‘The Life of Oharu’ and ‘Rashomon’ is produced by the different director and released different year. Nevertheless, both films are related with the historical event, which is the postwar occupation of Japan. I will be using Noel Burch’s concepts “sense of victimization” and ”subjectivity” in the ‘To the distant observer’ to prove how well those films are reflected the situation and how they overcome with the historical event of Japan. Between 1945 and 1952, the situation of postwar occupation and rehabilitation brought big changes and effects in Japanese society. Their military, political, economic and social formats got restructured. During the struggles, the Japanese people develop the sense of victimization. It helps to develop the movements, …show more content…
which makes states of subjectivity stronger . Later on, it helps to advance the ideology of individualism . Therefore, the ‘sense of victimization’ actually leads to the development of traditional Japanese society into the modern society. In Mizoguchi’s ‘The life of Oharu’, the main character Oharu was oppressed in a patriarchy or hierarchical society. She struggled to identify a role for herself and took on various roles of women in patriarchal societies. As the film is based on Japanese society in the Edo period, it raised the idea of feudalism society. Feudalism is positioning very powerful role in Japanese history that it isn’t breaking easily. During the postwar occupation period, the feudal ideology gave a sense of victimization from the war. Oharu as a character reflects well the idea of the victim. She is a very powerless woman showing through her flashbacks, which are recollections of past events from her point of view. Oharu’s life was shown in a cycle that her walking the same path beginning and ending of the film. This idea leads that her mind is stuck in a patriarchal society. Throughout Oharu’s story, she struggled with the different hierarchical role in society and left her more pitiful each time of the different state. In the few moments of hope she had, she was able to assert power as showing true herself. The reaction of being herself can be related with Noel’s analysis of “… true subjectivism, a true assertion of the individual as subject”(Noel 327). Similarly, in Kurosawa Akira’s film ‘Rashomon’, the conflict story telling from each perspective view is to maintain their social prestige, which is based on the Japanese hierarchical society. Paradoxically, this value allows the most diverse roles to Woman who is Samurai’s wife. One of the perspective points of view, she becomes a delicate figure who crying out loud because she lost her fidelity, which she represents a victim. The other point of view, she as a strong figure brandishing a knife tried to protect herself while the Bandit and Samurai try to cover their weakness. Also a figure that betrayed her husband for saving her honor and criticize men who are busy showing off their vanity. The strong figure represents, as she is able to assert power as showing true herself. The woman characters from each film clearly show as powerless figure but also show as desired figure that are willing to do what they want. And it reflects the situation of Japanese people really well in the postwar occupation period. The 'sense of victimization' came from their feeling of powerless about their situation regarding postwar occupation. As going through the struggle, they develop their desire of speaking their own voice, which is very related to states of subjectivity. The film may try to show the movement that Japanese people are desired to move forward from the situation of postwar occupation. While comparing woman’s figure in the film, both characters have something in common which is very interesting. Oharu and Samurai’s wife occurred a fainting in their flashback or memory when they are telling the story to the audience. The way Oharu reacted to her memories were described in Cohen’s analysis “…when a heroine becomes the narrator of her memories, the process can have one of two functions: it can be therapeutic, or ‘disease-producing’” (Cohen 49). Rather than therapeutic, memories from her flashback became ‘disease-producing’, which lead to Oharu’s fainting. Similarly, the figure in the film “Rashomon” who is Samurai’s wife, She faints when she experiences the event, which she doesn’t want to remember. “Fainting itself is often taken as a corollary for blindness where the individual displaces a perceived psychic threat onto the site of the body” (Cohen 36). The both film is based on structured society and both characters go through struggles with their positions in the hierarchical society. One can observe from the film “Life of Oharu”, Oharu is rather considered as the object than the woman. She isn’t sure about her identity about herself and traveling different rank when several different events occurred. Nevertheless what she had going through, the story is very powerful because Oharu is the subjective point of view that is leading the story. Oharu avoided the gaze of the viewer in the film; Mizoguchi used reverse shots that allowed the viewer to see from Oharu’s point of view. The role that the viewer took on was quite voyeuristic as the gaze followed what was to be looked at Oharu. Same like, Samurai’s wife in the film “Rashomon”. She experienced horrible event, which has different story from each person’s perspective view. The story is very conflict because everyone is telling the different story as for his or her own good. In every story, she has a different identity and plays a different role. Like Oharu, she has a strong voice for herself, which plays strong role in the film. They both considered themselves as a victim of events, but also willing to raise their subjective viewpoint to lead the story. Compared to the situation of Japan in this period, Japanese people were considered them as victim like Oharu and Samurai’s wife. The scenes of fainting in both films can be related to the traumatic events that Japanese people go through. Although Oharu and Samurai’s wife is very powerless figure in the film, they have strong desire of going forward and raise their subjectivity. Accordingly, both figures once again reflects of Japanese people in the postwar occupation period who are willing to going forward even though they are struggling in the moment. On the basis of the state of subjectivity, the film “Rashomon” has an interesting point.
