Memoires of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

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Each living being experiences the world in a proprietary way that, though capable of resembling another’s, can never be fully duplicated. These differing perspectives, in their inherent complexity, are a principal patron to the chaos and beauty that perpetually plague and gift mankind. With over seven billion individuals (Population Clock), it is intelligible to claim that with so vast a sea of differing vistas; the power of perspective is the most influential contributor to modern civilization and the human spirit. Arthur Golden’s Memoires of a Geisha and Salvador Dali’s “Swans Reflecting Elephants” demonstrate the power and influence that differing perspective can have in a positive, artistic manner; while simultaneously bringing notice to the less-than-savory offspring that diverging views can birth. Both works demonstrate (though, in the case of Dali’s work indirectly) the positive and negative effects of perspective in a way that pertains to Japan and America’s in World War II, the most destructive conflict of all time (Ambrose); and a prime example (though arguably drastic) of the far reaching effects that different outlooks can have on mankind; and thus the need for them to be understood. In America, we are commonly taught that our involvement with World War II started after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 (World War II). Until the attack on Pearl, it is preached that America was both neutral and removed from the war (World War II). The contradictory reality is that America was never an idle bystander in the war- something its moral obligations and foreign associations would not allow. Under the false guise of neutrality (commonly referred to as The Lend Lease Act), America transferred war material to Britain a... ... middle of paper ... ... History. 1991. eLibrary. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. Peters, Cynthia. "Collection of WWII Japanese Diaries Offers Powerful Accounts of the Impacts of War." Pomona College. Pomona College, 3 May 2013. Web. 06 May 2013. . "Population Clock." Population Clock. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2013. . Sawhill, V, Isabel.. "The roots of inequality." Public Interest (2002):131. eLibrary. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. Steele, Diana. "America's Reaction to the Atomic Bomb." America's Reaction to the Atomic Bomb. Dickinson College, n.d. Web. 06 May 2013. . "World War II." The Great American History Fact-Finder. 2004. eLibrary. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.

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