The Last Samurai Essays Examples

Samurai Spirit Their Obligation Loyalty

Spirit of the Samurai

I suppose I became a modern Samurai through the experience of my father's death. My father belonged to the old school of Samurai philosophy -- a way of life that I despised for one reason - he committed ritual suicide known to the Samurai as Seppuku, or Hara-kiri. I remember the day that he died. It was cold and very early in the morning when he came to me and told me about the ways of the Samurai. He told me about honor and a life dedicated towards a morality of perfection; a way of life that had the highest moral goals in attempting to achieve a perfect state of being and living. He also told me at length about the ancient Samurai who valued the warrior's aggression as much as kindness and compassion. I was a bit confused by his lecture. After all, I had heard these words and ideas all my life. But for me, then, they were ideals and words without real substance.

My father was a man who lived strictly according to the principles of the Samurai, even though it was a tradition that had died out many centuries ago and was…… [Read More]

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Samurai Have a Significant Impact

Just a half century ago, though, the country was brought to its knees after becoming the first - and only - country to ever be attacked with nuclear weapons. While the pundits continue to debate whether the two atomic bombs used to end World War II were truly necessary, the fact remains that they were used because policymakers in the West believed that the Japanese people would defend their homeland to the last Japanese citizen, resulting in perhaps millions more casualties than those experienced in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This spirit of defending the homeland to the death was the proximate result of the bushido spirit engendered throughout Japanese society by the samurai tradition that had such a profound impact on the country's culture over the years. Other aspects of Japanese culture were also shown to have been influenced by the samurai, including arts and theatre, as well as the popular press.

Works Cited

Lebra, Takie Sugiyama and William P. Lebra. - Japanese Culture and Behavior: Selected Readings. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1986.

Rodeghier, Kathy. (2001, February 4). "Day in Tokyo Offers Glimpse of Edo Culture." Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL):8.

Samurai." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed. New York: Columbia…… [Read More]

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Samurai Shichinin No Samurai Is

This film is distinguished from the average samurai film by the director's "masterful handling of cinematic technique," in which he captures the essence of a scene in a mere few moments with a series of glances rather than dialogue and special effects.

Moreover, Kurosawa creates a moral complexity of good and evil, creating sympathy for both the samurai and the farmers, and although the samurai are portrayed as heroic while the farmers are weak, he "also points out that heroic deeds are not always performed for noble reasons, and that there are different kinds of heroism." Kurosawa creates a "delicate juxtaposition between the samurais' graceful art of combat and the barbaric reality of war."

At the end, Kambei, the leader of this small group of samurai, realizes that the farmers, although weak, are the lucky ones, for they are at one with nature, "participating in the timeless ritual of life, death, and rebirth, symbolized by the communal rice planting," something which the samurai cannot participate. The farmers have roots, a community of family and friends who grow their own food and raise their families, "all of which are intergenerational, cyclical activities," while the samurai are rootless, destined to wander from…… [Read More]

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The Fall of the Samurai From the Tokugawa Era to Early Modern Japan

Fall of the Samurai: From the Tokugawa to Early Modern Japan

Fall of The Samurai: From The Tokugawa Era to Early Modern Japan

Japanese samurai are counted among the world's most popular military forces; they emerged in pre-medieval times and were active from the seventh to late nineteenth century. The samurai were initially employed as mercenaries, but quickly evolved to become the Japanese Empire's chief military force; before long, they transformed, in effect, into Japan's ruling class. While the transition of the samurai from leading ordinary military lives to being embroiled in inter-clan intrigues and elite political events was relatively rapid, their military-influenced moral principles and core values remained intact throughout. Their improved sense of devoted spirituality and integrity were, in fact, so well-known that they became the inspiration for great stories of courage, which resound even now with readers. This odd balance of deadly effective military strength with gentlemanly, noble behavior is demonstrated by the samurai's armors and graceful weapons (Gordon, 2008).

The samurai's foundations date back to 710-794 A.D. (the Nara Age), which was characterized by a constant and strong influence of China on Japan's technology, military code, and culture. The Japanese government in those days reflected the…… [Read More]

Portrait of the Warrior in

The war is driven by the modern military which has abandoned its warrior ethic and now fights with guns -- a theme repeated in The Last Samurai. Again Funakoshi represents this position. He tells the Japanese military captain, "Who I challenge to Kung Fu and what I do is no business of the military. . . . I am not a politician." The distinction between colonial imperialism and true warrior ethic is pronounced. The military captain is disappointed in Akutagawa's failure to destroy the rival sect, and kills him, although he has the true spirit of the Samurai about honest fights and honor. The military leader can only say, "To best serve the Japanese emperor, you'd better forget what is right or wrong." This highlights the contrast between new imperialist might, technology, and economic power and the old warrior system.

The symbolic struggle between national identities is epitomized in the division within the Jing Wu Men in two ways. The first breach is in the search for whoever poisoned the master. Chen Zhen breaks with filial piety and respect when he disinters the master and performs an autopsy on him. They find evidence that he was poisoned, and they come…… [Read More]

Culture Competency

Nutrition, Rituals, Spirituality, And Health Care Practices of the Samurai Culture, As Depicted Within the Movie The Last Samurai

According to Tom Stovall and Dustin Granger, "The ancient Samurai, Miyamoto Musashi wrote in his "Book of Five Rings,": "It will be difficult for you to succeed unless you look at things on a large scale'" (PharmaCafe). Similarly, within the movie The Last Samurai (2003), director Edward Zwick shows various ways in which the Japanese Samurai of the late 19th century looked at and holistically practice nutrition; prayer, war, and death rituals; spirituality, and health care practices, all on a scale with nature. These holistic practices, in turn, promoted the Samurai's own inner harmony: mentally, physically, and spiritually. For example, The Last Samurai depicted various nutritional practices, prayer, pre-war, death and other rituals; attitudes about spirituality and the meaning of life, and medicinal philosophies and practices within the Samurai culture. All of these were always natural, profound, and in harmony with the external forces of nature. Several of these practices of the Samurai came into focus within the film, after the capture, by the Samurai, of Captain Nathan Ahlgren.

