Analysis Of The Bamboo Cutter And The Moon Child

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Before one can even begin to understand the way in interpellation and social history influence Ozaki story “The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon-Child”. This a fascinating story of an old bamboo cutter who was poor and sad for he had no child to call his own. One morning as usual he went out and found a nice spot and started cutting some down. Then he saw the bright light coming from on the bamboo’s and found a tiny girl inside the size of his hand. He brought her home and the couple were extremely happy. After three months the girl grew into a full size women and her step-parents decided to name her Princess Moonlight. They had a party and invited everyone they knew to celebrate their new daughter. After the party the word of her beauty spread far …show more content…

This story was published in 1903 this was during the Meiji Restoration period (from 1868-1912) where women had no legal rights and were subjected to the men of the house. Women have always had this idea of them being less than men and having to listen and obey what they say. But in this story it represents a counter hegemonic ideologies of a woman “Princess Moonlight” where she decided what to do with her live despite what her step-father said. In terms of interpellation there are “individuals [that] recognize themselves as subject through ideology” (Chicago), like when your grandparents ask you to do something and you do it right away. The grandchild is the subject because he made is full attention go to whoever was talking. Then you have the domination person/group they are the ones who have the control. But during this social history time period the fathers and husbands authority was lessened. This can be seen through the authors’ background when she moved back to Japan in 1887 to live with her father. But before I explain how Yei become to believe certain ideologies and decision you need to know some back ground on what was going on with women during before, during, and after her life in both England and …show more content…

In a study done by Robert J. Adams he noted in one of his work on Folktale telling and storytellers in Japan that “Folk religion, costume, art, crafts, and all other facets of folklife contributed to the different version of stories.” (Adams 79) not one story was the same people changed them to have different hidden meanings in them and to teach children different value. Like in this story it teaches you that just because you are a women you should still be able to make your own decision in life. Because during the Meiji restoration the men of the household were losing their power because of Japan going the transitions of industrialization and urbanization. This can be portrayed in the story that women have the power to make their own decisions. But also in today day and age, storytelling has become less and less common though out Japan. Many people would settle to the city to raise families, being separated from the influences and the constant storying telling of the old tales, because they were be to busy taking care of the children and going to

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