As I mentioned several times, the story is based on people who are a witness of the specific event. But witnesses are telling the story from his or her perspective view for their own benefit. Moreover, as the story goes by, one can assume that they are trying to hide the truth. This raises the question of “subjectivity of truth” (Noel 297). The story of each different perspective has a different subjective viewpoint from the bandit, wife, samurai (through the medium) and woodcutter. This conflict story can relate with Japanese people who were confused by many different changes occurred during the occupation. This sudden change brought confusion to society of Japan and many movements got developed. This many movements help to develop the subjective view and made them stronger, but people were confused whom to believe or not. But at the climax of the film, showing woodcutter walking home with baby and the rain has stopped. This scene might analyze about continuing of carrying hope. Therefore, Kurosawa might want to deliver the message that going through struggles help to develop Japanese people to overcome the situation that they are
facing. As talking about the struggle that Japanese people are facing at the time, one can find another issue from the film “Life of Oharu”. At the end of the film, Oharu finalized her role and castrated the oppression that had controlled her life. Cohen’s analysis says, “Their only way out is to develop spiritual strength to transcend their oppression” (Cohen 33). When Oharu became a traveling priest at the end, it was her form of transcendence. But this still questionable as she had truly transcended and freed from the constraints of society. Rather than being transcended, Oharu seemed trapped in a position where she carries the guilt of her past memories. The idea of truly freed from constraints of society and being transcended is reflecting Japanese people’s true desire at the moment. It is hard to forget such horrible historical event that happened in the past. However, Mizoguchi may want to deliver to the viewer about the idea of moving forward and shouldn’t stuck in their past life. Certainly the lesson from the film, may affect Japanese empire now. To become one of the biggest societies in the world, Japanese society has been making an effort on different directions. For example Japanese cinema context, the director of both films who are Mizoguchi along with Kurosawa is one of the greats Japanese directors. And their films had used a lot of techniques that considered or influenced by Western style. Nevertheless both two director’s film also has the value of Japanese culture. Noel says “… but they too invoke the value of originality: the Japanese do not copy, they adapt; whatever has been borrowed has been profoundly and creatively transformed, and besides, many aspects of Japanese culture are entirely indigenous” (Noel 31). Throughout the film, one can observe the film has both values of traditional and modern, which creatively blended. The film “Life of Oharu” used several instances of the shot/ reverse shot, which represents a character's point of view as well as not exist in Mizoguchi's other film. Cohen says "... is that the reverse shot is the linchpin of classic Western film and the most fundamental structure of patriarchal discourse as it has been defined in Western film theory" (Cohen 35). Furthermore, feminist theory has been a major subject years before in the West, Mizoguchi were obsessed with women in his society. Oharu as a character is very tragic and unforgettable than any other woman characters in Japanese film. One can believe that his obsession and creativity met with Western ideology brought to make such a film like “Life of Oharu”. It also makes think that such an acceptance brought success for Japanese society. Even in Kurosawa’s work in the film “Rashomon” is considered it isn’t represent enough of the Japanese movie industry but more noticeable to western audiences as its film techniques such as direct shooting of sun and showing actor’s faces through reflect of mirrors. It was more Western than most Japanese films. As mentioned earlier, accepting ideas from Western society brought very positive effects in Japanese cinema. As a result, Mizoguchi and Kurosawa contribute their ideas to the society throughout their film. Even though part of Japanese history has been suffered, desires of society help and overcome to make better society now. They struggled with the sense of victimization but later on it leads them to find their own voice and raise subjectivity. Finally, it also contributes the idea of individualism as well as humanism helps with Western influence. The postwar occupation brought negative effects on society but also positive effects. As the society going through such struggles, they could able to develop and find their identity.