The first of these natural practices that became apparent were the healing…… [Read More]

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Film History

movie industry in America has been controlled by some of the monolithic companies which not only provided a place for making the movies, but also made the movies themselves and then distributed it throughout the entire country. These are movie companies and their entire image revolved around the number of participants of their films. People who wanted to see the movies being made had to go to the "studios" in order to see them. They made movies in a profitable manner for the sake of the studios, but placed the entire industry under their control and dominated over it. The discussion here is about some of those famous studios inclusive of that of names like Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Culver, RKO, Paramount Studios, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios, Universal Studios, Raleigh Studio, Hollywood Center Studio, Sunset Gower Studio, Ren-Mar Studios, Charlie Chaplin Studios and now, Manhattan Beach Studio. In the past there were different kinds of movies being made by different kinds of studios. A Warner's picture looked completely different from a Paramount picture, which again looked very different from a MGM picture, which was also very different from a Republic picture, and again different from an RKO…… [Read More]

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Reader Response to Scott Mccloud

Scott McCloud

Because Scott McCloud's focus is exclusively on comics as an art form, his discussion of Japanese comics in chapter 2 -- while interesting -- does not draw some obvious connections between the style and method of Japanese comics and other forms of art. This is what seems most interesting and obvious to me. McCloud discusses the rise of the "masking" style in Japanese comics -- this involves a use of "iconic" (or heavily stylized) central characters acting out the drama of the comic in front of a backdrop which is more realistic. As McCloud notes, this device -- rather than being artistically disjunctive -- "allows readers to MASK themselves in a character and safely enter a sensually stimulating world" (43). In the case of Japanese comics, McCloud notes that readers in Japan have more recently "developed a taste for flashy, photorealistic art" which leads to a further refinement of the stylistic melange used in the masking technique: now we see how a sword which "might be very cartoony in one sequence" can then -- for reasons of plot -- be represented in the photorealistic fashion "not only to show us the details, but to make us aware of…… [Read More]

Tale of Genji

Genji

Why Is Angst So Universally Appealing?

The course of true love never did run smooth according to the Bard of Avon. Certainly any relationship involving at least two people must allow for at least a good chance of turbulence. But surely true love might indeed run smoothly within the pages of a novel or the rolls of an epic? Well, yes, if that were what the author wanted and (at least as importantly) what the audience wants and expects. But the idea of love that we as humans in different eras and different places often seem most content to embrace as we follow fictional lovers is one in which there is confusion and angst. Fictional lovers are often those who do not know their own minds about what will make them happy and must be forced by fate and the gods to acknowledge the love simmering within them.

This paper examines the ways in which love is presented as a function of the gods and of fate rather than of the human heart in two of the world's most enduring love songs, The Tale of Genji and The Mahabharata. The fact that these two love stories (although it should…… [Read More]

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Japanese History Attribute Meiji Masculinity

Disorder does not descend from Heaven,

It is the spawn of a woman. 10

Contemporaneous with relocating the capital from Edo to Tokyo was the drawing up of the 'Memorandum on Reform of the Imperial Palace' in which Article 1 states that the emperor would 'deign to hear about all political matters' in the front throne room adding that 'women are to be prohibited from entering the front throne room' 11.

Yoshii Tomozane, Senior Secretary for Court Affairs peremptorily dismissed all court ladies, after which a rare few were reselected for appointment. In his dairy, he noted: 'this morning, the court ladies were dismissed in their entirety… the power of women already lasting for centuries has been erased in a single day. My delight knows no bounds." 12.

In this way the power of the 'hens' was removed from the 'Enlightened regime' of Meiji rule and suppressed throughout the country. Acquiring and reinforcing the classical masculine stance from the West (as will be seen in the coming section), the Meiji male affirmed his masculinity in his treatment towards his wife and daughters -- in fact to all females in particular -- demoting them to an inferior position whilst he promoted…… [Read More]

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Rise of East Asia Was

The British Empire gained significant land share within North America through its conquests and emigration. From the founding of Jamestown to the growth of the greater New England region, the North American territories represented a significant portion of the British Empire. Following the Seven Years War, England won the entire territory of New France and doubled the territory possession within North America. Although from a trade perspective North America was not the furtive economic zone that Britain originally envisioned, it did become a several exporter of tobacco, cotton and rice to the British Empire, as well as naval material and furs from the northern region. The American Revolution affected the British Empire in several different ways, it proved to be a symbolic blow the largest empire of the European Continent, and it provided a model for liberation and freedom throughout the rest of the colonial territories. The American Revolution occurred as a result of strict British rules against trading outside of defined British parameters. It resulted in the Boston Tea Party and a plethora of legislative attempts to control colonial trade. In the ensuing military defeat of the trained British army at the hands of George Washington was a severe…… [Read More]

Yukio Mishima's Patriotism

Yukio Mishima's "Patriotism"

Japanese society has always been bound by tradition, and many of the traditions that are utilized influence the feeling of nationalism the Japanese people have. This was especially true in Japanese society before the Second World War and this paper looks specifically at the code of the samurai, seppuku, and arranged marriage. Other issues that will be touched upon included the historical background, cultural context, imagery, symbolism, character type, and stylistic devices that Yukio Mishima utilizes in his short story "Patriotism." These are all very important issues to look at, as Mishima's story gives a strong indication of what type of patriotic beliefs individuals had during this time. This was not only true of soldiers and other individuals that were expected to have these feelings, but of these soldiers families as well. In "Patriotism," Yukio Mishima used many different Japanese traditions to show how they influenced the feeling of nationalism.

