Blog #9

Bigaku

"Japanese art focuses not on what is logically considered beautiful, but on what people feel is beautiful (37)".

               The Japanese find the changing seasons as beautiful, they pay attention to nature more than Americans do. beauty to them is vivid colors, in a direct, complete and explicit way. cherry blossoms have a large influence on beauty and poetry. As an American, we are drilled by the media and they tell us what we should think is beautiful. you can have your own opinion on what is beautiful. but it is proven that the media has a huge influence on what we think.

Kisetsu

"Cherry blossoms are the national flower of Japan and are seen as a harbinger of spring (155)".

               In Japan, an annual event that is celebrated is "hanami" or flower viewing. a event that people and eats and drinks under the tree while they watch the flowers bloom. In America, we do not have a holiday like this. the only think that i could try to relate to this is Groundhogs day. it is an event where in american tradition, if the groundhog sees his shadow that, that means 6 more weeks of winter/snow. we base something like a plant or an animal to determine how we respond to the season changing.

Otogibanashi

"Japanese folktales portrays two kinds of beauty: one is visual; the other is emotional (171)".

                 The visual is the physical aspect of what beauty may be, while feeling emotions like empathy or heart full of someone who lives a heroic life is also betrayed as beauty. In American culture, folktales display beauty as little girl finding her prince and how she is so beautiful that she has to be a princess. Also,  when someone is a hero they are beautiful and displays a light. while they show the villain to be ugly, and dark and evil, not beautiful.

Wabi Sabi

"People used to live simple lives free from materialism and had the opportunity to cultivate a sense of unity with nature (229)".

                  In Japanese and American culture; as society moves forward our old and formal traditions are disappearing and being something of the past. we are losing how to get back to nature. with technology taking over we are taking advantage of our community, we think that technology and the latest trends is what beauty is rather then seasons, nature and heroism. 

• After Reflection Discussion

My reflection on the discussion is that society enforced in us that World War II was a war that was necessary and how Japan and Germany were the issue. Going to war for the Japanese and Americans, many soldiers were drafted while some were glad to go fight for their country. so while both places are clear across the world both have common feelings.they are fighting for a family, a country, a religion and their life back at home.

• What makes me American......

Growing up in North America, becoming accustom to tradition and culture was internalized at a young age. I, today am a religious liberal. tradition and culture is to worship Jesus and love everyone, but still put yourself first and work to buy anything you want. network and keep your friends close and your enemies closer. so the term of being an "American" means to understand that we got the better end of the deal. other countries are looking at us to industrialize their country. people come to us to have that "American dream". so what makes me American is that i have an easy life and here you are expected to live out your dreams and you can do anything when you put your mind to it.

Blog #8

1. Zen Buddhism is integrated in the Japanese psyche like the part in the film when Saigo would reminisced and was determined to get back to his wife and unborn child.

2. Drinking for general Kuribayashi means maintaining and deepening hedatari with Nishi. They have a common interest because they both rode horses and they  were able to talk strategy, and bond before the battle.

3. The negative effect of uchi and soto is not giving someone with common interest a chance to become uchi. Saigo kept Shimizu at a soto distance. when he first arrived. he then later in the movie worked together.

4. The negative effects were some groups were better prepared and some groups were not and the groups that were not died and were not sent back up. They didn't have a say to if they wanted to commit suicide, they wanted to keep the harmony and follow the rules.

5. The distance started to come together because both groups saw each other human side. Realized they were forced into a horrid war. they could relate during this war, they had families that missed them they wanted to go back home.

6. The connection between Letters from Iwo Jima and The last Ronin was how both film believed they had a mission at hand and to complete that mission at all costs. Magoza from the Last Ronin ended up killing himself like many soldiers did in Iwo Jima after being ordered to. both the soldiers were  devoted and loyal. Bushido is in both movies, it affected this war because the soldiers committing suicide made them lose the war and gave it a higher chance for the Americans to capture Japanese soldiers.

7. They were keeping distances from each other because they knew they were destined to die. it was really a suicide mission, but giving up and committing suicide because they were told to showed Honne to Tatemae. they were loyal and didn't say anything or come up with another plan because they wanted to maintain the face of obedience.

8. Saigo was captured and became a P.O.W. Ito ends up surrendering. Saigo didn't want to go to war in the first place and was forced, so he felt the Emperor was not worthy enough for his death. He'd rather fight till the end. while lieutenant Ito was completely devoted and loyal to the emperor and the war.

9. Honne to Tatemae and Bushido were both concepts that were thoroughly used in the film.many soldiers just blindly followed orders and kept the harmony. they did as they were told and was loyal. they kept their true feelings to themselves from fear to disagreeing to the tactics of building the island defenses.  

10. I learned that we are still the same. both the american and Japanese died on a unnecessary war. and both were dealing with the same things. missing their families, and preparing for a suicidal war. the most striking would probably have to be when the soldiers died by  killing themselves with grenades.

Blog #7

My reflection to the discussion was my ending was different to others. i thought Kane would marry no one or she would end up marring the merchant son. my second prediction was right.though i was surprised that Magoza would kill himself, i am aware that is common and ethical in Japanese culture. Omiai shows that arranged married was common and Kane didn't really have a choice in who she really wanted to marry. a lot of concepts were used but Omiai and Bushido were the most common used.

Hedataru to Najimu
"If one says that students Najimu their teachers, it means that they become attached to and have close feelings for the teacher(109)".
     In America, we do have a distinctive separation of who we may know to who we are close to and have feelings for. we have a saying if you get attached or feelings for their teacher is a teachers pet.

