The Japanese Culture of Ukiyo

Japanese culture is probably one of the most robust cultures of the entire history of human civilization. There are authorities that have surmised that this robust culture is among the greatest contributors to the way Japanese economy is seen. Japanese economy is among the most developed in the 21st economic dispensation and this has been attributed to the conservative culture that has described the Japanese historical lineage. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Japanese Culture of Ukiyo-e and Ikebana specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Among these authorities are those who point to the fact that Japanese culture can be traced from as early as from the antediluvian times of the JÃ… mon period to the current times where it is considered to comprise of shades borrowed from the Asian, North American and European cultures. This culture is further considered eccentric from the way it can be observed that in its hist ory, there was some sort of isolation from the rest of its world during what was called the Tokugawa Shogunate straight to the times that are referred to as ‘The arrival of the Black Ships’ otherwise called the Meiji Period. This essay considers some of these authorities that have given incredible insights concerning the Japanese Culture and discusses their perceptions regarding the same. The book that is going to be considered for this write-up is J. Thomas Rimer’s and Van C. Gessel’s, The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature, Vol. 1: From Restoration to Occupation, which is an anthology that has different authorities talking about different areas of Japanese Culture and the way it has evolved over time. One of the authorities that I will consider first is Mori Ôgai, the author of The Dancing Girl, who was a Japanese translator, physician, poet and novelist of renowned reputation among his contemporaries. In his book, Mori greatly concen trates on the Meiji period where he wrote critiques that were based on the Karl von Hartmann aesthetic theories. He talks about a channel of Japanese culture that was reserved to the traditional ways of livelihood where the natives heavily dependent on the peculiarities of their culture such as language and artistic work. As an artistic literati, Mori in The Dancing Girl talks about artistic works that are peculiarly specified for the Japanese women that has differentiated them from women from other cultures. This, he achieves by using the girl in the story to who also posses as the main character to discuss his theme. Advertising Looking for report on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Two areas of the Japanese culture that Mori talks about is Ukiyo-e and Ikebana which are Japanese words that are common to the pre-Meiji artistic works of the Japanese people. Ukiyo-e is a collection of pictures of a ‘floating worldâ €™ which are used by the girl in his book to make her outstanding and unique among her contemporaries. The other area that he talks about is the arrangement of flowers which is another area that characterizes Japanese culture. So common is the use of Ikebana among the Japanese natives that it has remained an identity for their culture over time. Natsume Sà ´seki, in his article The Civilization of Modern-Day Japan’ ‘My Individualism’ majors on the history of the Japanese governance and human rights activism which is another area of Japanese livelihood that is of great interest to scholars interested in studying this great culture. He discusses the instances of revolts of ordinary people that struggled so much for the freedom of their state in some instances risking their lives. These are the tenets of the Japanese culture that according to him have made this culture such a wonder for many scholars that have been fascinated by its development and establis hment over time. Continued struggle for freedom through activism, human rights proponents and such advocates for human freedoms have greatly characterized Sà ´seki’s work. A term he uses to further this surmise is Nihonjinron which can loosely be translated to mean ‘theories about the Japanese People’ and does so by further discussing issues to do with Japanese sociology, linguistics, psychology and science; tenets that have all along characterized the Japanese Culture . In the same volume The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature, Vol. 1: From Restoration to Occupation, Kunikida Doppo talks about Japanese culture as regards its development in a material sense in his article dubbed, Meat and Potatoes. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Japanese Culture of Ukiyo-e and Ikebana specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He begins by first surmising that Japan is among the highest in the wh ole world in terms of the Rational-Secular Values when it comes to the way the natives express themselves with their possessions and artistic work. It is his contention that the Japanese culture is greatly predicated on the conservativeness of its foods, artistic work, among other identifiers he talks about. He further talks about Japanese culinary past where he talks about the robust and refined cuisine that has been with this culture from its inception in the early ages of their development. This culture in Doppo’s eyes is so eccentric that it has been taken up by Western cultures like in the US, Europe where dishes such as tempura, sushi and teriyaki are commonly prepared and enjoyed by these foreign locals. One of the reasons that he gives explaining the probable reason as to why these dishes are opted for by exotic people is the way the diet is associated with the longevity of the people of Japan both in their cultures and livelihoods. In addition to these areas of Jap anese culture that are discussed by these different authorities, anthology also talks about specific areas of the culture that are also just as important pointers to their uniqueness. One of these areas of interest is Japanese clothing. This is an area that is probably the most outstanding identifier that makes it so distinctive. From time immemorial, Japanese people have had distinctive clothing that are respective to both men and women separately and there are no garments that are shared by both sexes. Some of these native clothing are kimono, naga-gi which are special clothes that are worn by Japanese natives on special occasions. There are further peculiarities with this culture that may be considered complex and difficult for non-Japanese natives to distinguish. An example here is the Tomesode (which is a kimono that is worn by a woman who is married whereas Furisode is one that is worn by women who are not married. The difference between these garments is very slight; in fac t, Mori jokes about it by saying that ‘it is easier to differentiate mansion and a bungalow than it is to differentiate these Japanese garments’. In a word, The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature, Vol. 1: From Restoration to Occupation is a great collection of literary works by different authorities on Japanese culture and it is among the best anthologies that make the volume a great read. In addition to these sentiments, it is overtly clear in the volume of the central role that the Japanese culture plaid in the shaping of the livelihood of the people and the entire country’s developmental areas. Advertising Looking for report on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Viewed in another way, the Japanese society is one that can be considered a closely-knit unit that makes it fabric that has enviable moral code, robust economic culture and superb national heritage. It is in this view therefore that the said authors that have been discussed herein unanimously point to the fact that Japanese culture is one that stands out among the cultures of the East and Central Asia in their its eccentric moral fabric that is favourable for economic development. This report on The Japanese Culture of Ukiyo-e and Ikebana was written and submitted by user Karlee Parrish to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Looking back looking forward essays