The concept of arranged marriage still continues in many parts of the world today, and in Japan before World War II arranged marriage was extremely common (Pascale & Athos, 28). Often, the individuals that were to marry did not know each other before the marriage ceremony took…… [Read More]

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Akutagawa Uses Perspectivism in His Story in

Akutagawa uses perspectivism in his story In a Grove here the main focus is on the incident that is being investigated by the high police commissioner. Here Takehiko is found murdered and the police highly suspect Tajomaru "The man that I arrested? He is a notorious brigand called Tajomaru." Tajomaru, confesses to the murder and gives a detailed description of the occurrence of the incident he began with agreeing and the "…when I disposed of him, I went to his woman and asked her to come and see him… (6)" then "...I was about to run away from the grove, leaving the woman behind in tears, when she frantically clung to my arm…"(6) and finally "…Then a furious desire to kill him seized me.(6)" As much as this appears to be an easy case to solve, matters get complicated when the wife of the slain Samurai testifies. She confesses to the same murder she claims "….neither conscious nor unconscious, I stabbed the small sword through the lilac-colored kimono into his breast."(7). Interesting is the strange turn of events as the murdered samurai through a medium also takes responsibility for his death. He confesses, "In front of me there was shining…… [Read More]

China and Japan Each Respond

Living standards were poor in the overcrowded cities and "the emergence of political parties caused disputes with the emperor and his ministers, leading to frequent elections and political assassinations. Many intellectuals worried about the loss of identity in a changing world; others were concerned at lack of economic opportunities for the enlarged educated class" (Chapter 33, Pearson, 2009).

The Chinese government, however, had a much larger territory to govern, and far more internal strife with which to cope. It was weakened by the Opium Wars with the West, which had left it carved into spheres of influence. It also had to pay interest on loans it had incurred fighting the war. Cheap, manufactured foreign goods put many local tradesmen out of business. The sheer expanse of China made it difficult for the ruling Qing Dynasty to control the different provinces in the country, much less create a system of unified modernization in the face of local opposition, as was done in Japan.

To pay its debts, China had to levy high taxes upon its peasants, taxes that were made even higher by the efforts of corrupt Qing officials to line their own pockets. "The peasants organized several rebellions, such as…… [Read More]

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Tokugawa Period in Japanese History

Some of my customers only pay me in rice. Sometimes, in the winter, I wish for warmth and warmer quilt for the cold nights, but winter does not last long here, and so, it is not such a big worry as others in my life.

In addition, I worry about the government, and their policy that seems to be leading toward cutting my country off from the rest of the world. We have enjoyed prosperity and new ideas through the Jesuits and others who have come to live and trade with us, and it seems that the government is going to ban foreigners, and even ban us Japanese from leaving our island. This worries me, because I fear that trade and our economy will suffer, and the government does not seem to have a way to resolve the issue. I know it is not wise to question our wise leaders, for they know what is best for us - much more so than a lowly blacksmith. However, sometimes I do worry about what the future holds for my country and my family. I do not speak of this to my family and friends, for I am afraid they would doubt…… [Read More]

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Mcdonald's Corporation

McDonald's Corporation

This is an attempt to study the history and development of one of the great institutions of United States and a part of the images of the country that has spread in the whole world. As is well-known, the dominance of the world by United States came after the Second World War when the traditional leaders of United Kingdom and Germany lost their predominant positions due to the destructions of the war, and the impact of change in economic order due to the freedom of many countries. This was the freedom of the colonies and United States had been one of the first colonies to be free, and the former colony became the leader, along with Russia which was the pathfinder of the failed social and economic structure of communism. It was a contest between the two to prove the relative superiority of the two systems, and the old structure of Russia has passed into history. At that time it was important to spread the message of the free world and her economic methods into the rest of the world who were waiting on the sidelines and deciding on which of the leaders they should follow.

McDonald's was…… [Read More]

Traveling Project Time Traveling Byzantine Architecture --

Traveling Project

Time Traveling

Byzantine Architecture -- the Hagia Sophia

In all my travels, no structure can bring about as much awe and respect as that of the Byzantine Hagia Sophia, an immense temple that merges East and West in a conglomeration of buttresses and minarets. Looking back at its 1,500-year history, I can only imagine the changes that the structure has undergone through those eras, from its Byzantine origins to its Ottoman refurbishments. The full form of the Hagia Sophia had been altered after the 15th century, when the Ottomans invaded and ended the thousand-year civilization that was once Constantinople. But let me start at the Hagia Sophia's beginning.

