Customs and beliefs is what make up a tradition, and tradition is the way one lives their life. In the novel, The Sound of Waves, Yukio Mishima exposed his own view on Japanese traditionalism. Throughout this novel, it is shown that Yukio Mishima believed that Japanese tradition consists of an organized social class, the Bushido code, and going after what one truly believes should be theirs. Mishima illustrated these personal views of Japanese traditionalism through the actions of the Shinji.
First off, Mishima illustrated the importance of the social class within the lives of the Japanese people, and Japan in general. For example, Shinji said, “It’s all because I’m poor (113).” Social ranks played a huge part in Japan. When one is born, they are born into their family whether they are rich or poor. In the beginning, Terukichi doesn’t allow Hatsue to hang out with Shinji because of their different social classes. Shinji knew it’s because of his low ranking that he could not marry Hatuse, but in the end Terukici allowed Hatsue and Shinji to marry. This portrayed that Mishima believed that the tradition of the Japanese social class can be broken if it is true love that brought two people together. Another example where social class has become a conflict is when Yasuo assumed that he would be the one marrying Hatsue, and he would become Terukichi’s new son. This assumption of Yasuo shows that in tradition, it is known that a person of a certain level in the social class marries another person of the same level. Since Hatsue and Yasuo come from the same social class, Yasuo believed they were bound to marry each other. Terukichi thought this too, but once he realized how hard Shinji worked, he knew Shinji would be a goo...
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...went after her. This action of Shinji made it seem like Mishima’s beliefs contain going after something or someone that one desires to obtain. This is the major difference between Shinji, and the narrator in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.
Throughout the novel, The Sound of Waves, Mishima illustrates his views on the Japanese social class, Bushido code, and going after what one believes. He illustrates this all through Shinji’s actions. Tradition plays a huge role in Japan, and it revolves around the lives of the Japanese people. Although tradition is a belief or custom that has gone on for generations, it can be broken if one truly believes that something or someone is the best thing for them. The world consists of numerous traditions of different cultures, and one’s tradition is usually shown through their actions.
In this section of the book, "Wave", we are introduced to Sam and his family who are off to Thailand for their Christmas vacation. This is the first year that Sam's older sister Beth isn't able to go, this makes his mother upset and leads to an almost constant worry for her daughter. After parting ways with Beth and enjoying their time at the resort, riding elephants and sitting on the beach, Sam and his father notice that the ocean level had dropped out of nowhere; it happened so fast, that the fish couldn't even keep up with the receding tide. People were amazed by what was happening and all gathered by the beach but when the water starts to come back in, Sam and his parents find themselves retreating
In the year 1625, Francis Bacon, a famous essayist and poet wrote about the influences of fear on everyday life. He stated, “Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other” (Essays Dedication of Death). Clearly, external surroundings affect perceptions of fear as well as human nature in general. Although C.S. Lewis published the novel, Out of the Silent Planet, over three centuries after Bacon wrote his theory on fear, Lewis similarly portrayed external surrounding to manipulate perceptions of fear. From the first chapter of the novel, Lewis revealed fear to be a weakness that leads to ignorance. It was this ignorance that apparently fueled the cycle of corruption and immorality on “The Silent Planet.” Using the character Ransom to reveal the effect of memory and morality on fear, C.S. Lewis demonstrates that fear is a quality of the “bent” race (humans), and only by eliminating fear in our lives can the human race become hnau.
The novel, The Color of Water follows the author and narrator James McBride, and his mother Ruth’s life. It explores their childhood—when they were both embarrassed by their mothers—through the part of their lives where they began to accept themselves for who they are. Moreover, this memoir is quite distinctive as McBride cleverly parallels his story to his mother, Ruth’s story using dual narration. This technique further helps contribute to the theme of self-identity. Throughout the novel, McBride searches for identity and a sense of belonging that derives from his multiracial family. By using two different narrations, McBride gradually establishes his identity and by integrating both narratives at the end, McBride also shows that although both narrators at the beginning had different upbringings, in the end they came together, and understood each other’s perspective.
Akira Kurosaw’s Seven Samurai is a film that encompasses various ideologies in order to allow the audience to understand the lives of Japanese people during the 1600’s. The film delves deep in social issues of the roles of the people within the society, the expectations as well as the obligations within the respected castes and elements within groups of ; suffering, working together, protecting family and working for the better good of the community.
In The Color of Water, author James McBride writes both his autobiography and a tribute to the life of his mother, Ruth McBride. In the memoirs of the author’s mother and of himself, they constantly face discrimination from their race in certain neighborhoods and of their religious beliefs. The trials and tribulations faced by these two characters have taught readers universally that everyone faces difficulties in life, but they can all be surmounted.
Feifer, George. Breaking Open Japan: Commodore Perry, Lord Abe, and American Imperialism in 1853. New York: Smithsonian Books/Collins, 2006. pp. xx, 389 p.: ill., maps; 24 cm. ISBN: 0060884320 (hardcover: alk. paper). Format: Book. Subjects: Japan Foreign relations United States /United States Foreign relations Japan.
