As the narrative shifts to memories of a young child, the accounts of the Japanese culture are more vividly detailed. The narrator can recollect the very specific details of her life; for example, she can remember how she was wearing “a wine-colored dirndl skirt with straps that criss cross at the back” during this one specific account. Throughout this journey, the narrator is surrounded by complete strangers; however, their fates are all the same, as “not [one] on this journey returns home again.” Despite such a depressing time period in the lives of many of the Japanese, the Japanese mannerism of respect still remains, as the narrator refers to strangers as “ojisan” or “obasan”. This honorary title for even strangers shows the respect that the Japanese have for one another and even the pride they still withhold for their culture, even in a time of
The Rape of Nanking is an important work of historical non-fiction written by Iris Chang. Although it is clear that she is passionate about the subject, Chang gives a balanced account. She does not condemn the entire Japanese people for what occurred but does take issue with modern-day Japan’s effort–with the exception of a few brave individuals–to deny or cover up the truth. This book was instrumental in bringing greater attention in the Western world to Japanese
She fakes her death for the betterment of her family. Lastly, the beauty of her sister makes her an ugly person. The main character, "Lusus Naturae," goes into hiding after contracting a terrible unknown disease that transforms
The Kagero Diary translated by Sonja Arntzen, and The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon both depict the inequality of women and men and the importance of social status in the Heian society. The author of The Kagero Diary lived in the middle of Heian period, a time when Japan was peaceful and isolated from the outside world. Similarly, women’s society also had an isolated quality. Since the “aristocratic society within the capital was very
In May 1992, Anna Deavere Smith was commissioned by the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles to create this one-woman performance that reflected the recent civil unrest (Smith, “Guide to Twilight” 4). According to the African American Review, “Anna Deavere Smith’s documentary theater helped earn for her a MacArthur Foundation genius award, an award that later followed on the heels of her winning an Obie Award and a Pulitzer Prize runner up in 1992 for Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities” (Brown-Guillory 372). Her work remains influential in American theater where “Twilight enlarges and redefines American theater experience in this unique first person portrait of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992” (Brown Guillory 372).
Throughout our society, women were always treated as lower being, compared to men although they had heavy duties such as caring for children and preparing food. However, contrary to common belief, women were important contributors to the culture of Japan, especially court life during the Heian Period. In Kagero Diary, Michitsuna’s Mother’s intention appears to be to tell readers her view of life as an aristocratic woman, and realistic view of Heian court powerfully demonstrates how the role of women impacted Japanese society. In a sense, her diary is her protest against the marriage system and disclosure.
Heroes may not be around forever, but their actions are never truly forgotten. The story of Sundiata is an ancient tale about a powerful African king with unpretentious beginnings. Even though the story is half fact and half fiction, it’s centered on incidents that occurred a long time ago, the epic story of Sundiata’s journey demonstrated different attributes of African culture and reminded myself of the Iliad and the Odyssey. The story itself was full of vivid, traditional legends, clever teachings and sayings, and an epic conquest to save the kingdom of Mali from the clutch of an oppressive ruler. This epic delivered an informative narrative with its actual intention is to represent African historic individual, Sundiata.
An archetypal hero appears in all forms of literature, mostly known for its presence in religions and mythologies, but the hero itself is an expression of our “personal and collective unconscious” (Campbell’s A Hero With a Thousand Faces). In the novel, The Girl With a Pearl Earring, the main character, Griet, is arguably an archetypal hero due to her actions and character. The novel portrays a realistic fiction genre–taking place in the 16th century–about a maid named Griet, who has to support her family by making a stable income. As she serves a painter and his family, Griet has to mature early, learn the hardships of being a maid, and deal with the multiple conflicts she must face if her family will ever survive. Yet as Griet recognizes
The wife’s story portrays her as a woman overcome by her emotions. She tells a story of mostly her crying on the ground out of shame and shock and fear. She claims to not know who killed her husband, but states she was mortified to find her dagger in her husband’s chest. After her testimony the Samurai, who is dead, testifies through a medium. The credibility of the medium is never taken into question showing that the credibility of the medium is about on par with the other two testimonies.
This is a contradictory character with many complicated personalities: covers by meekness, frailty, some time seems tearful but in the key moments she completely proves herself by the strength, independence and wiseness. She is pushed in a prank of destiny, it is deft and gentle weaves her life as she weave garment then all the threats is lead to by this gentleness. Her hellish life starts since all uninvited suitors come and ask for marriage, she is in a very dangerous situation.
“Kokoro” is a novel by Japanese author Natsume Soseki, published in 1914. It is the story of the friendship between the narrator, “I” and his honored mystery old man, “Sensei”, which explores man’s nature through Sensei’s confession. As seen in the very first sentence of the story, the narrator always calls the old man, Sensei in respect. The story reveals that Sensei also has a big trust in narrator by sending his testament to “I”(narrator) in the hopes of preventing the narrator from going through what Sensei had gone through.
The Tale of Genji is important to history because it is widely accepted to be the first novel ever written. Novels have played a large role in history by helping cultures express themselves, communicate, and write down historical events that are now studied in modern society. The website The Tale of Genji has a few excellent characteristics of it; however, it also has flaws. One of these flaws is that it is a summary and merely tries to give an in-depth look at the book and how it was significant in the time it was written. Therefore the text cannot be taken as the original document and should not be quoted.
To disciplined? The story shows what happens when a special person comes into our life and how the person’s present and future is changed. The story is more concentrated on Shinji’s’s and Hatsue’s’s love life. How they fell in love and later what were the consequences they had to face, how over serene Shinji’s’s life was before he fell in love with Hatsue’s and then it became unpleasant and in the end how they got each other.
Solving the mystery of the circumstances of the samurai 's death requires the ability to command and piece together multiple narratives. Despite one point of view being more factual than the others, all perspectives build upon each other to great a greater picture. The individual parts work together to weave a larger view of the events. Each perspective is important, and help connect the pieces of the puzzle in order to create a clearer understanding. Differing perspectives, while sometimes difficult to relate to each other, are beneficial in finding the
The role of women in literature crosses many broad spectrums in works of the past and present. Women are often portrayed as weak and feeble individuals that submit to the situations around them, but in many cases women are shown to be strong, independent individuals. This is a common theme that has appeared many times in literature. Across all literature, there is a common element that causes the suffering and pain of women. This catalyst, the thing that initiates the suffering of women, is essentially always in the form of a man.