To further illustrate the Hagia Sophia's mixture of east and west, one must look at its historical bearings, for the Greeks sought to reconcile their beliefs with their Byzantine beliefs with that of the Roman Church. Translated to "Holy Wisdom," the Hagia Sophia was eventually built to become the largest and grandest Christian church as far east as the Roman empire reached. Back at the Hagia Sophia's creation, Constantinople was a thriving Byzantine city, perhaps even the seat of the Holy Roman Empire, prior to the Byzantine break from Rome.…… [Read More]

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Yukio Mishima Patriotism Yukio Mishima

" By getting married to Takeyama, Reiko knows that she is expected to die at the same time as her husband. Also, when reading the short story, one must consider that in early twentieth century Japan, arranged marriages were predominant. Japanese social order in which women were secondary is also illustrated by the fact that when describing the two suicides, Mishima emphasizes the lieutenant's act and ritual whereas the wife's act is rather minimized: "His wife, Reiko, followed him, stabbing herself to death." (Mishima 93)

Patriotism" can be hard to read because of its graphic language and imagery. Furthermore, the story attempts to provide the reader with a definition of the concept of patriotism. However, readers must keep in mind that the plot is written from the perspective of an Easterner who strongly believes in honor and duty. For Mishima, nothing - not even love - can ever become more important than these two values. The graphic imagery is not in vain as it serves a very clear purpose. By painting a vivid picture of ancient, traditional Japanese culture, Mishima is able to express his opinion on contemporary Japanese government. Furthermore, through the use of literary devices Mishima voices his…… [Read More]

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Human Behavior and the Social Environment

Farewell to Manzanar

The intact Wakatsuki family consisted of Papa George Ko, Mama Riku Sugai, Bill the eldest, Eleanor, Woodrow or Woody and Jeanne, the youngest, who co-authored "Farewell to Manzanar (2001) (Sparknotes 2005)" with her would-be husband, James. Jeanne was born on September 26, 1934 in Inglewood, California. She spent early childhood with her Japanese family in Ocean Park where her father worked as a fisherman, until things began to change. This is the background of the autobiographic novel written by Jeanne and her husband, as she interpreted the events, the environment and the characters. Being born in the U.S., Jeanne has identified more with American culture and is the most independent of the Watsukis children.

On December 7, 1941, Japan staged a surprise night-time bombing of the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor in the island of Oahu in Hawaii. Its 360 airplanes destroyed 18 U.S. ships and 170 planes and 3,700 casualties. The surprise attack signaled the start of World War II. In the autobiography, Papa burns his Japanese flag and Japanese identity documents but gets arrested for questioning by the FBI and Mama and the children move to the Japanese ghetto on Terminal Island and later…… [Read More]

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Gangs This Is a Guideline

In the 1940s, the Klan began using bombings of their homes to scare blacks who had moved into the "wrong" neighborhood. In 1944, the IRS filed a lien against the Klan for over $600,000 and it was forced to disband. Its numbers by then had dwindled to about 10,000.

During the 1950s, to the present day, the Klan has disintegrated into separate small groups with different purposes depending on location. Their issues today have been updated to illegal immigration and same-sex marriage. Other Klan groups have become neo-Nazi skinheads. It is estimated that their total membership in 2008 is about 6,000.

Outlaws Motorcycle Gang

The Outlaws Motorcycle Gang, one of the biggest outlaw gangs in the country, formed in 1935 in McCook, Illinois. It now has over 200 "gangs" in several countries. Only men who own a specific-size motorcycle can join the club. Their main rival gang is Hell's Angels.

The gang is among the most violent motorcycle clubs in the world. Late last year, an entire chapter of the gang in the U.K. were sentenced to 191 years in prison for shooting a Hells Angels biker in the back at random.

The F.B.I., in the last few years, has…… [Read More]

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Analyzing the Gun Control Issue

Gun Control

Definition of the Problem (Gun Control)

In America as well as other parts of the world, the role played by guns in committing violent acts, and what must be done in this regard, is a hotly debated topic. However, some facts are incontestable. Over 31,000 individuals sustained gunshot injuries in the year 2010, in America. As these victims are mostly youths, gun violence can be considered as one among the primary reasons for premature deaths in the U.S. Apart from mortal wounds, there were, in the same year, approximately 337,960 non-fatal acts of violence perpetrated with the use of guns; emergency departments of American hospitals received 73,505 cases of nonfatal wounds made by guns. The economic and social costs associated with gun violence are also huge, in the U.S. (Webster, 2013)

However, ironically, in spite of gun violence's colossal impact, a majority of public discussions in regard to gun policy revolve only around mass shooting incidents in public sites. Usually, these tragic and shocking incidents are presented as random violent acts that can neither be predicted nor prevented, perpetrated by persons with severe mental ailment. Cosequently, anybody who sees, hears, or reads gun policy-related media reports may infer…… [Read More]

Feudalism Is the Direct Result

While they were free to marry, they could not marry anyone that lived outside their manor without their lord's permission. This type of landed estate began to cause problems of loyalty just before feudalism began to crumble under the popularity of capitalism. Some vassals were multiplied in the sense that they would attempt to acquire as much land as possible. This caused a conflict in loyalties, as one vassal could owe loyalty to many lords. This situation brought forth the term "liege lord" (335), which identified one lord that had power over the other lords should a conflict ever arise.

