Breakfast at Tiffany’s

by

Truman Capote

I. Y. Yunioshi Character Analysis

I. Y. Yunioshi is a photographer who lives in the narrator and Holly’s building. Mr. Yunioshi gets quite upset when Holly (who lost her key) buzzes his apartment late at night and asks to be let in, so she starts doing this to the narrator instead. Years later, Yunioshi is traveling in Africa when he sees a wooden sculpture that looks exactly like Holly. He then learns from the woodcarver that a woman and two sick men appeared in town and that the woman struck up a romantic relationship with the carver while the men recovered. During this time, the artist made the carving of her. Yunioshi takes a picture of the sculpture and shows it to Joe Bell, who agrees that it must be of Holly. Joe Bell then tells this whole story to the narrator, who also thinks the carving looks like Holly. This, in turn, suggests that Holly has made her way to Africa after fleeing the United States.
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I. Y. Yunioshi Character Timeline in Breakfast at Tiffany’s

The timeline below shows where the character I. Y. Yunioshi appears in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Female Independence and Freedom Theme Icon
Privacy and Obsession Theme Icon
Joe Bell makes the narrator a strong drink and tells him that a photographer named Mr. I. Y. Yunioshi , who used to live in Holly and the narrator’s building, was recently traveling in... (full context)
Female Independence and Freedom Theme Icon
Wealth, Happiness, and Belonging Theme Icon
Companionship, Love, and Sexuality Theme Icon
...clearly not away. He knows this because he’s awoken one night by the sound of Mr. Yunioshi yelling at her. Because Holly lost her key, she buzzes his apartment whenever she comes... (full context)
Female Independence and Freedom Theme Icon
Wealth, Happiness, and Belonging Theme Icon
Holly starts buzzing the narrator’s door when she comes home late instead of Mr. Yunioshi ’s. Although the narrator lets her in, they have yet to actually meet. One time,... (full context)