• Home Page
  • Gender Roles In Japanese Popular Literature

Gender Roles In Japanese Popular Literature

Improved Essays
Show More
These days there is nothing new about dealing with women-related issues, although it is worth and needed to consider as long as men and women coexist in this earth. The article, “Choosing Your Family: Reconfiguring Gender and Familial Relationship in Japanese Popular Fiction” (2011), written by Dollase, Hiromi Tstchiya also focuses on contemporary, popular, woman-authored books in Japanese popular fiction. Introducing stories written by four female writers, Hiromi analyze them how they reconfigure gender and family systems and discuss the shojo manga which deals with the ideal mother and home. This article also shows the power of the popular literature. No matter what the critics’ reaction is, it has already making an appeal to the …show more content…
The heroine Shoko is a newlywed wife, whose husband is a gay doctor, Mutsuki. They marry for their parents’ sake, who wants their children to follow traditional convention. Shoko and Mutsuki agree to have free love outside the marriage. In fact, Mutsuki has a boyfriend named kon. In early stage of their fake marriage, Shoko feels lonely and depressed and suffers from the friction between two different worlds. In the end, however, Shoko realizes that what she wanted was love, comfort and peace instead of marriage, gender and sex. So, she decided to abandon the pretenses and the three persons succeed to create their own ideal family based on friendship, trust, love and support, the real meaning of normal …show more content…
Historically, popular literature has been recognized as low-level genre, however things are different now. As Hiromi described in her article, the power of young female writers is well observed in today’s Japanese literary world. Especially, Yoshimoto Banana’s writings which represent both the unconventional (the casual writing style and colloquial language) and the conventional (mainstream literary themes) were warmly welcomed in bundan. I am, knowing this fact the greatest reward of reading this article. Nobody can deny the the Japanese popular literature has made a significant impact and plays a huge role in people’s lives and thoughts. In the future, I dare assume that probably only the literature genre which shares with the public will

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Gender Roles And Relationships In Shilooh By Bobbie Ann Mason
    • 1105 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Gender Roles And Relationships In Shilooh By Bobbie Ann Mason

    "Shiloh", written by Bobbie Ann Mason is a short story that focusses on gender roles and relationships. In fact, due to an accident on the road, the protagonist, Leroy Moffitt, is force to quit his job and to live full time with his wife, Norma Jean. Being a truckdriver, Leroy spent most of his time away from his wife avoiding many subjects as for example, the death of their son. Now that Leroy is injured and sedentary, many conflicts arise between them such as their life goals and their priorities that aren 't the same. Through characterization, symbolism and the historical context, the author suggests that no-one should force a relationship to work if they are unhappy in it and that it 's not because they are related to someone that they…

    • 1105 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Japanese Gender Relations In Haruko's World
    • 1562 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Japanese Gender Relations In Haruko's World

    The Western idea of a housewife is something that resonated with Japanese women, who typically struggled with grueling farm labor and minimal income. Due to the fact that many women were forced to work to stay afloat, mothers in law were often left to take care of their grandchildren during working hours. For many young wives, financial stability represented freedom from over-bearing mothers in law, and the ability to make decisions for one’s family. Bernstein says, “Haruko did not view her income as a passport to independence…but for younger women still living in the shadow of their mothers-in-law, possession of one’s own money implied something more.” While housewifery is an attractive profession, it is a luxury that most Japanese women could not afford.…

    • 1562 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Sakiyo Gender Roles
    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited

    Sakiyo Gender Roles

    In fact, the inequality is immediately echoed in Saikaku’s opening line: a woman is “an ax that cuts down a man’s life” (605). Throughout the entire novel the audience is continually reminded about these gender discrepancies, and of the expectations placed upon individuals to conform to the status quo of their gender roles. Women in particular, receive the brunt of this discrimination, which in nearly every case, has to do with physical characteristics. One such case describes that a beautiful woman is expected to have symmetric facial features, ears that are prominent, but “not fleshy,” feet about “seven inches long,” and that she should “not have a single mole on her body” (609-610). Saikaku, of course, satirizes this list composed of ridiculous demands to illicit laughter from the audience; this helps him both reveal and mock the expectations that the Ukiyo lifestyle inherently demands of only women in society.…

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Theme Of Sexism In Literature
    • 1809 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Theme Of Sexism In Literature

    Of Mice and Men and Code Name Verity are both novels that highlight the struggles of two polarizing characters throughout troublesome points in history. The authors both carry the plot in similar manner while presenting two characters that have to do what is right to save their friend from further persecution. In both stories, tragedy is foreshadowed whether it be from previous sinister events or the tone of the novel transitioning to a more somber one. However, these two stories are not exactly duplicates. With the differing time periods and social issues, it is clear there is some contrast between the two pieces of fiction alongside the similarities.…

    • 1809 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Bridegroom Ha Jin Analysis
    • 512 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Bridegroom Ha Jin Analysis

    In “The Bridegroom” by Ha Jin, the struggle about family, reputation and homosexuality within the cultural norms. Ha Jin shows a good example for the Eastern people because it opens their eyes by showing them conflicts between the value of society and individual preference. Because the Eastern culture is different from the Western on society and the peoples understanding. In the Asian countries often society effects on the way people think. This short story is about a girl named Beina who was the daughter of Cheng’s dear friend who has passed away.…

    • 512 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Gender Roles In Margery Kempe's 'The Book'
    • 1299 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Gender Roles In Margery Kempe's 'The Book'

