Honto
One of my father's favorite books is James Clavell's Shogun. I've been reading it, and I'm about halfway through. It's the story of an English naval pilot that crashes ashore in 1600's Japan and the ensuing political turmoil that follows. There are some interesting crossover points from Neal Stephenson's Baroque trilogy, as the eras overlap, and there are similar items from a trade and geopolitical context (for example, the Spanish "Black Ship" that sailed from Macao to Japan and thence across the Pacific for California once per year) but by far, the most interesting thing for me is trying to contexualize the book in the timeframe it was written. I don't know how to find out, but I wonder what the prevailing sentiment and opinion and general level of knowledge of the Japanese culture was like at the time this book was written, and to what extent this book and (presumably) others like it either created or paid homage to that sentiment.
Specifically, I guess I am referring to the way Clavell describes and (perhaps) idolizes the stereotypes of honor, duty, sacrifice, women's roles vs men's roles, in fact, every Bushido stereotype you can think of. Many pages are adorned with mincing porcelain dolls smiling and serving tea; quiet and manipulating strategic geniouses, or quick tempered, easily offended violent warriors. I was reminded of the spoken word / comedienne / speechifier woman that played at Pomona one year; she was Asian and spoke at length about the white men that wanted to date her because they wanted her to be that 1600's courtesan / geisha stereotype; I think she recalled a date where the guy asked her to don a kimono.
And then just to top of this swirl of thoughts, I watched Kill Bill 1 again last night. One of the words that the main character of Shogun has learned is "honto", meaning (variously) "it's true". When O-Ren-ishi has her head shortened a hair, she says "Honto, Hattori-Hanzo kantana naginata" or something similar - truly, this is a Hattori Honzo sword. I felt neato for learning a little tiny bit of Japanese. Wakarimasu-ka?
Specifically, I guess I am referring to the way Clavell describes and (perhaps) idolizes the stereotypes of honor, duty, sacrifice, women's roles vs men's roles, in fact, every Bushido stereotype you can think of. Many pages are adorned with mincing porcelain dolls smiling and serving tea; quiet and manipulating strategic geniouses, or quick tempered, easily offended violent warriors. I was reminded of the spoken word / comedienne / speechifier woman that played at Pomona one year; she was Asian and spoke at length about the white men that wanted to date her because they wanted her to be that 1600's courtesan / geisha stereotype; I think she recalled a date where the guy asked her to don a kimono.
And then just to top of this swirl of thoughts, I watched Kill Bill 1 again last night. One of the words that the main character of Shogun has learned is "honto", meaning (variously) "it's true". When O-Ren-ishi has her head shortened a hair, she says "Honto, Hattori-Hanzo kantana naginata" or something similar - truly, this is a Hattori Honzo sword. I felt neato for learning a little tiny bit of Japanese. Wakarimasu-ka?