In Sophia Coppola's 2003 film Lost in Translation, the situation of two outsiders plunged into an alien Japanese culture is vividly depicted. In Angela Carter's "A Souvenir of Japan," although the narrator does not need translation and seems to be more savvy about Japanese customs and rituals than the protagonists in Lost in Translation, she is equally tormented by loneliness and alienation.
How does Carter explore the theme of culture shock in "A Souvenir of Japan"? Do you agree or disagree with her portrait of Japanese culture or her feelings toward Japan? Or have your ever been in a situation of an outsider, feeling dislocated and alienated as Carter's narrator feels?
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Carter uses specific words to describe Japan, such as: well-ordered, immaculate, restrained...etc, to show the culture shock between herself and the foreign country.
I don't agree with the author. In my opinion, I think Japan is a very tidy country; they are not as restrained as the writer said, I think they are not only traditonal but also have an open mind to accept new things.
Yes, I had that feeling before. I have been to America for one month; though it's not a long time, I had already perceived the culture shock between two different countries. I felt isolated dislocated and alienated, but it was a relief I made some friends there. It made me feel better.
I think it's a common thing to feel isolated and dislocated when you first enter to a new environment, I think those feeling of alienating will decrease as time goes by. You will find a way to fit in the situation at the end.
In the story, Carter represents the theme of culture shock in a direct way, not only by depicting behaviors, actions, and objects which are peculiar to Japanese culture, but also by substantiating the imagination and feeling. There are lots of adjective Carter uses to describe Japanese culture, such like restrained, well-ordered, and cozy sound…etc. Furthermore, Carter puts symbols like fireworks and morning glories to good use in order to unfold to readers that Japanese love evanescent and fleeting things, but they’re seemed to be unreasonable for an English young woman. She finds out that this society is full of hypocrisy, repression and restraint. She’s also deeply affected by the abnormal lifestyle. About appearance, the idea of…is a kind of image which passes through the whole story. The theme of reflection, looking and reversal that mirror figures as the key metaphor functions thematically. Carter faces in a looking-glass country where everything appears to be the exact mirror images of what is believed to be real in the West. The entirety of Japanese civilization is intangible and insubstantial. This story ends with a blurred boundary between this world and the contrary world.
I have been to Australia for about two months. Of course, there were many people who came from different countries. At the beginning, I felt a little unaccommodated to diversified cultures, but I knew the world is tremendous. As long as I bared my chest to appreciate all kinds of cultures, I could find adorable places in each culture and flesh my inner heart out. I met some Japanese there and knew each other for a span. I discovered that they always wear or act in a straight way. For example, they never late for appointments or they are always gentle and lack of temperament, but I thought it’s not a morbid state. Conceivably, this is definitely a special part of this culture, so we should appraise other cultures in neutral respect in stead of frowning disapproval on them.
I have seen the movie Lost in Translation, and there are a lot of difference between America and Japan. Sometimes, the same word may have different meaning from country to country. The world is big; therefore, there exists all kinds of cultures and customs. We may feel alienated in other country, or we may see some strange behavior in the culture. The life style of a country should be respected because world is plural. We may not get used to some culture at the beginning of immigrating some country; however, when time goes by, we will find the savor from it. Surroundings can not be changed so easily, but we can change our attitude toward other cultures. After we start to accept it, we can get more than we thought.
The author tells us Japanese is hypocritical by the means of her experiences. She went through some experiences, and she found something fake about the Japanese. She use three things- morning glories, fireworks, and mirror to imply how fake they are. By them, they tell people the Japanese always treat others politely on the surface; however, in privacy, they will be the different side to themselves. Maybe on the surface they treat you well, in privacy they tell others how bad you are. For author, she thinks Japanese pretend themselves.