    While Margery was a principal figure in breaking down gender roles in the 1400’s, she was not completely unique. When analyzing Kempe’s story to other holey women of the time, there are numerous similarities between stories. Some similarities include the idea of being a bride in a mystical marriage to the deity or weeping immensely in the name of God. In “The Book,” there are multiple allusions to other significant female spiritual leaders of her day, such as Marie of Oignies. She looks at Marie of Oignies as role model and inspiration, but also considers her equal to her as well.…

    • 1299 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Gender Roles In The Tale Of Genji
    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Gender Roles In The Tale Of Genji

    1. In Kyogen Theater, the women and men are portrayed quite differently when compared to that of their Noh counterparts. In Kyogen performances, the women are usually more dominant, rationale, strong willed, aggressive, and highly opinionated. This sort of thing can be seen within a wide variety of Kyogen such as Kintozaemon in which after a women is robbed of her back, proceeds to take it back by force rather than accept the defeat. “Ah, I’m getting angrier and angrier.…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Fabliau In The Stupid Knight
    • 1763 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Fabliau In The Stupid Knight

    She strives to help educate her husband, instead of straying from her marriage to receive sexual gratification. This goes against all gender binaries and traditional gender roles of that time. The wife remained faithful and hopeful for change and in turn was able to exercise her agency on her…

    • 1763 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    Arranged Marriages In Nnaemeka's Marriage
    • 147 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Arranged Marriages In Nnaemeka's Marriage

    In the story Marriage is a private affair, the author talks about the relationship between a father and son. At one point they had a very good relationship, however that changed when Nnaemeka decided to marry out of his culture. Their relationship took a turn for the worst. Nnaemeka came from a culture of arranged marriages but decided to choose his own wife. When he finally confronted his father and told him that he was in love his father wanted nothing to do with him or his wife.…

    • 147 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    The Little Green Monster Analysis
    • 1379 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Little Green Monster Analysis

    Often, Haruki Marukami’s short stories are one-sided and only demonstrate one side to gender representations. Most of Marukami’s fictional stories exemplify patriarchy in Japan, during which his female characters are positioned as objects for the subjectivity of males. The women used in Murakami ‘sworks are not empowered by feministic views; thus, the female subjects do not stand up for their own well-being. Throughout Haruki Marukami’s stories, female characters are used to represent the realities that several females faced in contemporary Japan, such as: isolation and seclusion, contradictive feminism, and fierce violence. This is evident in Marukami’s…

    • 1379 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Gender Roles In Literature, Art, And Music Of The 20th Century
    • 1498 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Gender Roles In Literature, Art, And Music Of The 20th Century

    Literature, Art, and Music reveal values about a century. Many of these truths dispute what is considered normal. The 20th century was a time of inequality for women, along with many wars. Writer George Orwell focuses on the issues of imperialism whilst author Margaret Atwood concentrates on the concerns of gender equality and roles. In addition, artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso, Virginia Woolf, and Igor Stravinsky took their pieces of work and somehow went against what the 20th century society viewed as normal.…

    • 1498 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Gender Roles In A Thousand Splendid Suns
    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Gender Roles In A Thousand Splendid Suns

    The book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini tells the story of two different women, and how the lives of these two women relate and intertwine. Part two of the novel establishes parallels between the two women, and similarities as well as difference between the two characters are established. Mariam and Laila share the same only-child type of upbringing, both women are influenced by their mother’s behavior, and both women look for protection from men. Laila and Mariam grew up in similar situations, though neither of them were truly only children, they grew up in the absence of their siblings. Mariam grew up without her siblings due to the fact that she was an illegitimate child, and was not seen as equal to her half siblings.…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    On Female Identity Analysis
    • 2369 Words
    • 10 Pages

    On Female Identity Analysis

    Judith Kegan Gardiner writes in On Female Identity and Writing by Women that “[f]emale identity is a process and writing by women engages us in this process as the female seeks to define itself in the experience of creating art” (361). Elaine Showalter takes the case further in her discussion of gender differences in determining “whether sex differences in language use can be theorized in terms of biology, socialization, and culture; whether women can create new languages of their own; [and] whether speaking, reading, and writing are gender marked” (252). She concludes that insufficient evidence exists in the dialogue between the genders, that language is not codified by sex and therefore cannot be regarded excepting “styles, strategies,…

    • 2369 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Kagero Diary Analysis
    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Kagero Diary Analysis

    The Kagero Diary written in the 10th details life in the Heian Period. The author, addressed as The Mother of Michitsuna provides commentary towards her life as a married noblewoman. The Mother of Michitsuna’s writing provides a gendered voice in the text, effectively showing the text is by a woman and she is aware of her womanhood. The author effectively conveys this style through the subject matters focused and illuminated in the diary, and a sense of awareness of her place in society.…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Literature As An Artifact Of Culture Analysis
    • 1378 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Literature As An Artifact Of Culture Analysis

    Literature as the artifact of culture, it provides significant datum about the social setup and structure, mores and morals, religious ethos and orientation, trends and traditions, values and attitudes of a society in which a protagonist exists or struggles to exist (Spair-Whorf Hypothesis Chapter 1). It is language through which process of construction embarks on issues of identity, cultural, and ideology (Wykes and Gunter 2005:61). It aims to construct, deconstruct or reconstruct the worldview of any character in a narrative (Carroll, 2008). Language used by literary aces has manifold functions to perform; one of the functions is to entertain while using satire or irony and to communicate the social and cultural portrayal (Hymes, 1972). Quite effectively, such information can be explored in terms of comprehending the writers’ mindsets, ideological basis of a society, national ways, ethnicity, identity and cultural implications.…

    • 1378 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings