chapter

### Self-Identity and Vanity

Narihiro's pride in his gold pipe and his subsequent satisfaction in giving it away highlight the complex relationship between self-worth and material possessions.

### Transience and Mortality

The fleeting nature of Narihiro's attachment to the gold pipe and the immediate emergence of a new problem with the silver pipe underscore the transient nature of desire and satisfaction.

## Character check-ins

### Maeda Narihiro

The daimyo who is proud of his gold pipe and gives it away to Kōchiyama, feeling satisfaction in the loss.

### Kōchiyama Sōshun

The priest who admires and then wheedles the gold pipe from Narihiro.

## Key lines

> Narihiro is proud of his pure gold pipe

Narihiro takes great pride in his gold pipe.

_This sets up the central conflict of the chapter._

> Kōchiyama Sōshun wheedles the gold pipe from Narihiro

Kōchiyama Sōshun manages to talk Narihiro out of his gold pipe.

_This is the pivotal action that leads to Narihiro's change._

> Narihiro feels satisfaction in giving away the pipe

Narihiro feels a sense of contentment after giving the pipe away.

_This unexpected emotion is the key to the story's irony._

> Narihiro switches to a silver pipe, causing a new problem

Narihiro replaces the gold pipe with a silver one, which creates a fresh issue.

_This shows that the initial problem was not truly resolved._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_59_se/chapters/the-pipe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_59_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_59_se/chapters