Noble points out how the feudal system "shows vertical bonds in its hierarchy of vassalic ties and its command of the peasant population" (353). It should also be noted that nobility also "joined in horizontal associations" (353) as well. Noble groupings were a "kind of substitute kinship, especially for the young" (353). Noble groupings are a significant aspect of the feudal system in that they were often associated with a local monastery. They were likely to promote a local patron saint. Noblemen were known to fight together and often considered themselves "comrades in arms" (353). It is important to examine…… [Read More]

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Management of Change Within Starbucks

Please see Appendix a for a give year ratio analysis of Starbucks Corporation illustrating the significant effect the recession is having on gross margins. Yet despite this pressure, Starbucks continues to be successful in keeping its gross margins above industry average at 9.67% for the latest fiscal year. Also noteworthy about their financial performance is the increase in Revenue Per Employee from $53,864 in 2004 to $59,156. This speaks to the fact that Starbucks is being successful with their long-term strategy of delivering exceptional customer experiences, so much so that there is greater levels of repurchase of drinks and food even in a recession (Churchill, 2008). All of these factors point to the critical need for managing customer experiences more closely than ever, with a strong orientation towards giving customers and opportunity to have their voices heard on potential new products. Starbucks has excelled in the area of social networking, creating My Starbucks Idea, a website dedicated to capturing the ideas, concepts and concerns of customers. My Starbucks idea is also promoted heavily on the company's Twitter and Facebook accounts as well. Starbucks also is mentioned throughout the best-selling book Groundswell, one of the most critically acclaimed books on social…… [Read More]

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Video Games Interactivity

Interactivity in Video Games and Movies

Information technology has changed the way we live in today's world. Everything from our television to our cell phones are connected through network medium. Computers define the way we do many of the things in our lives, such as, how we maintain our bills and expenses to even conducting business activities online. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to know that the gaming industry is worth over nine billion dollars worldwide. This paper is a dissertation, which aims to compare the interactivity of games to movies and how their consumers view them.

Chapter I The Rise of Video Games

Chapter II Games as a Major Form of Entertainment in Today's World

Chapter III Studying Games

Chapter IV Games, Media and Interactivity

Chapter V Exploring interactivity in video games and movies

Chapter VI Home Entertainment Networks

Chapter VII Violence in Games

Chapter VIII Are Games Just for Boys

Chapter IX Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider

Chapter X The Use of Streaming Media in the Gaming and Video Industry 30

Chapter XI Online World of Games called Linden Lab:

An Example of Streaming Technology

Chapter XII Problems Associated with Streaming Technology

Chapter XIII What makes Streaming…… [Read More]

Indonesia Religion Indonesian Politics and

As the text by Cessanos (2005) notes, this would be among the longest-standing and most determinant internal conflicts confounding the stability and political unity of Indonesia as a whole. Cessanos reports that even at the outset of its independence under new President Sukarno, any unified vision of how to balance political modernization with deference to its Islamic cultures was met with splintering, factionalism and conflict. Accordingly, the source indicates that "Dutch-educated nationalists and Islamic parties agreed to create a unified, Western-style parliamentary state. But across the archipelago differenced in thinking produced more than 30 parties, of which the four largest were variously based on the principles of Islam, nationalism, or communism. Separatist movements and uprisings divided the new Indonesia republic. Darul Islam (Islamic Domain) a militant group in West Java, believed in an Islamic state and fought the government from 1948 to 1962." (Cessanos, p. 44)

Such conflicts would stand in the way of a democratic Indonesia for decades. Indeed, in the face of tremendous pressure of armed Islamic militants, the Sukarno administration would be inclined to impose martial law upon the nation and its people. Humanitarian interests and political representation would suffer immensely during this time, as would a…… [Read More]

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Treaties the United States and

Additionally the allied powers recognized Japan as a sovereign nation having the right of individual and collective defense as defined by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations (Treaty of Peace with Japan).

Additionally it was established that the allied powers occupation forces would withdraw from Japan within a 90 day period (Treaty of Peace with Japan). However the treaty does not prohibit the presence of a retention force. The security aspect of the treaty also explains that any goods that were given to allied troops by Japan were to be returned within 90 days (Treaty of Peace with Japan).

Political and economic clauses- This aspect of the treaty confirms that any conventions or treaties that Japan had with other nations before would come back into effect unless they contradicted the new treaty (Treaty of Peace with Japan). This reenactment of prewar treaties was to occur within one year of the signing of the San Francisco treaty. Japan also agrees to several other mandates under this section of the treaty (Treaty of Peace with Japan).

Claims and Property- this aspect of the treaty acknowledged Japan's responsibility to pay the allied forces reparations. However it also acknowledges that Japan…… [Read More]

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Comparing Imperialism

European exploration the world was undertaken in the 1500's in an attempt to reach the markets of Asia. And once they reached the East, the Europeans quickly found that their technological superiority gave them a strategic advantage over the Asian countries they encountered. As a result, the West began a period of Colonial Imperialism whereby European nations, followed later by the Americans, occupied and administered entire regions of Asia as colonies to be economically exploited. The Asian countries of India, China, and Japan reacted differently in response to the predations of the West, with differing results. India was completely conquered, China ended up conquered to a degree, and Japan started conquering. These three different results were in due, partially because of the stability of their nations, and partially due to the ability of each to adapt and modernize.

The origins of British rule in India began with the British East India Company who established trading posts in India in the early 1600's. At that time the Moghul Empire, which had ruled most of India for centuries, was in a period of decline; and by the early 1700's had fragmented into several small, independent states ruled by a Maharaja. (McLeod, 2002)…… [Read More]

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Japanese Playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon in

If the other pays dealt with prostitutes and people who were poor now the readers gets the chance to see what happens in the life of emperors and samurais. While in the plays which we have discussed previously it was the lack of financial power to cause the dramatic endings, in this particular play destinies will have a similar tragic ending, this time caused by a social position which makes people hungry for even more power then they have. Honour remains a key factor again (Keene, 1951, 30-70).

