The Gift of Rain

As Philip travels to Ipoh, he reflects on how Kon is living the life that he “should have lived” (374). After the war, Kon will be considered a hero, while Philip will be known as a villain. He arrives at his grandfather’s house and finds it empty. He searches for the forgotten temple that his grandfather showed him, where he finds his grandfather. Philip explains what has happened, asking for forgiveness for what he has done. His grandfather tells him not to blame himself. Guilt, he says, “is an invention of the Westerners” (376).

He shows Philip the hidden mysteries of the temple, which contains hidden poems etched into the rock. Philip’s grandfather offers guidance for the journey ahead. He offers Philip his jade pin, “to test all the tea” that they will drink together when the war is over (377). Philip will never see his grandfather again. Furthermore, he will never be able to find the temple again.

Philip follows instructions to meet Kon. He is taken prisoner and blindfolded, before being led to the guerilla camp in the jungle. Kon greets his old friend and explains that the group is called the White Tiger because, after one successful raid, they saw an albino tiger in the jungle. Combined with Kon’s old nickname, the title seemed auspicious.

At this moment, Yong Kwan is “out killing Japanese” (382). He is a former math teacher and a ruthless, cunning guerilla. Philip mentions the executions in Penang that were a reprisal for Kon blowing up the radar station. He immediately regrets making his friend feel guilty. Kon says that his soldiers are working with the British to take back Malaya soon. Su Yen approaches and kisses Kon; he pushes her away, worried that Yong Kwan will learn about their affair. The pregnancy was terminated, Kon tells Philip, but the process changed Su Yen, and she has become more hateful. When Philip tries to leave, he is told that he must be questioned by Yong Kwan. As a collaborator, he cannot be trusted. Philip is taken prisoner.

Philip’s information is confirmed. Saotome and Tanaka will be part of a procession moving through the jungle the following day. Yong Kwan plans to attack the convoy but demands that Philip go with them. They spot the car containing Saotome and Tanaka. They attack, only for Saotome’s reserve troops—led by Goro—to ambush them. Philip and Kon try to escape the chaos with Tanaka and Saotome. Goro spots Philip with the guerillas, meaning that he will not be able to return to Penang. The attack is deemed a success.

At the camp, Yong Kwan wants to torture Saotome and Tanaka. Kon argues with Yong Kwan, who refuses to allow Tanaka to go. Kon believes that Yong Kwan wants to assert his authority over Kon and punish Kon by torturing his Japanese sensei. Philip promises to escape with Tanaka; he is worried about Goro returning to Penang. He is worried about his father. When the time comes to escape, however, Yong Kwan has already tortured the two captives. Saotome is badly injured, as is Tanaka. He may not be able to escape with only Philip, so Kon decides to join them. They leave Saotome behind, refusing to kill a defenseless man.

Philip, Kon, and the injured Tanaka escape into the jungle. Soon, however, they realize that Yong Kwan and the guerillas are chasing them. They cannot outrun the guerillas. Knowing that he will not survive, Tanaka tells Kon to take his life in a ritualistic execution. Su Yen interrupts them, then Yong Kwan shoots Kon. Philip draws his sword against Yong Kwan as Kon composes himself, then cuts off Tanaka’s head. Su Yen shoots Kon. He dies.

Philip knocks down Yong Kwan but cannot find Kon’s body, so he escapes through the jungle. For three days, he travels to Ipoh. Though he is lost, he is driven forward by the thought of his father and of Endo. He arrives back in Ipoh, where Goro is waiting for him. Philip is arrested.

Philip is taken back to Penang as a prisoner. Goro is certain that Philip will be found guilty and executed but, before they can reach the harbor, British bomber planes pass over and attack the town. The explosions rock the harbor. Philip notices that Goro and the other Japanese seem, for the first time, to be entertaining defeat.

Philip is dragged to the headquarters and placed before Endo. Philip tells Endo that Tanaka is dead. Endo notes that Philip should not have allowed Goro to escape; Noel Hutton is now in jail and Philip has been accused of working against the Japanese. Philip tells Endo that the war is over. Endo wants nothing more than to return home, but Philip will be tried before the Japanese leave Penang.

Philip is thrown in jail. He sees his father, who looks emaciated. Noel credits Endo’s intervention for the relative civility with which he has been treated. Philip is tried according to Goro’s testimony and found guilty. He is sentenced to death. Endo visits him each day in the run-up to his execution, assuring Philip that he will ensure that Noel has everything he requires. As per Philip’s request, Endo spends the last night before the execution with Philip.

Philip’s execution is to be held in public. A large crowd gathers to watch, believing that Philip is a traitor to his people and a collaborator with the Japanese. They jeer and throw stones. When his sentence is announced, however, the crowd reacts to the news that he passed information to the resistance. Their attitude toward Philip softens.

Noel is held beside Philip, who asks his father for forgiveness. Noel tells his son that he “did what [he] had to do, what [he] could do” (405). When Endo appears, however, Philip realizes that a deal has been struck: Noel will be executed for his son’s crimes, while Philip’s life will be spared. Philip struggles, but he is told that there is nothing he can do to change what will happen. Noel tells his son to show dignity before the people of Penang, causing Philip to stop his struggle. Philip assures his father that the execution will not hurt. Endo removes Noel’s chains so that he “dies a free man” (406). Philip forces himself to watch as Endo cuts off his father’s head. The crowd is silent.

Noel is buried in the grounds of Istana. Philip is placed under house arrest. Endo gives Philip a letter, written by his father in the final days before the execution. In the letter, Noel explains his plan to take his son’s place. He knew about Philip’s work with the resistance, he says, and has come to admire and understand Endo. Noel reiterates his love for his son. Philip sinks into grief.

