Although written over 600 years apart from each other, Ki no Tsurayuki’s fictionalized depiction of his rough voyage to Kyoto, Tosa Nikki, has many similar qualities to Matsuo Bashō’s Oku no Hosomichi. Their focus on nature and a general journey, whether or not there is a set goal, creates a similar progression in both accounts based on actual events.
One main difference between these two accounts are the medium in which they travel: one by foot, the other by boat. In Tosa Nikki, the narrator, along with the rest of her crew, are contained on a ship, only able to make observations about the world from afar. They make comments on things such as the moon, the trees and the ocean, as well as the people with them on the ship. In contrast, Matsuo’s journey is done on foot, with external forces meeting him along the way. His interactions with the benevolent people on his journey help him to see the good in the world. This contrast of internal versus external interaction helps to shape the two narrators.
Though one would think that life on a ship for about two months would lead to unappealing and possibly grotesque imagery, especially that of the living conditions, Ki no Tsurayuki is sure to keep those details buried. There is talk of alcohol consumption accompanied by merriment, images of nature, and much description of the moon. It was only until the end when their destination in Kyoto was reached, that the narrator describes, albeit still in a pleasant way, the deteriorated state of the cottage that they were so desperately trying to reach. “As we reached the house and passed through the gate, everything stood out brightly under the clear moon. Things were even worse than we had heard—there was a wilderness of decay and dilapidatio...
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... progress, in that not very much happens in terms of plot or character development, but puts more emphasis on the path that has led them there, depicted as an actual path in both stories. Matsuo’s formulaic storyline could be attributed to the influence Daoism had on him. Daoism has an emphasis on “action through inaction” which is shown in his descriptions of seemingly trivial details of horses urinating and different aspects of religion. His thought processes were just as important as the physical journey he went through, which allowed him to return to his starting point without feeling as though he had not accomplished anything.
Nature plays an important role in the journeys of Matsuo and Ki no Tsurayuki. Their connection with the world around them influences their mental growth and changes their perspective from the beginning of their narrative to the end.
Christopher Benfey’s work The Great Wave is a narrative driven by a collection of accounts, stories and curious coincidences tying together The Gilded Age of New England in particular with interactions and connections to the Japan of old and new. In the context of The Great Wave, Benfey's own personal journey to Japan at the age of sixteen should be understood. Embarking on this voyage to learn traditional writing, language and Judo, his story can also be seen as a not only a historical continuation, but also a personal precursor to the vignettes he discovers and presents to the reader.
Throughout history artists have used art as a means to reflect the on goings of the society surrounding them. Many times, novels serve as primary sources in the future for students to reflect on past history. Students can successfully use novels as a source of understanding past events. Different sentiments and points of views within novels serve as the information one may use to reflect on these events. Natsume Soseki’s novel Kokoro successfully encapsulates much of what has been discussed in class, parallels with the events in Japan at the time the novel takes place, and serves as a social commentary to describe these events in Japan at the time of the Mejeii Restoration and beyond. Therefore, Kokoro successfully serves as a primary source students may use to enable them to understand institutions like conflicting views Whites by the Japanese, the role of women, and the population’s analysis of the Emperor.
To begin with, despite the foundation of the two narratives being the same, there are still withstanding variations in the complete story. Predominantly,
Since its publication in 1981, Joy Kogawa's Obasan has assumed an important place in Canadian literature and in the broadly-defined, Asian-American literary canon. Reviewers immediately heralded the novel for its poetic force and its moving portrayal of an often-ignored aspect of Canadian and American history. Since then, critics have expanded upon this initial commentary to examine more closely the themes and images in Kogawa's work. Critical attention has focused on the difficulties and ambiguities of what is, in more ways than one, a challenging novel. The complexity of Obasan's plot, the intensity of its imagery, and the quiet bitterness of its protest challenge readers to wrestle with language and meaning in much the same way that Naomi must struggle to understand her past and that of the larger Japanese-Canadian community. In this sense, the attention that Obasan has received from readers and critics parallels the challenges of the text: Kogawa's novel, one might say, demands to be reckoned with, intellectually as well as emotionally.
