The Novel ' The Tale Of Heike '

The narrator, Katsu Kokichi, was a low ranking samurai during the end of the Tokugawa Period. He was the youngest out of all his siblings and as a child he ran away from home multiple times. Kokichi told his readers how he had to beg for food and even began to pose as a representative to a feudal lord. The readers learn that he has a wife and children but he often times would beat her and he also never got an official promotion and was forced to obtain a low income by dealing swords, selling protection to shopkeepers, and sometimes using his muscle (getting into fights) and tricking others. In Kokichi’s lifetime, readers see a man whose life was filled with dishonesty, corruption, poverty, blackmail, and even lawbreaking. His story shows the reality of a samurai’s life during the end of the Tokugawa

This week, I have met an awesome guy Nick Toti who was a graduated student in Truman State University and now has a wonderful job in film industry in LA. Throughout his discussion, he has mentioned one statement which I impressed the most: “Horror is an accessible form of surrealism.” This week, I decied to watch the first episode of Sherk’s Swamp Stories. At first, people will think that what is the connection between a cartoon movie and element of horror which I refered above. Do not underestimate a movie through it outlook until you actually experience it. Like me, when I choose this series, I did not imagine that I would pick Nick’s statement about horror. However, when I saw it, this episode had change my perspective. Although this is

The Tale of Genji depicts the aristocratic culture and practice of Heian Japan throughout the novel. The nature of marriage politics, significance of social rank in relations, the role of poetry, and the influence of Buddhism on the Heian court nobles all make up the way of the culture during the Heian period. The tale of Genji shows great examples of how the culture was practiced.

regarded as a big space of time. This gap in time can be noticed by

In 1159, Kiyomori of the Taira clan was victorious over the Minamoto clan. Kiyomori murdered all the adults of the Monamoto clan and forced the children into exile. The emperor rewarded Kiyomori victory by giving him an advisor position in the government. This event was significant because Kiyomori was the first warrior in Japan’s government. Like the Fujiwara family, Kiyomori desired a royal bloodline within the Taira clan. So the Taira clan consorted with the imperial family in efforts to secure an imperial bloodline. Later, Kiyomori obtain a higher government position and more importantly a grandson was born and is heir to the throne. Feeling cheated an imperial prince sought the exiled Minamoto to overthrow the Taria clan. In 1180, Yoritomo of the Minamoto clan formed an army and battled with Taira clan that is known as the Genpei War. Eventually, Kiyomori died and the Taria clan shortly declined after him. During these battles warriors ran amok pillaging the Japan’s cuntryside. To end the chaos and violence the imperial turned to Yoritomo. Yoritomo in return raise an army of samurais and took complete control of the government and transformed it into a military government. The Kamakura government consisted of the emperor, shogun, and the house men. The emperor served merely as a figurehead, he little to no control of his government. The shogun had

The Samurai’s Tale is about a young boy named Taro, who had became the hero of the story. The main characters in the story was Lord Akiyama, Lord Takeda Shingen, and Togan. This story took place in Japan around the 16th century. The story began with Taro, Murakami Harutomo, arguing with his mother about what she had been telling him to wear for an event that was going to happen without him knowing about. Later that day Taro saw that soldiers came attacking his house, his mother leaving him with Yone in a chest trying to keep them safe in a storehouse that had laid behind the house. A soldier then found them both and took them out of the chest, then as they walked out of the store hold, he found his mother on the ground dead. A plot twist that

After delivering the message about the disloyal ronins who had harassed him, Taro became Akiyama's messenger and befriended Yoshitoki, a young samurai. At age 15, he was sent with Yoshitoki to carry a message to Tsutsujigasaki Castle. On the way, they escaped from two bandits disguised as monks. A strange old man invited them into his hut and predicted that neither Lord Oda Nobunaga nor Lord Takeda Shingen would rule Japan. On their return from the castle, Yoshitoki and Taro found the hut of the strange man empty and decided that the man had been a ghost. Lord Akiyama gave Taro back his family name- Murakami- and presented him with a sword.

Throughout history artists have used art as a means to reflect the on goings of the society surrounding them. Many times, novels serve as primary sources in the future for students to reflect on past history. Students can successfully use novels as a source of understanding past events. Different sentiments and points of views within novels serve as the information one may use to reflect on these events. Natsume Soseki’s novel Kokoro successfully encapsulates much of what has been discussed in class, parallels with the events in Japan at the time the novel takes place, and serves as a social commentary to describe these events in Japan at the time of the Mejeii Restoration and beyond. Therefore, Kokoro successfully serves as a primary

The premise for this book was enough to excite me to discover some hidden truth about America's past, yet I cannot begin to express the level of astonishment or shock that I experienced while I read this book. It opened my eyes to a number of different issues and topics I thought I already knew as well a great deal of new information I didn't.