In my opinion, maybe Japanese are the hypocritical guys. However, I still like the culture of Japan. I think it is right to treat others politely, and it is indispensable for everybody to obey. Although they are hypocritical, who is not this kind person? Everybody say something well from time to time, but they don’t do it every time. Aren’t they the hypocritical people? To sum up, I still regard Japanese are polite people. Although maybe they will be different in piracy, as long as it doesn’t bother me, it is nothing for me to neglect it.
Carter described that there was a restrained, well-ordered, polite culture in Japan. My personal view about Japanese culture is as same as the author.
I had ever been as an outsider three years ago. The first time I went in Aboriginal College. I found there were many difference in my past experience. For example, they used to say “go where you?” not to “where do you want to go?” Their grammar is not as same as Hans. Moreover, their personal opinion, their ceremony, their language, and the like are very different with Hans. This experience make my personal perspective more diversity.
It taught me know to respect different ethnics, culture, and the like.
Carter uses lots of words to describe Japan, including restrained, immaculate and well-ordered, etc. Furthermore, she mentions three symbolic things. The first thing are the morning glories. Japanese like morning glories due to the fact that they think they are like the love. The second matter is mirrors. As for mirrors, they are like the images of evanescence. And the third things are fireworks. They are like the love which is fleeting quickly.
I don’t agree with the author’s descriptions of Japan. I have an intimate friend who now is studying in Japan. Although I haven’t been to there, my friend talked to me lots of cultures and things about Japan. According to her depicting, Japanese aren’t as our stereotypes for them before. They are brave to express their opinions, not such restrained any more.
I have been to another country before, and I have the same feeling of dislocated and alienated as Carter feeling. However, from my point of view, it’s a chance that can make you learn and tolerate the different cultures. It should be a tough for us to accept it first ; nevertheless, if you go through this situations, you won’t feel such dislocated and alienated anymore.
It is inevitable that we have some stereotypes to different countries. When we enter a totally different country, we often feel that we are an outsider. There are different language, different culture, and different concept of value. At first, we may soak in the exotic atmosphere. Later, we will find the cultural clash. We start to feel isolated, and struggle between what we have believed and new point of view. However, it is a great chance to experience different culture. It let us have a chance to see this world from another aspect, and make us think carefully about those concepts which we have taken for granted. We should appreciate the differences between us with open- minded.
I agree with the author’s portrait of Japanese culture. From my point of view, Japanese culture is restrained. Most Japanese agree with the idea of setting things in order and cleanness. They also prefer rare things, for instance, morning glories. I agree with the author that Japanese culture is somehow a little bit twisted.
I felt like a fish out of water during my first year of junior high school. All I cared about was only my grades; I seldom got in touch with people. Luckily, my friends helped me a lot; they made me realize that my school life can’t be only built on fantastic grades. I should put my energy in something else. Participating in extracurricular activities is also necessary for me. I made up my mind to be a broad-minded and active girl.
Living in a foreign country and felt alienate and isolated is one thing; having a friend would decrease this feeling but cannot eliminate the feeling. It is a deep down differences on what type of environment you grow up, and culture is just a melting point seeping, leaking, and bleeding out this feeling. People with the same culture would experience this sort of alienation, but compare to culture is relatively minor. For example: friends of you grown up in Taipei, and you in Taichung, but you haven’t ever been to Taipei yet, you will feel as isolated as to foreigners if they talk about things in Taipei twenty-four seven.
On a larger scale, because we are all familiar with Taiwanese culture, so we feel not as alienated as to the foreign country, culture is just a bigger scale of this kind of isolation. Japanese culture might be just slightly obvious to point out, but it is all subjective; and with the global village thing going on, how can we be sure it is really Japan who started these values or an adoption of incoming values from outsider, or a defensive act towards other culture? People get feeling of being alienated on every single aspect, culture is just a obvious one.