Looking back looking forward essays The policies, acts and legislations aimed at inclusion or exclusion of First Nations have had an enormous impact on the development of Fist Nation organizations in Canada. The fact that the process of colonization and nation building did not included consultation with or respect for the culture, tradition, sovereign or organizations of First Nations drove this oppressed group to form political and non-political lobbying organizations. Prior to the arrival of European new comers, First Nations people had organized societies. These societies had law, tradition, culture, leadership and religion. Their concept of sovereignty was intangible, an inherent feeling of reverence of land, the mother from which life came and that that land should be preserved for future generations, as it had been since time immemorial. First Nations believe that they live with the land, not simply on it. The Federal Government and Aboriginal peoples understand the definition of Sovereignty differently, each t aking the understanding from two different directions. However, the most crucial issue in this paper is the treatment and understanding of the policies, acts and legislations that affects the plight of aboriginal peoples of Canada. Through this essay it is hoped an understanding of how the policies and treatment of these people lead to the desire for self-government and self-determination and development of Aboriginal political organizations. Comparison of settlements of government and aboriginal peoples across the country it might be better understood why certain policies, acts and treaties caused certain movements with in aboriginal regions and territories. The stages of growth of both government and aboriginal societies and nations took many turns with events of government attempting to assimilate these people into a European culture. Indian agents were introduced to the aboriginal communities in the early 1800s. Their mandate was to live in a...

Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment Quotes and Analysis

Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment Quotes and Analysis Russian author Fyodor Dostoevskys Crime and Punishment was originally published in 1866 as a series of monthly installments in the literary journal The Russian Messenger, but has since gone on to become one of the most influential works of literature of its time, riddled with numerous quotes ranging from a poor mans murderous thoughts to the guilt felt in the aftermath of a crime. The story focuses on Rodion Raskolnikovs moral dilemmas and mental suffering after he formulates and successfully plots to kill a pawnbroker to take her money, arguing that with the money he takes from her he can do good that would offset the crime he committed in murdering her. Like Frederich Nietzsches Ubermensch theory, Dostoevsky argues through his character that some people even have the right to perform such vigilante actions as murdering an unscrupulous pawnbroker for the greater good, arguing multiple times that murder is okay if done in the pursuit of the greater good.​ Quotes About Pity and Punishment With a title like Crime and Punishment one can correctly assume that Dostoevskys most famous work is riddled with quotations about the idea of punishment, but it can also be said that the author implored his punishers to have pity on the guilty and suffering the narrator must endure for committing his crime.   Why am I to be pitied, you say, Dostoevsky writes in Chapter Two, Yes! Theres nothing to pity me for! I ought to be crucified, crucified on a cross, not pitied! Crucify me, oh judge, crucify me but pity me? This question lends to the idea that there should be no pity given to the guilty - that it is not for a judge to pity the felon but to punish him appropriately - in this case, the speaker argues by crucifixion. But punishment does not only come in the form of a judge reaching a verdict and sentence for a criminal, it also comes in the form of a guilty conscience, wherein the morality of the criminal himself is pitted as the ultimate punishment. In Chapter 19 Dostoevsky writes, If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake; that will be  punishment - as  well as the prison. The only escape from this personal punishment, then, is to ask forgiveness of mankind and of God. As Dostoevsky writes at the end of the 30th chapter, Go at once, this very minute, stand at the cross-roads, bow down, first kiss the earth which you have defiled, and then bow down to all the world and say to all men aloud, I am a murderer! Then God will send you life again. Will you go, will you go? Quotes on Committing Crime and Acting on Impulses The act of committing murder, of taking another persons life, is discussed multiple times throughout the text, each time with the implication that the speaker cannot believe he is about to commit such a heinous act. From the very first chapter, Dostoevsky makes this point clear as a contention element of the protagonists life, writing Why am I going there now? Am I capable of that? Is that serious? It is not serious at all. Its simply a fantasy to amuse myself; a plaything! Yes, maybe it is a plaything. This is almost a justification for the speaker to act later on impulse, an excuse to give into his carnal desires, painting murder as a mere plaything. He argues this concept again, coming to terms with the reality of committing murder, in chapter five wherein he says can it be, can it be, that I shall really take an axe, that I shall strike her on the head, split her skull open...that I shall tread in the sticky warm blood, blood...with the axe...Good God, can it be?   Would the crime be worth the moral implications, or the known punishment for such an act? Would it defy the very idea of living a good life itself? Dostoevsky also answers these questions through a variety of quotes in the book Quotes on Life and the Will to Live Especially given the idea of committing the ultimate crime of taking someone elses life, the ideas of the will to live and living a good life come into play many times throughout Crime and Punishment. Even as early as chapter two, Dostoevsky discusses the possibility that mankind may have its ideals of a good life skewed, or at least that mankind is in and of itself skewed from a good reality. In Chapter Two, Dostoevsky writes What if man is not really a scoundrel, man in general, I mean, the whole race of mankind - then all the rest is prejudice, simply artificial terrors and there are no barriers and its all as it should be. However, in Chapter 13, when faced with the idea of being punished by being put to death, Dostoevsky visits an old adage of waiting for death for eternity being better than actually dying in a moment to observe the reality of a persons will to live: Where is it Ive read that someone condemned to death says or think, an hour before his death, that if he had to live on some high rock, on such a narrow ledge that hed only room to stand, and the ocean, everlasting darkness, everlasting solitude, everlasting tempest around him, if he had to remain standing on a square yard of space all his life, a thousand years, eternity, it were better to live so than to die at once! Only to live, to live and live! Life, whatever it may be! In the Epilogue too, Dostoevsky speaks of this hope, mans never-ceasing desire to continue breathing for at least one more day, saying of the two characters that they were both pale and thin; but those sick pale faces were bright with the dawn of a new future, of a full resurrection into a new life. They were renewed by love; the heart of each held infinite sources of life for the heart of the other.