Much of what is considered modern Japan has been fundamentally shaped by its involvement in various wars throughout history. In particular, the events of World War II led to radical changes in Japanese society, both politically and socially. While much focus has been placed on the broad, overarching impacts of war on Japan, it is through careful inspection of literature and art that we can understand war’s impact on the lives of everyday people. The Go Masters, the first collaborative film between China and Japan post-WWII, and “Turtleback Tombs,” a short story by Okinawan author Oshiro Tatsuhiro, both give insight to how war can fundamentally change how a place is perceived, on both an abstract and concrete level.
Matsumoto studies three generations, Issei, Nisei, and Sansei living in a closely linked ethnic community. She focuses her studies in the Japanese immigration experiences during the time when many Americans were scared with the influx of immigrants from Asia. The book shows a vivid picture of how Cortex Japanese endured violence, discriminations during Anti-Asian legislation and prejudice in 1920s, the Great Depression of 1930s, and the internment of 1940s. It also shows an examination of the adjustment period after the end of World War II and their return to the home place.
War is cruel. The Vietnam War, which lasted for 21 years from 1954 to 1975, was a horrific and tragic event in human history. The Second World War was as frightening and tragic even though it lasted for only 6 years from 1939 to 1945 comparing with the longer-lasting war in Vietnam. During both wars, thousands of millions of soldiers and civilians had been killed. Especially during the Second World War, numerous innocent people were sent into concentration camps, or some places as internment camps for no specific reasons told. Some of these people came out sound after the war, but others were never heard of again. After both wars, people that were alive experienced not only the physical damages, but also the psychic trauma by seeing the deaths and injuries of family members, friends or even just strangers. In the short story “A Marker on the Side of the Boat” by Bao Ninh about the Vietnam War, and the documentary film Barbed Wire and Mandolins directed by Nicola Zavaglia with a background of the Second World War, they both explore and convey the trauma of war. However, the short story “A Marker on the Side of the Boat” is more effective in conveying the trauma of war than the film Barbed Wire and Mandolins because of its well-developed plot with well-illustrated details, and its ability to raise emotional responses from its readers.
...ile the war is still happening. The lack of freedom and human rights can cause people to have a sad life. Their identity, personality, and dignity will be vanish after their freedom and human right are taking away. This is a action which shows America’s inhuman ideas. It is understandable that war prison should be put into jail and take away their rights; but Japanese-American citizen have nothing to do with the war. American chooses to treat Jap-American citizen as a war prisoner, then it is not fair to them because they have rights to stay whatever side they choose and they can choose what ever region they want. Therefore, Otasuka’s novel telling the readers a lesson of how important it is for people to have their rights and freedom with them. People should cherish these two things; if not, they will going to regret it.
The book “Hiroshima,” written by John Hersey is an alluring piece coupled with an underlining, mind grabbing message. The book is a biographical text about the lives of six people: Miss Sasaki, Dr. Fujii, Mrs. Nakamura, Father Kleinsorge, Dr. Sasaki, and Rev. Tanimoto, in Hiroshima, Japan. It speaks of these aforementioned individuals’ lives, following the dropping of the world’s first atomic bomb on 06 Aug 1945, and how it radically changed them, forever. John Hersey, the author of “Hiroshima,” attempts to expose the monstrosity of the atomic bomb, through his use of outstanding rhetoric, descriptive language, and accounts of survivors. He also attempts to correlate the Japanese civilians of Hiroshima to the American public, in hope that Americans
Japanese Americans underwent different experiences during the Second World War, resulting in a series of changes in the lives of families. One such experience is their relocation into camps. Wakatsuki’s farewell to Manzanar gives an account of the experiences of the Wakatsuki family before, during and after the internment of the Japanese Americans. It is a true story of how the internment affected the Wakatsuki family as narrated by Jeanne Wakatsuki. The internment of the Japanese was their relocation into camps after Pearl Harbor was bombed by the naval forces of Japan in 1941. The step was taken on the assumption that it aimed at improving national security. This paper looks at how internment impacted heavily on Papa’s financial status, emotional condition and authority thus revealing how internment had an overall effect on typical Japanese American families.