The last play, the uprooted pine tells yet another story involving a prostitute and a married man. Again the social pressure seems to make the story possible between them. this time the man would have enough money in order to rescue the woman he loves but he can not because that would make his wife suffer too much. The situation can be considered strange since the wife already knows about his infatuation.

This time the main characters benefit from a happy ending. The less happy ending will belong to secondary characters such as the man's wife and a boy who is in love with the courtesan. Ironically the young man is poor…… [Read More]

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Economic History -- Japan &

The government made several key policy changes to provide selected firms a strong start. Two crucial policies during this period are the import-substitution industrialization (ISI) and export promotion (EP). ISI allowed government selected firms in government target industries to borrow foreign currency, and borrow domestic funds at rates beneficial to those firms. This was the beginning of importing advanced technologies only to improve, adapt, and reproduce them for export. EP gave firms access to low interest loans. The relations between the Korean firms and industries with the rest of the world broadened in EP. Efficiency grew, production went up and Korean saw exponential economic leaps in a few decades.

During the Vietnam War in the 1970s, U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam. South Korea relied on the military presence of the U.S.A. As protection from North Korean. South Korean leadership decided to not rely on the U.S.A. For military presence and supplies because they could not. They decided to produce munitions domestically. This is another example of a factor contributing to Korea's rapid development and industrialization.

7. What is meant by Ha-Joon Chang's claim that the Korean financial crisis represented the revenge of the rentiers?

Ha-Joon Chang is a leading economists…… [Read More]

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Olmec Although Scientists Found Artifacts and Art

Olmec

Although scientists found artifacts and art objects of the Olmecs; until this century they did not know about the existence of the Olmecs. Most of the objects which were made by this community were associated with other civilizations, such as Mayan, Toltec or Chichimecan. The Olmec lived between 1600 B.C. And 1400 B.C. In South Mexico. The name of this tribe comes from an Aztec word "ollin" which means "land of rubber."

At first they ate fish and they later start to farm, and that made it possible for them to "develop the first major civilization in Mesoamerica." (The Olmec Civilization) Thanks to the steady food supplies the Olmec population grew and some came to have other occupations. "Some became potters or weavers. Others became priests or teachers." (Ibidem) Once the population grew, so did their farming villages which developed into cities. The present-day city of San Lorenzo was built by the Olmecs in 1150 B.C. In 900 B.C. another city which is now called La Venta was built by the Olmecs. Similar to San Lorenzo, was a religious and trade center.

The term "Olmec" rather refers at an art style and an archaeological society than to a specific…… [Read More]

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Zen Buddhism Can Often Be

After all, it opened up trade, thus helping commerce and, subsequently Japan's economy. Not only that, but the exchange of information was useful to governmental practices that sought to establish themselves as powerful and influential.

"Jesuit" Christianity survived long enough to be "practiced" within temples, one such "Jesuit temple" being known to have existed in 1603 in the Japanese capital, Kyoto. Such temples served the Church to enact some of its speeches in trying to go against Buddhism and Confucianism theories and implement its own. In fact, such initiatives worked out in the Church's detriment in the end. Habian, who went on to become a most renown orator and advocated for Christianity, turned away from it when the persecution of Christians began and reinforced his public speeches to suppress the "new" religion. It is no wonder then that such occurrences led to an overall negative impression of Christianity. Surely, the context can be understood if we think that an individual, so vividly living and preaching his faith initially, ultimately turned to not only renouncing his faith, but worked to eliminate it completely. In Japan's own defence, this had been a people reluctant to embrace one religion as final, but was…… [Read More]

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Alike Medieval Europe and Japan There Is

Alike

Medieval Europe and Japan

There is an old saying that familiarity breeds contempt. But does unfamiliarity breed similarity? In the Middle Ages, two civilizations at opposite ends of the globe evolved in a strangely similar manner. Western Europe had its feudal age. Japan had its feudal age. The Roman Catholic Church exerted a powerful influence from Sweden to Italy, Buddhist temples and monasteries from Hokkaido to Kyushu. In the West, civilization rebuilt itself after the fall of a great empire, while in the Far East a new nation emerged that modeled itself after the ancient civilization of its powerful neighbor. There are indeed many similarities between Medieval Western Europe and Medieval Japan, but there are also many differences. These two civilizations - almost entirely unknown to each other - evolved along similar yet different paths.

Following the Fall of Rome, and in the wake of devastating barbarian invasions, the map of Europe was redrawn. The Germanic tribes moved into Gaul, and the British Isles. Slavs swept into the Balkans. The Goths poured into Italy and Spain. Europe was soon divided into numerous, tiny, warring territories, territories that gradually coalesced into an order that would come to be described as…… [Read More]

1950's Cinema

Cinema 1950s

1950s was a decade of change for the U.S. - cinema was no exception, as it modeled itself to accommodate the social changes U.S. society was going through. Films not only provide entertainment to masses but are also believed to express the general outlook of society by the way it sets and adopts trends. 50s was marked by postwar prosperity, rising consumerism, loosening up of stereotype families, baby boom and growing middle-class. It was the time of reaction to the aging cinema, especially by the freedom loving youth who were keyed up with fast food (Mc Donald's franchised in '54), credit card (first in 1950) and drive-in theaters (Filmsite.org). Young people were fed-up with the conventional illustration of men and women. With growing interest in Rock-n-Roll and break-free attitude prevailing, a social revolution was very much in the offering, and that was to transfer the cinema as well - the audience wanted something radically different.

