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Judy Sierra's 'Tasty Baby Belly Buttons'

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Culture is the culmination of a people’s beliefs, attitudes, values, and overall impressions of the world around them, and is not only expressed, but also preserved by language. Japanese culture, however, is especially distinct because during the Tokugawa period from 1603-1867, Japan was essentially isolated from the world, especially from Europe and the West. According to the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World, “the Tokugawa period now shines…as a golden age of peace and prosperity and is celebrated as the fullest expression of native Japanese culture.” Japanese culture has prominent roots in Shinto and Buddhism, the two main religions practiced in Japan, as well as the landscape of their islands, agriculture, and the importance of …show more content…

In the book, the author considers the tale from a feminist point of view, and instead of the protagonist being Momotaro, she uses Uriko-hime, which means “melon princess” in Japanese. The story starts similarly to the original, with Uriko-hime being found in a river, but when she grows up and sets out on her journey to defeat the giants, there is much more emphasis put on her as an individual. Rather than creating the sense of equality that is prevalent in the original story, the author highlights how much more important and powerful Uriko-hime is compared to the other animals. For example, towards the end of their journey to the island the group is described as “Uriko-hime and her miniscule companions” (Sierra 18 FOOTNOTE). By referring to the animals as “miniscule,” when Uriko-hime herself is a young girl and two of the animals, the dog and monkey, are not typically noted for their small size, implies that Uriko-hime is not only a bit larger in size, but also more valuable. Indeed, the whole group is probably quite miniscule compared to the giants they face, but in the text only the companions are called “miniscule” and not Uriko-hime. This change redirects the emphasis on cooperation from the original tale to the importance of Uriko-hime, thus misrepresenting the value placed on the power of the group in Japanese

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- The sengoku jidai was a time of growing culture and strong economics - The shoguns used their wealth to patronise the arts, build large palaces and temples, and sponsoring large presentations - Poetry and painting flourished because it was influenced by Zen Buddhism - As did landscaping and the tea

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1102 Words | 5 Pages

Japanese in a country in North-east Asian, and it stretches for 1200 miles crescent in the Pacific Ocean. Japan is rich with volcanoes and hot springs, and it is also deal with earthquakes and tidal waves. However, today, Japan has high economic growth, and became a world economic powerhouse. In history, Japan was known when it had miracle victories in invasion of Mongol and samurai that is warrior of Japan.

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436 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the years, both Japan and Europe turned into a Chaotic mess, around the same time. In the late 400’s the Roman empire had fallen, leaving Divided and weekend kingdoms. On the other side of the world, Japan was having some similar issues. The Japanese emperors and the Imperial Court we're both challenged by the rise of Clans. Despite religion, Samurai and knights are more similar than different.

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842 Words | 4 Pages

1. How do you think Raina voted on proposition 71? How would you have voted? Why?

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678 Words | 3 Pages

In Chapter 2, Nanny compares a woman of color to a mule. This symbolization of animal motifs exposes that their supposed role in society is doing all the hard work and being bossed around by men, especially white men. The animal motifs in the form of symbolism are used to manifest the lessons about life that the reader is assumed to grasp from reading the

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Lastly, Tiny Soderball was a hired immigrant just alike Lena. Tiny was always getting in trouble with the men so all of the other citizens looked at her differently. Tiny did not settle with that and she then decided to travel to Alaska and take part in the Gold Rush. Tiny opened up her own hotel and grew a fortune. Lena, Ántonia, and Tiny go against the traditional female role, they maintain their independence and they take risks causing them to end up very successful.

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808 Words | 4 Pages

Samurai practiced Zen Buddhism which helped them in many ways throughout their life as a warrior. Buddhism was introduced to Japan by the ruler of Southwest Korea

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1403 Words | 6 Pages

(Carrol) Japan was very traditional during the Tokugawa Shogunate; there were a number of changes under the shogun rule in Japan which were very similar to those seen in the industrial revolution in England. The shogun also tried to close japan to western influence, by prohibiting things such as Christianity

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799 Words | 4 Pages

The Meiji era (1868-1912), often touted as “the beginning of modern "Westernized" Japan”, saw to many political and social changes with the “extensive adoption of Western institutions, technology, and customs” within the country. Intellectuals of the early Meiji period, having found themselves living in a “period of paradigm shift”, frequently debated within an East-West binary. With the humiliation of China at the hands of Westerners and the increasing threat of Western imperialism at its doorstep, the Meiji intellectuals also came to associate the East with backwardness and vulnerability vis-à-vis the West with modernity and strength. One of the most prominent Meiji intellectuals was Fukuzawa Yukichi - a prolific writer known for his theories

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995 Words | 4 Pages

Youssef Marakby ID:900130817 Instructor: Richard Byford Rhet 1020 The Samurai’s affect on Japan’s culture For many years, the legendary Japanese samurai warriors showed that they are the most well known class of ancient Japan and also known with their supremacy of honor, service, and duty which the Japanese society still have today. The samurai helped lay the foundations of Japan 's culture.

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Japan (1500s) Japan in the 1500s is a century of decentralized power and constnt warfare among competing lords, this period is known as the "Sengoku," or "Country at War" (1467-1573). These are the years of Japan 's medieval period (1185-1600) before the reunification of Japan and the establishment of order and peace under the Tokugawa shoguns (1600-1868). Castles are built by medieval lords (daimyo) for defense throughout the civil war. In 1543 the Portuguese traders reach Japan and are soon followed by the Jesuit missionary order. The Jesuits work among the samurai class and are initially well received by leading daimyo, including Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, two daimyo crucial to the reunification of Japan.

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898 Words | 4 Pages

Their analysis will form a foundation which will be used for discussing other novels. First of all, there are minor characters like the silly comical servant Annette. Often she exaggerates, gossips and worries excessively: “What a wild lonely place this is, ma’am! . . . I can almost believe in giants again, and such-like, for this is just like one of their castles . . . I shall see fairies too hopping about in the great old hall.”

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790 Words | 4 Pages

“To guard against external influence, they also worked to close off Japanese society from Westernizing influences, particularly Christianity. When the Tokugawa shogunate grew increasingly weak by the mid-19th century, two powerful clans joined forces in early 1868 to seize power as part of an “imperial restoration” named for Emperor Meiji.” This restoration was the beginning of the end of feudalism, or the way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour, in Japan. The Tokugawa regime acted to exclude missionaries because of suspicion of foreign intervention and colonialism. Eventually, they issued a complete ban on Christianity in Japan.

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The development of Buddhism was radically different in Japan. Originally introduced in the sixth century alongside Confucianism, Buddhism was stronger at influencing Japanese society. As Benedict (2003: 191-192) suggested: “Buddhist philosophy has gone further in Japan than in any other nation in teaching that every man is a potential Buddha and the rules of virtue are not in the sacred writings but in what one uncovers within one’s own enlightened and innocent soul.” There are two reasons that explains why Buddhism was different. First, Japanese Buddhism was organised into distinct religious organisations, sects and schools that differed to Buddhism found in China, Korea, and Vietnam which only existed as a large religious organisation.

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794 Words | 4 Pages

Currently, Japan is often known for having a very distinct culture, cultivated due to their relative isolation as an Island country. Indeed, many people reference the Tokugawa Edicts as the reason for this perception. However, while Japanese civilization is certainly a highly distinctive society, it also has strong ties to Chinese culture that began long before the Tokugawa era. In fact, as early as the first century A.D., the people of Japan were sending missions to China; they established a trade and tribute based relationship. This initial relationship gave way to the later Chinese influence that would shape Japan.

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