His name was Quan he always thought he was better than Heffay. His name was Heffay he always thought he was better than Quan. They both are good at basketball but they always think they are better than one another.

This source is written in first person, where Kumazawa talks about his preparation to become a fit samurai. One strength that this source provided was the fact that it was written about a samurai, by that samurai. This makes it easier to believe that all of this wasn’t fictional because Kumazawa is writing about what he did, not what someone else did. A weakness about this source is definitely the lack of incorporation of others in the text. He has so much to talk about his experiences in isolation, but what about any interactions with other people throughout his

In Gail Tsukiyama’s The Samurai's Garden, Japan’s invasion of China in 1937 proves to be devastating to both nations and is reflected in her main character Stephen’s life in the town of Tarumi where his conflicts parallel those of the war. By using internal and external conflicts of her characters she shows the nature of war. The chaotic storm that ravages Tarumi and ruins the beautiful garden symbolizes the war. “It seemed like the storm would last forever, as it steadily grew in strength. The wind and the rain continued, and the noise of the violent sea was deafening” (52). This violent storm that breaks the beauty of the garden symbolizes how the war in Japan decimates the country and kills innocent Chinese citizens. The storms ominous beginning paralleled the growing tension of the war, and Stephen’s determination to rebuild the garden and continue to recover parallels the desire for normalcy. The war in China also reflects his dad's affair with Yoshiko. His dad's foolish decision to betray his family creates multiple internal and moral conflicts between Stephen, his father and mother. Stephen’s father tells Stephen about his affair sparking a war within Stephen. “How long have you been seeing this woman? I wanted to know. My father paused. “For more than twelve years, he finally answered. I was stunned” (84). This incident creates moral conflicts within the family which are always inherent in a war. Should Stephen tell his mother the truth essentially breaking up the family? Should he keep quiet and hold a secret? Kenzo and Sachi were engaged to be married. But when Sachi gets the horrible disease Kenzo betrays her while Matsu becomes her loyal friend. This creates a complicated relationship between Matsu, Kenzo and Sachi; reflecting the war. Kenzo disowns Sachi and later commits suicide after calling her a monster. Stephen wants to do something for Sachi knowing Kenzo’s words will have lasting implications, but he can only hope for the best outcome. “I wanted to do something to help her, but I knew it was not my place. Swallowing hard, I waited to see what Matsu would do. A monster Kenzo shouted” (67). This conflict reflects the betrayals

Heike Monogatari, with its multitude of battles and skirmishes, provides a wonderful chance to analyze the way of the warrior in ancient Japan. There aren't a great number of surviving works from this period that show in such great detail both the brute and the compassion of the Japanese warriors. They followed carefully a distinct set of principles which made up the well-rounded warrior. Loyalty to one's master, bravery and glory in any situation, strength, martial skills, compassion, and interest in the arts were all held with the highest esteem. Few warriors could become well known without possessing each of these skills. Religious beliefs shaped a warrior's behavior tremendously.

The scene in the Tale of Heike when Naozane defeats Atusmori is a very poignant scene in that reveal important aspects of Naozanes character that are not brought to light in the noh play. When Kumagai No Naozane spots a fleeing Minamoto warrior, Atsumori, and engages him in a battle because he sees it as his chance to fulfill his ambition to fight a high ranking official. Just as he is about to take the head of this warrior he realizes that the man is in fact a boy that is of similar age to his own son and hesitates. Having accepted his defeat the Atsumori urges Naozane, who continues to hesitate, to kill him. “Killing this one person won’t change defeat into victory, and sparing him won’t change victory into defeat. When I think of how I

A sociological thought piece, Chris McKinney’s The Tattoo is bursting with toxic relationships. Amongst these, McKinney uses the strained kinship between Ken Hideyoshi and his father to partially explain how people fall into cycles of violent behaviour. To understand the richness of the text, violence will be characterised as the intentional or unintentional application of force, and/or power resulting in psychological, emotional and/or physical harm, whether it is for the perpetrator’s advantage or not. Thus, a wide definition is given to encompass the numerous acts of harm occurring throughout the novel. Ken’s father is a man instilled with traditional values and beliefs. Therefore, strength and fearlessness are expected to be in Ken to make him tough and prepared to face the world. The reader witnesses these notions take root and unfurl into his father’s ideas of the epitome of hegemonic masculinity. Consequently, this essay will analyse the connection between Ken Hideyoshi and his father as it progresses throughout the novel by looking at how socialisation, hegemonic masculinity and family violence lead impressionable people into deviant lifestyles.