Reflection paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflection - Research Paper Example I like this film because the director is able to find out an apt solution for the emotional problems faced by the high school students. Problems faced by teenagers/adolescents The teenagers/adolescents feel that that they are no more children. On the other side, elders are not ready to consider them as grown up individuals. This status between the worlds of children and elders is really frustrating for the teenagers/adolescents. So, the teenagers/adolescents in high schools are forced to form their own gangs or cliques. In the film, the children from the Shermer High School undergo detention and this change their lives. Barsanti (2010) stated that, â€Å"A cross-section of high schoolers spend Saturday detention testing each other’s limits, probing for weaknesses, categorizing, and defining† (p.49). The students are aware of the fact that they are from different groups and cliques. In the beginning, they refuse to share their personal matters. Gradually, they began to s hare their personal matters and the problems faced by them. In the film, the teenager named as Allison Reynolds reveals that she is compulsive liar. On the other side, John Bender is facing some adjustment problem at his home because homely matters disturb him a lot. In the end, all the children came to realize the fact that they face similar problems. Most of the parents consider that their children should obey them without any objection. One can see that the grass root level reason behind the faced by teenagers/adolescents is interconnected with their families. For instance, the high school children in the film face a number of problems in their families and this leads to further problems at the school. Their hatred towards their parents eventually leads them towards misbehavior and punishment. So, this film reveals that the elders must try to understand the fact that family problems can lead teenagers/adolescents to misbehavior at schools. Family circumstance and individual devel opment In my opinion, family circumstance can exert positive or negative influence on individual development. For instance, most of the troublemakers at schools are from broken families. When a child is not able to have enough emotional attachment at home, it will react in a different way. One can see that the most important factor behind the success of a family is unity or deep relationship among the members. If the elder members of a family fail to provide enough love and care to the youngsters, there exists high possibility for emotional problems. In the film, problems within the private circle leads the children towards further problems at their school. On the other side, their teachers are not ready to find out the reason behind their misbehavior. For instance, their teacher (Mr. Vernon) never tires to find out the reason behind their misconduct. If the teacher tries to talk with them, he can easily find out the problem and can help them to overcome the same. I consider that th e students must try to discuss their problems with their teachers. If students face some problem in their private circle, they can discuss the same with their teachers. In the film, peer group influence is strong among the students and they are not aware of the drawbacks of the same. So, the director makes use of the lives of high school children to reveal the relationship between family circumstan

Business Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Business Economics - Essay Example The manufacturers also are faced with a situation where they have to lower the supply of laptops and instead focus on the production of tablet computers. An example of tablet computers is the iPad. In the last one year, netbooks and laptops have been hit the hardest by the new consumer appetite. Due to this; netbook shipments declined by 53%, while desktop PC’s demand fell by 15.4%, over the same period. (Halliday, 2011) The process above can be explained economically using the demand and supply theory. Demand is simply the purchaser’s desire and ability to pay for a price of a given commodity. Supply and demand meet due to one thing- Supply. Thus, where a seller is offering to dispose a commodity at the level of price that a purchaser is ready to pay; then, the purchaser and the seller are at an agreement point known as market equilibrium. (Ball and Seidman, 2011 pp9, 10) Demand and supply concepts are basically the most primary concepts of the field of economics. It forms the core of a market economy like that of the U.K. Price serves as a reflection of the effects of demand and supply on the market. This relationship that exists between supply and demand is the one that drives resource allocation. To understand this concept further, and to be able to understand it in the context of laptops, the laws of demand as well as supply are going to be looked at. The demand law, simply states that, ceteris paribus, the higher a commodity’s price is, the less will the demand be for that commodity. That of supply states that, the higher the price of a commodity, the higher the supply of the same commodity will be. Therefore, the higher the levels of prices, the lesser the demanded quantity of a commodity. In the scenario of the study, it is the demand of laptops that declines due to an introduction of a new substitute product in the market. Due to this, the demand curve would shift leftwards to reflect a decline in laptop’s demand. Also, as the laptops

