Western Ideals Essay Example

Western Ideals Essay The Western Evils The infiltration of western ideals into the Japanese Culture had forever changed customs and traditions of the Japanese society as a whole. Yet was it as it was stated in a 1941 pamphlet issued by the Japanese Ministry of Education entitled â€Å"The Way of the Subjects. † â€Å"this country has been widely seeking knowledge in the world since the Meiji Restoration, thereby fostering and maintaining the prosperity of the state. With the influx of European and American culture in this country, however, individualism, liberalism, utilitarianism and materialism began to assert themselves, so that the traditional character of the country was much impaired and the virtuous habits and customs bequeathed by our ancestors were affected unfavorably† Had the infiltration of individualism,liberalism,utilitarianism and materialism corrupt the once glorious and honorable society of Japan? Or perhaps had it enlightened their society to a new way of thinking? To answer these questions Id like to give a brief highlight of how women were viewed in Japanese Culture prior to the infiltration of the western ideology. To do so I will be referencing Andrew Gordons book entitled: A Modern History of Japan. To start off Id to address the role of women prior to the infiltration of western ideology. More precisely the the views of the Orthodox in the Tokugawa society, that being that â€Å"women should be kept ignorant and in the kitchen. †[1] However that wasnt the case rather it was that this belief was more to keep women as submissive an obedient . We will write a custom essay sample on Western Ideals specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Western Ideals specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Western Ideals specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It was further brought out that women worked as managers of farms for the wealthy in addition to their regular household duties. [2] So exactly how did this system change after the infiltration of the western ideology? Well to answer this question Im going to reference Funichiro Tanizakis book entitled: Some Prefer Nettles and Nakano Makikos book entitled: Makikos Diary. When we look upon the example set by Makiko in Nakano Makikos book entitled: Makikos Diary, we can see no change in the sense of a submissive an obedient partner. An example of this can be taken from how Makikos spouse frequently parties and she waits up for him every night. [3] However the change that is displayed by Makiko is that of becoming more materialistic. This can be seen through out the text as she speaks of the gifts that they had received an especially when she talks about the camera that they had came to posses. [4] So what of the example set forth by Funichiro Tanizakis book entitled: Some Prefer Nettles? Well as seen in the beginning of the book Kanames wife Misako was anything but loyal. This is clearly show through the fact that his wife had another lover by the name of Aso. [5] Another theme that found its way through this book as well is the materialistic desires of the people in their society. A picture is painted through the illustration of the prostitute that Kaname goes to see by the name of louise. In the book it speaks of how she has a taste for things western and of course money. [6] Given these examples can it honestly be said that the infiltration of western ideology had corrupted the Japanese Culture? Well as we can clearly see, yes there was a big difference between what was acceptable prior to the infiltration of western ideology, then to as it was after. However to say that it was because of the infiltration of western ideology that made this all come to be is rather a foolish statement. The fact is that these ideologies; individualism, liberalism, utilitarianism and materialism are merely nothing more then human nature. It can honestly be said that with the infiltration of western ideology the Japanese people were allowed to be more free to express themselves more freely then before. Then again I maybe wrong, partly because according to the Japanese Ministry of Education I have been corrupted by these western evils. [1]Andrew Gordon: â€Å"A Modern History of Japan† (Oxford University Press,2009), 32 [2]Gordon, 33 [3]Nakano Makiko, â€Å" Makikos Diary†(Stanford University Press,1982),102 [4]Makiko,150-152 [5]Funichiro Tanizaki, â€Å"Some Prefer Nettles† (First Vintage International Edition,1955),4 [6]Tanizaki,165-171

The Catcher in the Rye literary analysis essays

The Catcher in the Rye literary analysis essays The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a story about childhood, and of finding ones self in society. It is the story of Holden Caulfield and his everyday encounters and problems with other people in society. The story depicts a week in the life of Holden, a week full of events and encounters that permanently change his life forever. In the Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger uses the character of Holden Caulfield, conflict, and setting to convey the theme that although the world may seem to be full of phonies or difficult and boring people, one must find a way to overlook his individuality and coexist in society. The first literary technique J.D. Salinger utilizes is the character of Holden Caulfield. Although Holden can be analyzed from many different vantage points the most prevalent characteristic of Holden is his lack of maturity and his journey into adulthood. Holden is a very insecure teenager desperately trying to connect with someone. Because he is immature he has problems understanding the adult world and has difficulty relating to his peers. He feels very much alone and doesn't know how to create a connection because he is very idealistic and has no tolerance for people. He labels anyone whom he considers not to be completely genuine as a phony, claiming that they do and say things for the sole purpose of being socially accepted and polite. However, Holden demonstrates his immaturity by partaking in many of the actions that he considers to be phony. He admits that sometimes it is necessary to take part in these actions and ultimately become a phony in order to exist in the ad ult world, which is why he is so strongly opposed to it. As the story progresses, however, Holdens actions and convictions begin to change into a more mature way of existing. One conviction that changes throughout the novel is Holden's belief that he can change the world. In the beginning of the story the reader gets the impre...

The gastronomic developments on two different geographical areas; West Essay

The gastronomic developments on two different geographical areas; West Yorkshire in the North of England and the Island of Malta in the Mediterranean - Essay Example The information guiding this research shall be gathered from relevant scholarly articles, books, journals and websites. The factors of these trends shall be derived from the social, economic, and cultural developments in those areas. The main outcomes that this research intends to achieve are the comparison of the trends of those gastronomic environments. A key factor to this is knowledge of the factors that have influenced the diversity of the food and beverage development in those specific areas. The outcomes will be analyzed to know the trends that contribute to the competitive value of food and beverage operations. Lastly, recognize the key features of successful gastronomic business and determining the quality leaders in the market. Gastronomy is the study of food and culture with a specific emphasis on pleasure-loving cuisine. Modern gastronomy has its roots in several French texts published in the 1800s. It is a demanding multidisciplinary art examining food itself along with its setting, demonstration, brilliance, and history. The principal of gastronomy is that food is an art form, as well as science. Gastronomy examines the sociological implications of food, while integrating other social science disciplines such as philosophy, anthropology, and psychology. For the gourmet and gastronome, gastronomy requires an essential definition, which is the enjoyment of good food, noble company and worthy beverages. Gastronomy is broken down into four main areas (Harrison, 1982) which are political, theoretical, and technical and food gastronomy. Political gastronomy is concerned with the training and the study of the preparation, making, and service of various foods and beverages from many countries around the world (Cailein Gillespie, 2001, pp. 3-5). It deals with the methods and principals involved in the conversion of raw produce into appealing, countrywide, regionally