The conditions that led to 50s and ahead

Beginning of 1950s for the U.S. cinema was not very encouraging; there were problems inherited from the previous decade affecting the initial 50s. Causes of tribulations for the U.S. cinema were multi-pronged - although, the…… [Read More]

Farewell to Manzanar Japanese-American Family

Jeanne records her personal feelings and impressions, but also interweaves historical facts with her reconstructed internal monologue so the reader learns about the home front during World War II as well more about Jeanne's adolescence. Seeing the Japanese internment camps through the eyes of a child highlights the sweeping and irrational nature of President Roosevelt's dictate, and knowing that Jeanne's stories are true, not a fictionalized account of the camps, forces the reader to confront this episode in American history without denial or excuses. The camps were closed after the Supreme Court declared them illegal in 1944, but the camps lived on in the hearts of the interned -- the spoiled food, the constant sickness from the filthy latrines, and most of all, the reminder that the American government had declared Japanese-Americans lesser citizens, solely because of their race. They were seen a lesser immigrants in a land…… [Read More]

Music Cultures of the World Japan

relationship of music and culture and history in Japan. The music of Japan is as rich and diverse as the culture of Japan's people, and it has a long place in Japan's history. Several different musical forms and instruments make up Japan's musical history, and it has ancient beginnings in the earliest history of Japan in many cases. While the Japanese have held on to their musical past, they are also not afraid to create new musical traditions, such as the karaoke fad that swept the world in the 1990s and beyond.

Ancient Japanese Music

Many scholars believe that Japanese music has its roots in the music of China, an ancient culture that dominated Asian culture from the earliest recorded history. However, studies indicate this is really not the case. Japanese music historian Egon Wellesz notes, "It might be expected that Japanese music would exhibit considerable Chinese influence; but it is perhaps somewhat surprising that it also exhibits features of which only traces are to be found in the music of China" (Wellesz, 1999, p. 144). In fact, the author continues that many of the chord progressions and sounds in Japanese music can actually be traced back to ancient Tibetan…… [Read More]

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Suicide Has Been of Interest From the

suicide has been of interest from the beginning of Western civilization. For philosophers, clergy and social scientists, the subject raises myriad of conceptual, theological, moral, and psychological questions, such as What makes a person's behavior suicidal? What motivates such an action? Is suicide morally permissible, or even morally required in some extraordinary circumstances? Is suicidal behavior rational? How does suicide affect those that remain? The fictional books Virgin Suicides and Norwegian Wood address some of these topics, only to find, as in real life, that each situation differs and the ones who are left must find a way to personally resolve their confusion and move on.

The definition of suicide is confusing. People have long looked at suicide in a negative fashion, although someone who dies to save others is more likely to be seen in a better light than someone who has done so to relieve mental or physical pain. Further, someone who continues to commit an act that has a high probability of leading to death, for example cigarette smoking, is not considered suicidal. Yet, a terminally ill person who asks someone else to hasten death is commiting suicide. In addition, many philosophers question whether someone has to…… [Read More]

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Post-Modern Japanese Cultural Society and

Cellular phones and video games did not exist in the past due to the absence of technology back then. The Japanese video game industry has revolutionized the world with its innovative games from giants such as Nintendo, Sega and Sony. The role-playing games genre has been a big contribution by the Japanese and a large part of their culture. They did not have video games back then but they had text-based adventures which people could play on their own. Mario brothers, pokemon, digimon are some of the brand names of Japanese culture. The Japanese game industry has developed a following around the world as people eagerly await games, which have the typical Japanese background music. These background tracks are also on the best selling charts in Japan.

Conclusion

Japanese culture depends on sharing subcultures such as expressionism, an urban sense of style, and high educational attainment. These processes and patterns have had a lot of social implications. Japan has come a long way on its own, as it did not allow western culture to heavily influence it in any way. Their culture may have some flaws in some areas but then no culture is perfect.

Bibliography

Fukutake, T. 1981 the…… [Read More]

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James Algar and Samuel Armstrong Fantasia 1940

James Algar and Samuel Armstrong, Fantasia (1940),

The original version of Fantasia was never released again after 1941. The film was a failure, now it is viewed as a great film. That it has gained respect can be seen from the fact that "Fantasia and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are the only animated films and the only Disney films to be listed on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 greatest American films of all time." (Turkcebilgi, Fantasia (film) All Movie Guide profile) The original music was composed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and had some unique features like a multi-channel sound format called Fantasound, now known as stereophonic sound. Most of the works played in the film are program music; that is, instrumental music that depicts stories in sound. The music pieces are eight in number and of them - Toccata and Fugue, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the Dance of the Hours, and Ave Maria are in full. The other three, namely the Nutcracker Suite, March, the Rite of Spring, the Pastoral Symphony and the Night on Bald Mountain are not in full and are fragmented. (Turkcebilgi, Fantasia (film) All Movie Guide profile)

The film is unique in…… [Read More]

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Comparing the Works of William Gibson

William Gibson

Born in 1948 in South Carolina, William Gibson was to become one of the most prolific representative of science fiction and an exponent of what is to referred to as the cyberpunk genre in science fiction. Even if he did not actually defined the termed (it has been used previously, see below), William Gibson became the most recognized writer of cyberpunk and he created and defined the term cyberspace, a term with which we are becoming more and more familiar today. His book Neuromancer, written in 1984, won him international fame and recognition, as well as the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award and the Philipp K. Dick Award.

