Analysis Of Turning Japanese By Heidi Julavits

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Heidi Julavits’ Turning Japanese is an intriguing, almost mysterious narrative that takes advantage of the author’s impressive diction. Julavits’ expressive style explored the complex, conceptual theories she held while staying in Japan. In studying this essay, I have absorbed a different perspective and writing style, gained better understanding of analyzing text, and piqued an interest in the art of composing written works. Turning Japanese shines a light on the personal experience of an American in a land where the culture is much different from her own; it also tells of how Julavits coped and learned to love these differences. I found that this narrative used a style much more abstract than most writers’. Julavits uses compelling phrases such as “craving-cruller-gluttony-happiness”, which adds a layer of depth to writing as personal as hers. A portion of her writing also gets philosophical, as if the text had more meaning to the writer than the readers themselves. I have found that this interesting approach to writing only beckons to the audience, drawing them further in an attempt to understand more. …show more content…

In deciphering this narrative, one would have to see past her thinly-veiled surrealism to decipher the true meaning of her work. I found myself digging through Julavits’ diction in order to understand the main idea of her piece. When I’d finally understood the crux of her writing, it was as if I unlocked one of the “zen mysteries” Julavits had discussed in her writing piece. Analyzing Turning Japanese taught me that not all narratives were short, sweet, and to the point - some writers took artistic integrity and applied it to their own personal recounts, and that it was the readers’ job to fully

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