Miyabe Miyuki’s writing is one that can be categorized more so as criticisms of society rather than actual narratives and stories. By analyzing four of the prolific author’s works (“Brave Story”, “The Sleeping Dragon”, “The Devil’s Whisper”, and “Ghosts of Edo”) this essay will attempt to locate the specific elements within Miyabe’s writing that make her writing style unique in the greater landscape of Japanese women writers. The prevalent of these is her focus on contemporary Japanese issues in modern Japan, as can be seen in her novel “The Devil’s Whisper”, which prominently features romance scams. Her connection with Tokyo (also known as Edo) has a major impact in her writing as well, with many of her mystery novels, like “The Sleeping Dragon”, as well as her book of ghost stories “Ghosts of Edo” centering around the capital of Japan. Taking these two main elements into account is key to understanding the social issues that Miyabe Miyuki attempts to discuss in her writing and themes behind them.
In 1960, Miyabe Miyuki was born in the Kōtō - ku of Tokyo. Since she grew up in a
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She gave Rumer Godden’s “The Doll's House”, Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” as her favorite books in those days. They are all not “just for fun” novels, but depict social commentary or deep analysis on the nature of human beings. She also loved detective novels, like Edogawa Ranpo or Yokomizo Seishi’s, and ghost novels, especially Stephen King’s. Those novels that she read when she was younger had a huge impact on her career and shaped “Miyabe Miyuki” as a writer. In a collection of ghost stories Apparitions Ghosts of Old Edo, she is directly inspired by Kaidan, traditional ghost stories from Edo period folktales. In addition to using other media to inspire her works, she uses direct references to contemporary Japanese society, social issues, and locations in her
'Even with all the mental anguish and struggle, an elemental instinct bound us to this soil. Here we were born; here we wanted to live. We had tasted of its freedom and learned of its brave hopes for democracy. It was too late, much too late for us to turn back.' (Sone 124). This statement is key to understanding much of the novel, Nisei Daughter, written by Monica Sone. From one perspective, this novel is an autobiographical account of a Japanese American girl and the ways in which she constructed her own self-identity. On the other hand, the novel depicts the distinct differences and tension that formed between the Issei and Nisei generations. Moreover, it can be seen as an attempt to describe the confusion experienced by Japanese Americans torn between two cultures.
Nisei Daughter is a memoir of the author, Monica Sone’s experience growing up as a Japanese American in the United States prior to and during World War II. Born in America to Japanese immigrant parents, Sone is referred to as a Nisei, a second-generation Japanese American. Sone’s parents, Issei, the first-generation Japanese immigrants to America. Because Nisei were born in the United States they were considered to be an American citizen, but due to immigration laws any Issei was forbidden from becoming a U. S. citizen. Sone recollection of this time period of her life illustrates many themes throughout the memoir. One of these themes that Sone touches upon is the conflict between old and new, the Issei and Nisei.
Throughout history artists have used art as a means to reflect the on goings of the society surrounding them. Many times, novels serve as primary sources in the future for students to reflect on past history. Students can successfully use novels as a source of understanding past events. Different sentiments and points of views within novels serve as the information one may use to reflect on these events. Natsume Soseki’s novel Kokoro successfully encapsulates much of what has been discussed in class, parallels with the events in Japan at the time the novel takes place, and serves as a social commentary to describe these events in Japan at the time of the Mejeii Restoration and beyond. Therefore, Kokoro successfully serves as a primary source students may use to enable them to understand institutions like conflicting views Whites by the Japanese, the role of women, and the population’s analysis of the Emperor.
“Indeed, Kogawa has multiple struggles as a Canadian, a woman, and a minority, and although some believe that language is inadequate to express the truth of the past, her perspective helps to unveil and include minority positions in order to rectify the discrimination that conceals them,” (Shoenut 478). Through Naomi’s past, Kogawa allows readers to explore the flaws of human nature. Shoenut explains how Naomi was in all of the categories of being a minority, by stating that she is a women, and of Japanese descent. Even though Naomi struggled a lot in her life, she was able to unveil the hidden truths of
Lois-Ann Yamanaka’s fictional novel Heads by Harry is a remarkably raw and exciting read that dives the reader into the lives of the working class people of Hilo during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Based on the life of Antoinette “Toni” Yagyuu, a Japanese-American girl who grew up in Hilo, Yamanaka’s novel does an exceptionally well job capturing the lives, personalities, and hardships many of these people faced during this time. She creates a ‘secondary world’ that is reflective of the Hilo in the 70’s and 80’s and brings it to life through the geography and experiences she depicts within the novel (Kneale, 2003). As the daughter of a local taxidermist and school teacher, Toni, the protagonist of the novel, finds herself trying to meet the expectations of her father and also finds herself in the shadow of her older extravagant brother Sheldon and her beautiful and smart younger sister Bunny. As the story progresses with its interesting and alluring plot with many references to Hilo’s landscape, readers are introduced to a Hilo that many visitors and new comers to the island may find shocking and unusual. Contrary to the Hawaii that is often depicted in movies and magazines as a paradise with white sandy beaches and friendly welcoming people, Yamanaka’s novel depicts local life with gruesome activities such as hunting for wild animals, partying, drinking, drug use and family quarrels. Yamanaka indeed delivers a compelling story with her novel Heads by Harry where regardless if you are a local or not, one can relate to the ups, downs and experiences of the characters.
