Both Akutagawa and Tolstoy use symbolism as a vessel for conveying their themes. Their uses of setting/atmosphere and point of view, however, differ. Akutagawa uses Point of view to create shifts and conflict; whereas Tolstoy uses it to assist tone. Akutagawa uses setting/atmosphere to compliment his use of symbolism, while Tolstoy uses it delicately and vaguely, asserting the reader imaginative responsibilities to the reader. Tolstoy and Akutagawa's use of literary devices can be compared and contrasted. Their styles are very different While their usage of these devices may differ, it is irrefutable that they increase the quality of their works.
             Akutagawa and Tolstoy's emphasis on symbolism encourage the reader to discover themes of their stories. In the final testimony of "In A Grove", the samurai states" only a lonely light lingered on the cedars and mountains. By and by, the light gradually grew fainter, till the cedars and bamboo were lost to view" (510). There are several components of symbolism in this reference. The light is symbolic of the truth and the honesty of the testimonies. The fading of the light represents the loss of hope the investigations sustains with each additional testimony. The grove on the other hand, is symbolic of the bias and uncertainty that clouds the truth and the investigation, just as the grove inhibits the physical ability to see and maneuver through the grove. These references to symbolism help in conveying the overall theme of "In a Grove"- being that truth is hindered by the bias inevitably present in every individual. Tolstoy's use of symbolism can be seen in the final scene of "How Much Land Does a Man Need" when Pahom is mapping of his land."This Land is so fine, it would be a pity to lose it. The further one goes, the better the land seems" (pg.225). The land referred to in this excerpt is symbolic of the gre...