A fi ctional example of fi ctions: There are many instances in James Clavell’s Shogun where a belief in some sort of reincarnation infl uences the behavior of samurai warriors, notably their...

A fi ctional example of fi ctions: There are many instances in James Clavell’s Shogun where a belief in some sort of reincarnation infl uences the behavior of samurai warriors, notably their willingness to “die gloriously” in this life. A real-life parallel is that of kamikaze pilots during World War II. Of course, social pressures as well as fi ctions are involved in both examples. Some samurai or kamikaze pilots might well have doubted the desirability (let alone the glory) of dying for their liege lord or country, but feared the reaction of their leaders and peers.