"Three stages are considered important: maintaining hedatari, moving through hedatari, and deepening friendship by najimu(109)".
      In America, we also follow similar stages. we have to build a foundation to become acquaintances. then we don't want to seem too clingy to ruin chances of becoming better friends.so then to deepen a relationship you learn personal information about the individual, spend time with them and get to know ones family.
Shudan Ishiki
"In Japanese society, people are primarily group-oriented and give more priority to group harmony than to individuals(195)".
        Particularity college students are opposite to this statement you tend to stay by yourself and when you enter a classroom you tend to pick a seat and hope someone doesn't sit next to you, unless you can relate to them or have met them before.

"Japanese in groups are usually indifferent to outsiders. however, when outsiders are invited to come with appointments, they are treated courteously as formal guests(196)".
         In America, joining  a group or a circle of friends, you do have to check to see if they are worthy to be in the group. you have to have similar interests and sometimes on the same path. an outsider you do have to kinda be skeptical to see if they are true and loyal.
The Do spirit of Japan
"By far the most influential stream of Buddhist thought on Japanese culture was Zen Buddhism(73)".
           Zen Buddhism was a period when literature, painting,creative arts, and gardening was brought to the light. it was the period of the courtly age. Zen means meditation so meditation infusing with it spirit inspired Noh theater and literature and many other arts.

"simply learning patterns by rote, which has never been advocated in Zen thought, does not foster creativity, growth and development unless you go beyond the form(77)".
             Too many people emphasize outer forms.People focus more on the harmony that you can lose yourself. you never have an opinion, your just going with the flow and it doesn't have a impact on you Zen thought.The Japanese feel as though if they do not keep the peace and blindly agree then they will be cast out the group so they do just that blindly stay at a surface levels.
Haragei
"...is used in business and politics as a deceitful means of communication in which people hide their real motives in order to gain power and advantage(103)".
           Similar to Honne to Tatemae you tend to keep how you really feel to yourself. even if you are right you may just stay nonverbal. you keep the harmony. with Amae, you read in between the lines to decipher what one is thinking.

"in low-context cultures, people often ask questions to try to make everything clear because they are less tolerant about ambiguous situations(105)".
         In the west countries, we want all the information. even with gossip we want the whole scoop of whats going on with the situation.i can see how this concept can be confusing in america, we don't leave anything to the imagination. we don't even like to read between the lines to someones subtle gestures to see if they are just agreeing to keep the harmony.

Blog #6

1.  Magoza demonstrated Bushido throughout the entire movie. Magoza was extremely loyal, and completely devoted to Oishi. He did not tell why he did not fight with the other samurai's. even though they wanted to kill him. he went into finding and remained loyal.

2. Giri means a custom of returning something for goodwill. while obligation means you feel you must return the favor, you are in debt to someone. while they both in a sense want to return the favor, but they differ when Giri grants a blessing or hope towards a person. not necessarily physically return something but to give them good fortune or good vibes.

3. Giri is more of a obligation but not completely require, while Bushido is a stricter devotion. your heart is involved of protecting and serving your lord. When Magoza went to the cemetery and the other soldiers saw him, he could have easily told them he was given an order that made him not able to fight with his fellow warriors. he remained quiet showing Bushido and just said he was a coward. 

4.When the cloth merchant was asking Magoza who Kane was he acted like he did not know. it seemed like he wasn't ready to tell the merchant that his real father is Oishi. he was using ie, being the head and protecting his family. another was how the cloth merchant son fell in love right away and was ready to marry her before knowing her. that shows that the man really has to pursue the woman and then marry the woman to then continue om his father's business. 

5. Kane is technically adopted because her mother died. that is a contradiction because Kane falls in love with Magoza who is like her father he and Yu taught her manners and how to write and was there with her while she grew to a young lady. so you cant really fall in love with someone who was there when you were in diapers. 

6. In America, i feel as though it would be close to these numbers. in my opinion i do think men are treated better. that they must be the head and women come second. how woman are viewed as only being a help mate to their husband or boyfriend and not an equal.  women are now being the bread winners in their homes, women are now being C.E.O's of businesses and serving in the military finally being accepted as a ranger. times are changing. 

7. Magoza wish was for Kane to marry the cloth merchant's son. Kane's wish is still being ignored. though she wish to not marry the son and she wish that she didn't like the son. they were both ignored because Magoza wants the opposite. For her to to like the son and marry him.

8. "Many Japanese woman are much more selective in choosing a marriage partner, and large numbers are deciding not to get married." I'm guessing but i feel as though Kane disobey omiai and wont marry the cloth merchant's son.she will wait a marry who she chooses. even if it isn't Magoza. 

9. Danjyo kankei was used in the film. Kane didn't really have a say in who she wanted to marry. she is only being viewed as an object not a human being. Honne to Tatemae is also being used, Kane true intentions and feelings was to be with Magoza but to keep the harmony and be obedient she was going to marry the son. Gambari  was used, Magoza was so devoted and his only purpose was to serve. he worked very hard and was very loyal. 

10. in my opinion, i did find it weird that someone so close to you and someone who could be your father, even you grandfather you were in love with him. he has known you since diapers. in america today, if Magoza would have relations with Kane. he would be labelled as a pedophile or even a sex offender if he was charged in court. its just not normal. even if you have a crush on him OK. but to express your love to really think that they can be together. its absurd.