I think in the story "A Souvenir of Japan," Angela Carter depicted Japanese culture from the perspective. As a Taiwanese, I have to admit that I have been influenced deeply by Japanese culture. Not only because Taiwan used to be a colonials of Japan for over 50 years but also Japan’s comic books, TV programs, movies, music, video games, and so on are highly accepted for Taiwanese. Compared with Taiwanese, I think British feel that there is a deep cultural gap when they encounter the Japanese culture. People can feel dislocated and alienated not only when they face the different cultures, but in many situations. I sometimes have those feelings when I find other people’s thoughts are very different from me and this make me feel frustrated and feel difficult to communicate with other guys. People can still feel dislocated and alienated even they speak the same languages.
When we mention about Japan, we always have an imagine that Japan is clean, regular, polite, and progressive. I have heard one of my teacher said her trip to Japan, and it surprised me a lot. She said that Japan is a clean , regular, polite, and progressive country; however, they are actually a country which always notice the surface. In the night, there are still a lot of drunk man lie on the road; moreover, the public security is poor during the night. When in the day, the city reveal a neat situation, it is different from the situation in the night. After hearing this, I agree with the author a lot.
I think everyone feel isolation sometimes, and I am not exceptional. Sometimes I just feel no one understand me, and I just want to be alone. Although there are a lot of people around, no one is really inside your heart. I should find the way out be myself, or no one can save me from it. Maybe it is different form the Carter's feels, but I believe everyone may feel alienated from whole society sometimes.
I agree with the author, but sometimes I would feel that the limits make Japan different from other cultures. Maybe they are traditional in some ways; however, it doesn't mean that they are narrow minds or out of time. Today's Japan compares with hundreds years is very open and modern.
Yes, I had lonely feeling sometimes. Even now I am a collage students. I mean that sometimes you may not meet the true friend. In fact, I think many people have the feeling like me. Even many friends around you, but you still feel lonely.Different thoughts and personalities also make us isolate. At the end, we will know that you should love yourself more rather than care others.
don’t agree with Angela Carter’s point. I think it is because I was influenced by the Japanese culture deeply. One of the influences comes from my mother and my grandparents. My grandparents born in the Japanese colonial time and took Japanese education. They taught my mother in Japanese way and introduced many features of Japan to her. So my mother admired the Japanese culture a lot. She went to learn Japanese and bought every product which was made in Japan. She told me many things about Japanese culture. What’s more, because she and I all like to watch the Japanese dramas, we are influenced a lot by them. Due to these reasons, I was familiar with the Japanese culture. However, the author comes from England, maybe this is one of the reasons that make the culture gap between she and Japanese is deeper than us.
I think the author of The souvenior of Japan depicted in manys ways to express the alienation and obstacle between two people from different country. She depicted of peoples's attitude toward manys things. For example, Japaness still behave very calm when they see the fireworks. It is strange of that people who feel excited and happy but just smile rather than laugh .
And I think it is easy for people feel they are seperted when they are in different countries. Because they have different background, they couldn't be the same. Even people from the same family would be different not to mention two people from different place. I haven't in this circumstances, but I think it takes time to integrate with other people. No matter where he or she come from.
The look on outside is more important than what is in inside .That is the point Japanese careful about .They like everything gorgeous even it lasts for just a second .Though people all love beautiful things ,it is too crazy with their behaviors .Like a person without soul .There is only lonesome besides them .
To be in a good state with yourself is easier than keep it .
Her loneliness is built in the two minds in her bodies .She can’t tell it in determination and that bothers her from time to time .With the uncertain problem being larger and larger ,she meet a guy who is not in her circle .Their love is not like the typical romance plot .I can read some messages in their interactions and the trend of the story .In where we can judge ourselves in the meantime .
Yes. I agree with Angela Carter’s portrait of Japanese culture. In the TV shows we unusually can see: the men’s suits are very tidy, the women walk and sit carefully and they like archery and make tea… All things they do are well-ordered. Their hobbies are traditional, they only imitate the tradition and never create a new way such as archery and making tea. I think Japan is a solemn country as restrained as the Carter said.
Since I am into Japanese culture, I can hardly agree with Carter.