different time of period and different region, but yet both stories shared similar endings and
However, their other details don’t exactly align as well as the message. For example, the surface of the stories are very different. The obvious storylines of the two stories differ greatly from each other. Additionally, the characters have their “life changing experience”s in different ways. In “Raymond’s Run”, Squeaky learns to accept Gretchen when she finishes the race at the end of the story. At this point in the story, she and Gretchen share “this big smile of respect between [them]”. Squeaky’s barriers have been broken by this new girl. Differently, in “The Good Deed”, Heather's alteration in behaviour happens at the end. After Heather had (technically) broken in, Risa comes back home to tell her real story, not the augmented one that Heather had crafted. Both of these girls, albeit differently, learn to break down their own mental barriers.
Basho’s journey starts from a 17th Century Japanese city called Edo (present-day Tokyo). He had a cottage in a quiet, rural part of the city. He left Edo in the Spring season, “ It was the Twenty-seventh Day, almost the end of the Third Month.” (p. 2112)
The last important theme in the novel is the positive impact of living close to nature. Nature is the only way to get rid off from bad emotions in Ojibway culture. For instance, keeper tells for Garnet how he feels about nature “ Kinda tapping into the great mystery feeling the spirit of the land that’s the spirit of the people and the spirit of yourself.” [Page
In the beginning of both of the pieces of literature, the main character(s) have not had the experience that will shape their values yet. Rather, as time moves forward in the stories, the
The journey in a novel can be accomplished physically, mentally or both as a character portrays aspects of their physical travel as well as traveling to seek or fulfill a goal. In Joy Kogawa’s Obasan, Naomi Nakane narrates her experiences with her family as they suffer prejudice of being Japanese Canadians while traveling to different provinces in attempts of getting away from incrimination of those injustices. It is shown how the constant movement from one place to another throughout Naomi’s life adds to the lack of communication and language their family faces presenting the theme of silence.
One motif which reappears in the film is the power of nature, especially in relation to the individual. In fact, the film begins with a majestic shot of the Rocky Mountains showing its beauty and height. The beauty of nature and even friendliness of nature changes as the film develops. As the movie progresses the snow still seems white and pure, almost virgin like, but nature becomes an isolating force, not providing the family with a retreat from the pressures of modern life, but forcing the family to turn in on its dysfunctional and psychopathic self. Imprisoned by the snow and the tall mountains , the family seems weak and vulnerable.
While these two marvelous stories start out similarly and follow the same timeline of events...
From the lone hiker on the Appalachian Trail to the environmental lobby groups in Washington D.C., nature evokes strong feelings in each and every one of us. We often struggle with and are ultimately shaped by our relationship with nature. The relationship we forge with nature reflects our fundamental beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. The works of timeless authors, including Henry David Thoreau and Annie Dillard, are centered around their relationship to nature.
To understand the nature-society relationship means that humans must also understand the benefits as well as problems that arise within the formation of this relationship. Nature as an essence and natural limits are just two of the ways in which this relationship can be broken down in order to further get an understanding of the ways nature and society both shape one another. These concepts provide useful approaches in defining what nature is and how individuals perceive and treat
The power of nature is all around us and can be found almost anywhere. One is able to study nature through experiencing it firsthand, looking at a picture, watching a movie, or even reading a familiar children’s story. I believe that by learning more about nature we can grow closer to God. Emerson states, “Nature is so pervaded in human life, that there is something of humanity in all, and in every particular” (Emerson 508). Like Emerson, I believe that humanity and nature were created by God and we can learn more about the Spirit of God by studying nature. I also see that nature has the power to influence our emotions and actions. I see evidence of this through various landscapes such as the desert, the beach, the mountains and the jungle. I thought about the vastness of the desert during a recent trip to the desert with my class. I think about nature and my love for it when I am scanning through my photo album and see pictures that capture me enjoying the mountains of Utah. When I watched the movie The Beach I was struck out how nature, specifically the beautiful beaches of Thailand, influenced the actions of every character in the movie. Of course it is hard to read a legendary story such as “Jungle Book” and not see what a powerful effect nature and its’ animals can have over humans.