Short Summary Of In Praise Of Shadows By Tanizaki

Jun’ichirō Tanizaki's work, “In Praise of Shadows”, is an eloquent commentary on Japanese aesthetics. He describes the beauty in Japanese architecture, pottery, food, physical characteristics and many other details and traditions that shape his country. As the author was writing his book, Japan was beginning to adopt Western technology and values. He emphasizes the introduction of electric lights; how their harsh brightness clashed with the soft shadows and the elemental darkness that created Japanese beauty. He describes the many cultural aspects of the East before their assimilation with the West. He speaks to the newer generation of the East, mainly of Japan, and reminds them of the allure their society once had. Tanizaki relates to his …show more content…
It is clear from the book that rather than being opposed to radiance, the disposition of past culture was to be more appreciative of naturally occurring beauty, yet the new generation fails to realize that the eminence of old values can still be a part of their modern world. The author similarly says, “we Orientals tend to seek our satisfactions in whatever surroundings we happen to find ourselves, to content ourselves with things as they are” (Tanizaki 31). In this statement, Tanizaki uses “Orientals”, which references the Eastern nationalities as a whole. The author’s repeated utilization of this word brings to light a sense of commonality between different cultures and ethnicities of East Asia and the underlying unity between their ideologies. He intends for his readers to recognize that the Asian culture was founded on this common ideology. The author endeavors to merge his time period with that of the younger Japanese to indicate that, in addition to enjoying the luxuries of the modern age, traditional aesthetics should still be admired and respected. Tanizaki also relates to