I believe if I am facing other cultures such as Southern America,
I might feel isolated more deeply.
But, I am really impressive by her description about samurai and geisha.
"You would not know him for a murderer, or geisha for a whore"she mentioned("A Souvenir of Japan" P21).
Without the culture shock, people can still feel alienated from time to time.
New environment do that.
People don't understand you will do that.
I think that the most important thing is to be open minded to new things.
Unlike American culture, Japan is a country of restraint and repression. Cater also use images such as fireworks, morning glories, and mirror to describe the intangibility in Japanese culture. The cultural shock in ‘The Souvenir of Japan’ is well described by Cater: not only can we see this in the interaction between the narrator and her husband, but also the surrounding of her life in Japan. One of my friends I met in the language school in the U.S. was both Chinese and Japanese—her father is Chinese, and her mother is Japanese. She told me that she had always felt the conflict between these two nationalities in her childhood. For instance, she was confused when she had to greet her family members. She didn’t know whether she should bow or not—the Japanese manner. I believe it is even harder for a person to move to another country which he/she wasn’t familiar to. What would he/ she suffer from the feeling of alienation? I believe the answer is clearly to see.
Depan on my knowledge of Japan,everything is eloberate and well-prepared.Just like Carter use those specific words,such as well-ordered, immaculate, restrained,and so on,to discribe Japanese culture.Their culture seems influence Japanese behavior a lot;for example,they are extremely polite,always bowing 90 angle.From Carter's "A Souvenir of Japan",Carter uses a forigner's view to exam Japanese culture,and I agree her portrait of Japanese culture.
One of my relatives is a Japanese, and I've been to her house at Hokaido. Like everyone knows, Japan is a clean place. People there are so law-abiding, polite, and ambitious. After I've been to Japan I realize one thing, Japanese is actually selfish, they care for themselves, especially when the kids are fighting, and the parents came to mediate.
It is normal that people would have stereotype toward other people. Sometimes is right and sometimes not. People and culture do change through the time, it is not always correct to judge people with stereotype.
Yes, I sometimes have the feeling of isolating. Although there are so many people around you, there's still no one can really get into your heart and know about your true feelings.
Japanese do like something beautiful but only live for a short time. Lots of Japanese moves have scenes about cherry blossoms. Such as flowers flying in the sky, and the leading role will catch it. It can represents samurai, youth, or anything do not last long. And that’s the reason all of these are precious.
The man in the novel is very different from Western men. The author didn’t tell us how strong is, but to describe his beautiful hands. His image is just like a woman, who is elegant. I do see a lot slender Japanese guy in the magazine, and if they has long hair they may be more beautiful than women. So I agree with the author.
I didn’t agree with the author’s view of Japan. I think Japan is a special country which is very united, because they always have the same consensus to make their environment be better. It is an important coconscious that Taiwanese have not.
And, I think I usually in a feeling of dislocated and alienated when I get in a place that I am not familiar with. However, I will try hard to get used to it. It is necessary for one to change his/ her behavior when facing difficulties. Take some actions then make different!
Actually, I like more the way which Japanese act instead of the American. Maybe it is for the reason that I like freedom, but at the same time I am enchanted with the restrained japanese culture. Though japanese people seem to be restrained, they sometimes are crazy, even insane. We can know that trough the adult movies industry and the dehumanized behavior which they made in the world war two. Evanescent and fleeting things does not seems to be strange for me as Carter felt. Is it because japanese culture and that one I am familiar with are much alike? Is it a fault to love the hypocritical beauty?
I don't agree with the author's view,because the story is written in a subjective perspective.What if the position of the characters is reversed?Imagine how would a Japanese woman think about the U.S. culture.I'm sure that all the results and phenomena came from the author's long and patient observation,but it would be unfair to judge Japanese culture with such negative attitude.It is normal to cause impacts when two different cultures collide with each other,but it's also in this specific period that we should put ourselves in others' shoes and think multi-dimensionally.
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