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell Essay Example for Free

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell Essay In Malcolm Gladwell’s The Outliers, his goal is to convince the reader that â€Å"people don’t rise from nothing† and that â€Å" we do owe something to parentage and patronage. † Although certain people’s success requires prerequisites of talent and knowledge. I agree with Gladwell that it is not solely because of these talents that these people are successful. However, their success most often is dependant on one’s past good fortune. For example, when or where one was born and raised, one’s cultural background and family legacies, one’s schooling, and many other factors, create opportunities for success where these talents can be utilized. Although some people are thought to have risen from nothing or to have gone from rags to riches, the fact is no one is capable of creating their own success without the help of others and good fortunes along the way. In this passage, a point that Gladwell points out is that success can be created by parentage and patronage, hidden advantages and opportunities, cultural backgrounds and family legacies. An example of the importance of one’s cultural backgrounds and family influence is the way we are raised. Our parents, as our first teachers have a big role in who will become in our lives; they teach us how to interact with other people, how to act in certain situations and how to present ourselves to others. The different religious and cultural backgrounds of our parents, and also the way our parents were raised have an enormous impact on the way our parents raise us. As a parent, the balancing of strictness, pressure, giving, loving, helping, and withholding, among other factors can be difficult, with the question being what balance is the best to raise a child. Because we are all raised in different ways everyone has different views on how to raise a child based on their knowledge of how they were raised. This proves that the way we are raised can make the difference in our success. An example of how parentage and patronage play a role in one’s success is sometimes evident in schooling. Everyday people acquire things they may not deserve because of their family and who they may know. A very common example of this is the use of legacies for admission into a university. Students use their parental legacies at schools all the time and depending on the school this can have an impact on the student’s admission to the school. Another strategy applicants use to help their admission into a school is to search for someone to write their recommendation letter that will have the most amount of influence on the admissions office. Another example of how â€Å"whom you know† can make the difference in one’s success is when looking for jobs. If your aunt, father, grandfather or friend owns or works at a successful business and they help you get a job, sometimes right out of college even if you aren’t as qualified as someone else who wants the job. This way, you are getting an opportunity that you wouldn’t have had otherwise that could make the difference of your success. Therefore, everyday instances like using legacies to get into college, inquiring jobs because of nepitism, or even getting moved up to an honors class because your mom called the school can create success for our futures. In this excerpt from Malcom Gladwell’s The Outliers, Gladwell makes the point that success requires help from others and good fortune to get ahead and become successful. I think whether we realize it or not we are always using advantages we have to get ahead in our own lives, in order to set us up for a more successful future.

The Lost Iago in Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Othello essays

The Lost Iago in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare’s Othello the sinister nature of the ancient casts a pall of uneasiness over the narrative of the play. How can the evil influence of one character be so pervasive? Let us in this essay probe his character and find answers to our questions.    In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne exposes Iago’s inability to praise women when Desdemona asks him how he would do it:    Iago’s worry that he cannot do what Desdemona asks implies that his dispraise of women was candid and easily produced, while the praise requires labour and inspiration from a source beyond himself. His insufficiency is more surprising because elsewhere in the play Iago appears as a master rhetorician, but as Bloch explains, ‘the misogynistic writer uses rhetoric as a means of renouncing it, and, by extension, woman.’ (163)    First of all, Iago’s very words paint him for what he is. Robert Di Yanni in â€Å"Character Revealed Through Dialogue† states that the evil antagonist reveals his character quite plainly through his speech:    Iago’s language reveals his coarseness; he crudely reduces sexual love to animal copulation. It also shows his ability to make things happen: he has infuriated Brabantio. The remainder of the scene shows the consequences of his speech, its power to inspire action. Iago is thus revealed as both an instigator and a man of crude sensibilities. (123)    And looking within Iago for the cause can yield the answer that the ancient is psychologically sick. In Shakespeare’s Four Giants Blanche Coles comments on the mental illness that appears to afflict the despicable Iago:    When such old time critics as H. N. Hudson, who wrote ne... ...o: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from â€Å"The Noble Moor.† British Academy Lectures, no. 9, 1955.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wayne, Valerie. â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello.† The Matter of Difference: Materialist Feminist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1991.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.