Of course I do not consider myself to be a racist, or a bigot, but I am aware of socially conditioned stereotypes and prejudices that reside within. That awareness, and the ability to think for myself, has allowed me to approach issues with clarity of mind and curiousness at the social interactions of various movements. Buried in the Bitter Waters, by Elliot Jaspin, has easily awakened my sensibilities and knowledge of modern era race relations in the United States. I read each chapter feeling as if I had just read it in the pages before. The theme of racial cleansing - of not only the colonizing of a people, but the destruction of their lives and livelihood – was awesome. The “awesome” of the 17th century, from the Oxford English Dictionary, as in “inspiring awe; appalling, dreadful.” Each story itself was a meditation on dread and horror, the likes of which my generation cannot even fathom. It is with that “awe” that I reflect in this response paper.
The Japanese society can be portrayed as essentially having no classes since there is a small group of elite and underclass that encompass the numerous middle class. Social differences exist between rural folks and urban residents in terms of family composition, education and participation in the labor force. The social difference in urban setting exists between white collar middle class and blue collar industrial workers and the self-employed artisans (Japan social influence 2014:6).
Our journey starts in the year 1853 with four Scandinavian indentured servants who are very much slaves at the cold and gloomy headquarters of the Russian-American fur-trading company in Sitka, Alaska. The story follows these characters on their tortuous journey to attempt to make it to the cost of Astoria, Oregon. Our list of characters consists of Melander, who is very much the brains of the operation as he plans the daring escape from the Russians. Next to join the team was Karlson, who was chosen by Melander because he is a skilled canoeman and knows how to survive in the unforgiving landscape of the Pacific Northwest. Third was Braaf, he was chosen because of his ability to steal and hide things, which made him a very valuable asset to the teams escape. Last to join our team is Wennberg who we know is a skilled blacksmith who happens to hear about their plan and forces himself into the equation.
The Color of Water by James McBride covers a unique epoch in the history of the United States. The memoir was finished in 1996, but depicts a life story that is surreal in the mid-20th century. James McBride’s unique and skilled use of a double narrative adds a new spin to the impact of the two memoirs because both lives seem so abstract to each other but in actuality complement each other. It has a magnificent effect in the narration by keeping us, the readers, interested by taking each step with them.
Over the course of Japanese history, arguably, no artist is more famous for their works than Katsushika Hokusai. During his 88 years of life, he produced over 30,000 pieces of artwork, and heavily influenced Western styles of art. His most famous piece was created around 1831, a Japanese styled piece titled, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. This piece has stood as a defining piece of artwork in the Japanese culture for over 180 years, analyzed by students and authors for the interpretations filling the paper. The relationship between Hokusai’s painting has directly affected the Western point of view of Japanese style. The English author, Herbert Read’s novel interprets the painting distinctly differently from a Japanese point, American poet,
In his book “Between the World and Me”, Ta-Nehisi Coates explores what it means to be a black body living in the white world of the United States. Fashioned as a letter to his son, the book recounts Coates’ own experiences as a black man as well as his observations of the present and past treatment of the black body in the United States. Weaving together history, present, and personal, Coates ruminates about how to live in a black body in the United States. It is the wisdom that Coates finds within his own quest of self-discovery that Coates imparts to his son.
People like to remain within the boundaries of their own social class. Social class can affect your relationships with other people based on the social hierarchy of society. In “Persepolis”, Marji’s maid, Mehri, becomes infatuated with the neighbor Hossein. When he finds out she is of lower class, he dumps her. “Ok, i'll get straight to the point: I know that Mehri pretends she is my daughter. In reality she is my maid” (36). This quote from Persepolis briefly explains that class will interfere with social aspects of life. In the “Class” article, it discusses the theory that social stratification has an effect on your relationships. “the kinds of friends they make" — in essence, the degree of status, power and perks people enjoy or lack in their daily lives.” This quote from the “Class” synopsis portrays that your level of class effects the friends and relationships you make. Unfortunately, we are a socialist society and people only care to be associated with people of their rank and level of success. People stay within their social class and create a divided society. Relationships are affected by social class because people don’t want to be associated with those of lower class, for the conception that they may be judged and lose power of their good reputation. This world we live in is a world of socialistic social climbers in fear of wrecking their image by being corresponded with less adulterated people. Instead of being with those that are loyal and positive toward you, individuals reside with those who have success, to maintain an image. In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times. People believe this theory to be true, but it's what makes you happy that really
In every direction the sea rages and growls, tumbling its inhabitants in an ever-lasting rumble. Glory, honor, and duty are washed upon the glimmering golden shores of the Japanese empire. The sturdy land-bearers clasp hands with those thrown into the savage arms of the ocean. This junction of disparate milieus forms the basis of an interlocking relationship that ties conflicting elements and motifs to paint a coherent, lucid final picture. In The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea, Mishima incorporates the impact of contradictory settings of land and sea, combative ideologies of the Western and Eastern hemispheres, and inherent dissimilarities amongst the characters’ lifestyles in order to reinforce the discrepancy between his ideal Japan and the country he observed.
There are many historical aspects of the Japanese, but the most interesting is the history of the Samurai. In Japans history war played a large role in the country. Controlling clans fought for parts of the land and overall control of the country. These clans were powerful families that resided in the country and who all wanted power and control of Japan for themselves. The families that would be in control were known as Shoguns. These shoguns would have warriors that fought for them if any of the other clan families would try to attack him in order to overthrow him and take his power from him. The Samurai followed a code that developed from Chinese beliefs when in battle. The Samurais code was known as the Bushido. This code was also known as “The Way of The Warrior” which was the main belief s...