Since its publication in 1981, Joy Kogawa's Obasan has assumed an important place in Canadian literature and in the broadly-defined, Asian-American literary canon. Reviewers immediately heralded the novel for its poetic force and its moving portrayal of an often-ignored aspect of Canadian and American history. Since then, critics have expanded upon this initial commentary to examine more closely the themes and images in Kogawa's work. Critical attention has focused on the difficulties and ambiguities of what is, in more ways than one, a challenging novel. The complexity of Obasan's plot, the intensity of its imagery, and the quiet bitterness of its protest challenge readers to wrestle with language and meaning in much the same way that Naomi must struggle to understand her past and that of the larger Japanese-Canadian community. In this sense, the attention that Obasan has received from readers and critics parallels the challenges of the text: Kogawa's novel, one might say, demands to be reckoned with, intellectually as well as emotionally.
Known for her work as a historian and rather outspoken political activist, Yamakawa Kikue was also the author of her book titled Women of the Mito Domain (p. xix). At the time she was writing this work, Yamakawa was under the surveillance of the Japanese government as the result of her and her husband’s work for the socialist and feminist movements in Japan (p. xx-xxi). But despite the restrictions she was undoubtedly required to abide by in order to produce this book, her work contains an air of commentary on the past and present political, social, and economic issues that had been plaguing the nation (p. xxi). This work is a piece that comments on the significance of women’s roles in history through the example of Yamakawa’s own family and
Hane, M., Peasants, Rebels, Women and Outcastes: the Underside of Modern Japan, New York: Pantheon Books, 1982.
As Mineko describes her life in the oikya, she also includes the histories of the Gion Kobu district where she lived, and the women in the oikya, along with the details of the social-political structure between geishas, their clients, and the businesses that support the geisha arts. Some readers might also find Geisha a little dispassionate for their tastes. “Her lack of reflection and tendency toward mechanical description make the work more of a manual than a memoir,” (56) writes Sarah Gold and Mark Rotella. An anonymous reviewer for Kirkus Reviews describes a number of passages as “quite a mouthful for the uninitiated” (1198). Despite Iwasaki’s writing style, Geisha is a wonderful book for fans of the geisha arts and women rising above obstacles that stand in their
The Heian period(794-1185), the so-called golden age of Japanese culture, produced some of the finest works of Japanese literature.1 The most well known work from this period, the Genji Monogatari, is considered to be the “oldest novel still recognized today as a major masterpiece.”2 It can also be said that the Genji Monogatari is proof of the ingenuity of the Japanese in assimilating Chinese culture and politics. As a monogatari, a style of narrative with poems interspersed within it, the characters and settings frequently allude to Chinese poems and stories. In addition to displaying the poetic prowess that the Japanese had attained by this time period, the Genji Monogatari also demonstrates how politics and gender ideals were adopted from the Chinese.
Suzuki, Tomi. Narrating the Self: Fictions of Japanese Modernity. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press, 1996.
...e novel is a figurative war between pre-WW2 Japan and post-WW2 Japan and how the author portrays Fusako as a woman who was raised in the old ways of Japan must now try to adjust to its new westernized ways and avoid those who oppose the new Japan where in the past women weren’t allow to run businesses, but now she is, as well as how she eagerly seeks another mate due to the fact that she’s over thirty and single while trying to be the provider and nurturing mother to her fatherless son Noboru.
Takashi Murakami is an incredible, talented Japanese artist whose modern artwork has attracted even the biggest names in the industry for collaborations, such as Kanye West and Louis Vuitton. Although Murakami does not think of his artwork as Pop Art, his work does have a Pop Art feel to it. To people without the knowledge of history behind his work, they will think that his work is happy and colorful, but behind the bright colors and the happy caricatures, Murakami tells a story that was inspired by the struggles of discriminated people.
Shirane Haruo. et al. Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology 1600-1900. New York: Colombia University Press, 2002. Print.
In comparison, tone of medieval age Japanese literature becomes more intense, realistic, and darker in scope as focus shifts more to the lives and interests of people outside of court. In particular, the warrior class contributed a lot to Japanese literature during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, because of the increase in civil wars and shift in political power. This is clearly evident in the works of gunki monogatari, especially “Heike Monogatari,” because the tales depict inelegant things that were not to be mentioned in Heian period literature, such as blood and gore.