Who is who?

It would be helpful if we could define the characters by assimilating them with figures in Chateaubriands works.

Suggestion:
Algonquin is alike Chactas in Atala and
Rene(e) is alike Rene in René by Chateaubriand

Please comment what you think?

First Scenes??

Wondering about the first scene - where does the movie starts?

Suggestion I:

The movie starts in Japan. In retrospect the life of Renee before coming to japan is shown.

Suggestion II: Renee should be a man or Algonquin is a man so that we have a couple which could potentionaly become a romantic relationship but will not end in Love due to the different believes they have and do not share?

Renounciation of the pursuit of happiness

The great fault of men is to forget, during their dream of happiness, that infirmity of nature, Death. Nature must have an end, it must dissolve. Love does not extend its empire over the worms of the coffin; the combats of passions and virtues in a simple heart; the triumph of Christianity over a passion the most ungovernable, and a fear the most terrible; love, and death.

See comment - love in fact is eternal - only lust which is not love - eros - is subject to time!

Algonquin

Algonquin is shipwrecked off Japan from a Boston whaling ship, where her father was working as harpoon bearer to the whale hunters.

Pilgrim's Progress

SHUGENJA is the spiritual journey of Algonquin; from Fallen Angels to False Prophets, searching of the soul as in Commedia Divina; liberation of man from his alienation, and redemption and trial through fire; Lost-straying from the straight path: the Seeker of the straight path, the Seeker of lost souls; pristine atonement, redemption through unity with nature; deep malaise of the soul. To give up happiness, renounciation...

SHUGENJA is the spiritual journey of Algonquin; from Fallen Angels to False Prophets, searching of the soul as in Commedia Divina; liberation of man from his alienation, and redemption and trial through fire; Lost-straying from the straight path: the Seeker of the straight path, the Seeker of lost souls; pristine atonement, redemption through unity with nature; deep malaise of the soul. To give up happiness, renounciation...