Of course, discussing William Gibson means discussing, however briefly, the concept of cyberpunk. Gibson did not actually invent the term: it was first used by Bruce Bethke somewhere in the 1980s as a title for one of his short stories. The term was created by juxtaposition and can be explained by the two terms that make it up, cyber and punk. The term describes "punk attitudes and high technology," usually criminal driven teenagers with a punk attitude using high technology to achieve their goals. More so, cyber punk described "a…… [Read More]

Family Supper

Family Supper

The short story "A Faimily Supper" by Kazuo Ishiguro is not a simple piece of literature about a family gathering for a meal. A young Japanese man has returned home to Tokyo after spending years in California with a girl, though that relationship has now failed. He learns the cause of his mother's death two years earlier: posioning from a fugu fish. His father's business has recently collasped into ruin, and the father's business partner commited suicide. They are joined for dinner by Kikuko, the sister, who studies at a university. A fourth additoinal family member, the now dead mother, also appears in the story as a spectre. The brother and sister reminise about the sighting of a ghost in the garden when they had been children, while the father guides his son through the house of empty rooms, reminiscing about the life that once was there before mother's death. Ishiguro builds an intricitely suspenseful story in this situation by use of several means. Ishiguro's writing style and techniques, contrasting of American and Japanese cultures, and use of untraditional foreshadowing create a compelling and effective piece of literature.

The writing style of the story is such that to…… [Read More]

U S History Web Project The

A further crucial aspect is the way in which the media covered the war. Media coverage was extensive and brought the horror and the reality of war into the ordinary American home as never before. Another aspect was the emergence of the " new left" element in the country which was critical not only of the war but of the way that the society was being run and administered in general. The site provides some insightful background on this aspect. "The Vietnam War was unprecedented for the intensity of media coverage -- it has been called the first television war -- as well as for the stridency of opposition to the war by the so-called "New Left." (Vietnam War)

As mentioned, stress and trauma and its after-effects were largely ignored in veterans who returned home after the war. However, more recently this condition has become known as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. It is also a disorder that is now recognized formally as a medical condition that is related to exposure to combat trauma.

Veterans returning from the war were therefore largely unaware of this disorder and were consequently not treated adequately. The site also makes the point that the veterans often…… [Read More]

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Cross-Cultural Psychology in West Is West Culture

Cross-Cultural Psychology in West Is West

Culture affects the psychology of an individual because it prescribes certain norms and values that affect the perceptions, attitudes and behaviors of an individual. Culture varies by geography and philosophical traditions. As technology makes geographical barriers irrelevant, people from diverse cultures are brought close together resulting in frequent interaction. An understanding of cross-cultural differences can help to make these interactions productive opportunities for personal and social development. The setting of the movie West is West during 1970s Britain and Pakistan has enabled archival data to be used for the purpose of analyzing cross-cultural differences between the East and the West in the movie.

The Movie: West is West

West is West is a British 2010 movie that illustrates the challenges of living in a culturally diverse family. The movie is about a British-Pakistani man trying to bridge the gap between his British life and his first wife and family back home in a Pakistani village. George/Jahangir also has a British wife Ella with whom he has seven children and is desperate to ensure that his children are brought up as good Muslims. The youngest son Sajid refuses to accept his Pakistani identity and also…… [Read More]

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Male Female Differences Films Like

Jacking, male, stated, "We know the kick-ass ladies really exist, and they are increasing." Twisted Soul, like all interview subjects, mentioned the prevalence of females in the martial arts. All subjects did acknowledge that female action heroes are less common than male ones, but at the same time, both males and females could name at least one real-life active heroine.

The most avid viewer of Tarantino's Kill Bill was, in fact, a woman. Helena Yip, who studies martial arts, saw Kill Bill twice "for the sake of reviving it." She especially appreciated "the power, the female power...that strong female characters kick ass." Yip compared the Bride to Chyna, a real life professional wrestler who has not only won championships against other women but also against other men. "She became equal with the male wrestlers...as a female I feel so gratifying," (sic). TKDavid, a male reflected Helena's values. Regarding the character Go-Go's violent behavior, TKDavid said, "as a man, I find it frightful, yet powerful." Twisted Soul, another female respondent, said regarding the Bride's violence, "I wish I had the power to be destructive and powerful, once in a while."

Males and females both felt that the Bride's vengeful actions were…… [Read More]

Foreign Film Review Film Review

The puppets enable Fugui to regain his self-esteem and give him a sense of creativity, as he is now capable of articulating his thoughts through the puppets. He is able to make a better living as a traveling entertainer than as a seller of needles and thread.

When it became too painful to live in his old town where he was once so wealthy, Fugui flees and goes on the road with the Nationalist Army. When the communists are obviously going to win, he easily and quickly switches alliances, just as easily as he gambled his life's fortune away. Following the Red Army, he makes his way back to his old town and life and is reunited with his family, who now accept their newly chastised father. Fugui throws himself into the New China, praising Maoism for what it has taught him about virtue, discipline, and the best way to live life. His earlier decadence seems to validate Maoist assumptions and he rejects of his old ways.

But the communist revolution or fate is hardly portrayed in a positive way in "To Live." Like the decadent aristocracy, it also becomes corrupt with the madness of the Cultural Revolution. Due to…… [Read More]

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