One could easily dismiss movies as superficial, unnecessarily violent spectacles, although such a viewpoint is distressingly pessimistic and myopic. In a given year, several films are released which have long-lasting effects on large numbers of individuals. These pictures speak
John Dower's "Embracing Defeat" truly conveys the Japanese experience of American occupation from within by focusing on the social, cultural, and philosophical aspects of a country devastated by World War II. His capturing of the Japanese peoples' voice let us, as readers, empathize with those who had to start over in a "new nation."
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
Eleanor Rao, 2004, Exile From Exile: Ironic Paradoxes in Joy Kogawa's Obasan, vol. 18, 2004. Issue title: Within Hostile Borders. Ann Arbor, MI: MPublishing, University of Michigan Library 2004. URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.ark5583.0018.005
The whole film is recounted by undependable narrators, which in the end no truth can be determined. And yet, because none of the recitation can be reconciled, not even the woodcutter’s testimony, the film becomes a story of untrustworthy narrators from whom no truth can be concluded. Some form of optimism exists at the film’s conclusion, but the degree to which it can be accepted as true depends largely on the opinion of the viewer. This indeterminable vagueness continues as the film’s most captivating quality, in that connotation cannot necessarily be construed from the events in the picture, at least not within the story itself. More than one of the testimonies, if not all, together with the woodcutters, must be untruthful. The absurdity is that they aren’t lying only to the authorities; they are lying to themselves. These lies could leak into other extents of their life. For, if they continue to have confidence in the lie, they will misrepresent reality and may never be able to distinguish the fact from the fib if they continue to do so as they did in their
In the beginning of this story, one expects for the characters to follow the concepts that they represent. This story displays one man's journey to leave his home and comfort zone in order to fully explore his curiosity. He goes off into a forest and undergoes a life changing experience there. He encounters three different things that set him on the path to the journey of knowledge. This forest was symbolic of an assessment of strength, bravery, and survival. It took determination to survive in the forest and the young person entering into it would not emerge the same. Conversely, this story is more representative than realistic and the peril is of the character. This story is more of a vision or conscious daydream th...
Overwhelmingly the response of people in times of desperation is to survive at all costs and make the best of the situation. American history in the mid 20th century provides vivid example of desperate times such as those who were hit hardest by the era of the depression and also those who were displaced from their homes into Internment camps following World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Comparing the fictional account of Julie Otsuka's novel, When the Emperor was Divine and the historical accounts of Japanese American women reveals the many different ways in which women handle themselves, not only through the events mentioned, but also through themes that both accounts share such as adversity, prejudice, and perseverance. The novel's account of the evacuation and imprisonment of Japanese American is a subtle and understated retelling of the horrific experience of the Japanese Americans. While the historical accounts describe the evacuation of Japanese Americans as one of the most horrifying experience anyone could have been through.
The films of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa have had wide ranging influence over contemporary films, with his ronin films Seven Samurai and Yojimbo influencing countless westerns and mob movies. Arguably, however, Rashomon has been the most instrumental of all Kurosawa’s films because it asks a question that lies near the heart of all cinema: what is reality? Today, any consumer of television or cinema has seen various permutations of the plot of Rashomon numerous times, probably without realizing. In the film, a rape and consequent murder are told five different times, by a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) who seems to have witnessed the event, a bandit (Toshiro Mifune) who committed the rape, the wife of a samurai (Machiko Kyo) who was raped, and the ghost of the samurai (Masayuki Mori), who is channeled by a medium after his murder. In each telling, the viewer is presented with five realities that, through the use of various frame stories, are totally incompatible with one another. Throughout, Rashomon is a study in simplicity. The beautiful yet frugal cinematography of Kazuo Miyagawa and the minimalist plot, skillfully directed by Kurosawa, force the viewer to contend with two dissonant notions: that everything they have seen is real, but that none of it can be true.
Rashomon is a Japanese film that that was produced in 1950 by the director, Akira Kurosawa, which is considered one of the most important filmmaker in the history of cinema. Since early age, Akira Kurosawa had interest in samurai stories because his father was and shared his samurai experiences with Akira. In addition, writers such as Kanze Nobumitsu have said that Rashomon is an interpretation of the everyday life of the accident Japanese society. The old temple represents the ancient Raseimon gate, which fell in the 12th century and became a hiding places for thieves, individuals abandoned corpses and unwanted babies. In the film, a samurai is murdered and his wife is raped by a bandit, Tajumaro. The film follows the trial of the assassination