When she feels strong enough, Michiko takes Philip to the place where she believes Noel buried his keris swords. She admits to Philip that she knows that she is dying; she has wrapped up her affairs and this visit is the last thing she expects to do in her life. Philip realizes that he is doing something similar, telling someone about his actions during the war for the first time. Michiko takes Philip to the place by the river with the fireflies, a place that meant so much to his mother and father. There, they find the buried swords.

Philip continues his story. Even under house arrest, Philip can sense that the mood is changing in Penang. People assume that the Japanese will soon be chased out. Each night, Philip slips up onto the roof with tins of paint. He paints a Union Flag on the roof of Istana so that it can be seen by planes overhead. Other than this, there is little for him to do.

News of the Hiroshima bombing reaches Penang; Endo’s hometown is destroyed, and it has become “as though [his] family never existed” (416). Endo and Philip both know that the war is now essentially over. Philip comforts the weeping Endo. The Emperor of Japan formally surrenders three days later. Philip is invited to meet with Fujihara, who has chosen Philip to help take his life. Philip refuses; he leaves Fujihara to a group of resistance members whom he has invited to join him. Philip refuses to allow Fujihara’s death “to be an honorable one” (417). As he leaves, Philip tells the men to burn the piano when they are finished.

In the consulate offices, the Japanese soldiers and officers attempt to burn all incriminating documents. The effort is futile, however. Hiroshi dies by suicide, as do many of the other staff, rather than surrender to the British. Philip urges Endo not to do the same. When the British finally arrive in Penang, Philip plays a role in the surrender ceremony. Endo surrenders Penang to General Arthur Erskine. During the ceremony, Goro appears and tries to shoot Endo. Philip leaps at Goro, moving the pistol. Endo is hit in the leg and Philip fights Goro, defeating him. Remembering his grandfather’s caution not to let hatred control his life, Philip spares Goro. At Endo’s instruction, he lets Goro go.

As Endo is treated for the gunshot wound, Philip meets with the British officers. He will wait for their judgment on what to do with him at his house, and he refuses to condemn Endo as Erskine condemns all Japanese. Endo will be charged with war crimes.

In the meantime, Philip sets about reopening the offices of Hutton & Sons. A woman named Adele appears at the officers and he hires her as a secretary, making his first decision as the company owner. Most of the old staff gradually return. In Penang, Philip knows that rumors about his wartime activities will always follow him. Most people treat him fairly, though some hate him. He does not attempt to correct them. He works tirelessly to restore the company to its former glory, though he faces difficulty from the communist insurgents who want to take over Malaya.

Philip visits Endo regularly. Endo promises to tell his story, but Philip understands that everything Endo did—his duty to his country—he did for his father. Endo is eventually found guilty of war crimes; he is sentenced to life in prison, meaning he will never return to Japan. In the following days, Endo escapes. Philip is questioned about Endo’s whereabouts, but he has no idea where Endo might be. Erskine tells Philip that the painted Union Flag inspired many propaganda pieces among the British forces. Philip says that he painted the flag as a tribute to his father.

Michiko’s condition deteriorates. She tells Philip about her experiences with the atomic bomb and how she has been slowly poisoned by radiation. She lost everyone in the bomb blast. Knowing that she has little time left, Philip offers to take her to Endo’s island.

As they cross the water, she thanks Philip for telling her everything about Endo. She sees the rock where Philip carved his name and the cottage where Endo lived. Inside, everything is “almost as it had been” (430). Philip feels the intense emotion of returning there. Michiko assures him that she will not judge him, condemn him, or forgive him. She came because she once loved a man and never stopped. Philip feels that she alone can understand his relationship with Endo.

Endo is not found for a week, though the British continue to search. One night, at Istana, Endo approaches Philip exactly as he did on the first night they met. He asks to borrow a boat. They talk for a short while about Philip’s plans to rebuild his family company and his life. Now, Endo says, they must “achieve harmony.”

They go to the island, both knowing what must be done. As they cross the water, Philip feels time shifting again. Endo urges Philip to do what must be done, otherwise they both will go through this pain again in another life. In a careful, ritual way, Philip executes Endo. In this final moment, Philip says, they do “not need words” (436).

Michiko assures Philip that he “did not fail [Endo]” (437). Then, she asks him to do for her what he did for Endo. At first, Philip refuses. Citing religion and philosophy, however, Michiko convinces him to cut off her head. With difficulty, she hands Endo’s sword to Philip and the letter sent to her many years ago by Endo. Philip shows her the location of Endo’s unmarked grave. He holds her as she weeps, knowing that they are all “finally at peace” (440).

Philip is invited to the Penang Historical Society’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Japanese Occupation. He donates his father’s keris to the society, as well as his own katana. By this time, he has also sold his family business to a suitable buyer, though he knows that he will never leave Penang. At the event, he is addressed by his full name for the first time in public: Mr. Philip Arminius Khoo-Hutton, bringing together the many threads of his complex identity.

After the event, Philip returns home and examines his grandfather’s jade pin. He has worn it ever since it was given to him. He reflects on the fortune teller’s words, that he was given the gift of rain. Like rain, he believes that he brought tragedy into many people’s lives, but also relief, clarity, and renewal.

He thinks about Michiko’s death and his grandfather’s words, as well as his own attitude toward destiny. To be capable of love and memory, he believes, are the “greatest gifts” given to anyone. He holds his grandfather’s pin and feels a newfound lightness in his heart, knowing that this feeling will never leave him.