Traditional Japanese Culture Essay

From the interactive oral presentation on the Japanese vs. Western Social norms, I have learned a tremendous amount on how Mishima incorporated traditional Japanese and western influences in the novel to portray the loss of traditional Japanese culture within the Japanese society.

The Japanese mind is very pragmatic. They emphasize on immediate experience as opposed to the westernized analytical thinking. We see this through the character of Ryuji when he proposed to Fusako as he told her very bluntly without giving extra thought. We also see this through Noboru as he reacts to the actions of Ryuji very impulsively through his charges. We also establish that the Japanese are very introverted which is depicted through the characters of Ryuji, Noboru and Fusako as they keep very isolated and to themselves.

Dealing with the traditional Japanese religions of Shintoism and Buddhism, their beliefs have been mirrored in the character of Ryuji. For example, his death. His death in the Shinto religion would be seen as very impure, contradictory to his death in the Buddhist religion would be seen as very

positive as now his soul is released and can be reincarnated and now can fulfill all his desires in the next life.

The Meiji era also has a very significant impact towards the westernization of Japan as it is the period in time where Japan transitioned from being a very isolated feudalist society to its modernized state. The samurai class who was at the top of the hierarchy when it was a feudalist state lost all their powers due to the new government. They then had to cut off their traditional topknot and get westernized haircuts and adopt jobs in the business class (which was considered at the bottom of the social class when they were ruled by a feudalist society.) This period mirrors the behavior of Ryuji when he gave up his self and adopted a westernized lifestyle for Fusako by attaining a new job in the store and giving up his sailor attire for English wear.

There was also many social norms, traditional and western, that had major influences in the novel.

For example, traditionally Japanese people hold practical views on marriage and believe that love dies when you die, contrary to western beliefs that love is eternal. You see how Ryuji and Fusako’s love is very westernized in this sense. Furthermore, in traditional Japanese culture, mother and child are very close to one another. They co-sleep together for a very long period of time which is the opposite of westernized cultures which practice their children to sleep alone from a very young age. Traditional Japanese mothers also punish through verbal aggression and guilt whilst westernized mothers would punish physically. You can see many instances of traditional and westernized mother and child relationships between Fusako and Noboru through the

novel.

Overall, Mishima’s main objective through the novel was to show how the traditional Japanese beliefs have been lost through westernization, He has successfully conveyed his message and uses many traditional and westernized examples to portray his message.