In his book Turning Japanese. Memoirs of a Sansei, David Mura writes about his one year long stay in Japan, the country of his ancestors. He talks about how this experience has changed his view on his own country, the United States, and Japan. He writes in a postmodernist way, juxtaposing fragments of text dating back to different points in time. Some were written during his actual stay in Japan, with several pieces looking back at his and his family’s past, and some were written after his stay when putting together his novel. The former look back at the United States from Japan, the latter look back to Japan from the United States. Postmodernism is also an element in so far as the author uses a lot of irony and as it becomes clear how futile his efforts of finding his own identity are. In this existentialist search for who he is, Mura jumps back and forth in place and time. However, I had the feeling that the insights he arrives at with his writing are derived from only very few passages. In other words, these insights are framed by many useless pieces of text which kind of made me feel lost in a nebulous sphere in between the past and the present, Japan and the United States.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to the Memoir
2. Stylistic Critique and Language Usage
3. Narrative Structure and Absence of Action
4. Cultural Comparison and the American Standard
5. Positive Observations on Japanese American History
6. Criticism of Eurocentrism and Social Privilege
7. The Complexity of Identity and Nationalistic Tendencies
8. Essentialization and Stereotyping of Identities
9. Gender Dynamics and Personal Accountability
10. Final Reflection on Identity Politics
Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this critique is to analyze David Mura's "Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei" by evaluating the author's struggle with dual identity, his reliance on Eurocentric perspectives, and the effectiveness of his postmodern narrative approach during his year-long stay in Japan.
- The tension between American upbringing and Japanese ancestry.
- The impact of US binary racial ideology on the perception of self.
- The influence of class and gender privileges on the author's world view.
- The role of syncretism in Japanese culture versus Mura's essentialist outlook.
- The intersection of personal experience and political identity formation.
Excerpt from the Book
The question of identity is a very important issue in Turning Japanese.
Trapped in between two identities, Mura feels constrained to side with one or the other. This is due to the US ideology of a binary opposition of black and white without anything in between these two extremes. As much as he was ashamed of his Japanese side while living in the US, in Japan, he is ashamed of his American side and, therefore, does not want to speak English in public.
Upon his arrival in Japan, he, moreover, feels that he should know everything about the culture, or at any rate more than his wife. This is enforced by the fact that certain Japanese persons who believe in the exceptionality of the Japanese people, such as Ono, make it clear to him that his Japanese genes should enable him to excel. It kind of looks like to me as if, all his life, Mura identifies with and imitates the majority. In the US, during high school and college, he was after white girls, and in Japan, he puts himself on the side of the Japanese. In a way, this is very convenient for him, for it gives him excuses for his behavior (not being able to pay compliments, p. 112, or having affairs, p. 114).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to the Memoir: This chapter introduces David Mura’s work and outlines the author's postmodern approach to documenting his stay in Japan.
2. Stylistic Critique and Language Usage: The author evaluates the inconsistent application of Japanese terms and the problematic linguistic appropriation within the text.
3. Narrative Structure and Absence of Action: This section discusses the lack of plot development and the author's failure to cite sources for direct quotations.
4. Cultural Comparison and the American Standard: The chapter explores how Mura constantly uses the United States as a benchmark while struggling to identify with his ancestral home.
5. Positive Observations on Japanese American History: This part acknowledges the author's accurate depiction of historical struggles like internment and the psychological impact of racism.
6. Criticism of Eurocentrism and Social Privilege: The text critiques Mura’s intellectual elitism and his tendency to view the world through a Western-centric lens.
7. The Complexity of Identity and Nationalistic Tendencies: This chapter analyzes how Mura fluctuates between identities, ultimately failing to reconcile his dual background.
8. Essentialization and Stereotyping of Identities: The section highlights Mura's tendency to stereotype other cultures while seeking a place free from prejudice.
9. Gender Dynamics and Personal Accountability: This chapter examines the shift in gender roles within the memoir and Mura's justifications for his behavior toward his wife.
10. Final Reflection on Identity Politics: The conclusion posits that Mura’s search for identity remains unresolved due to his inability to transcend his American cultural background.
Keywords
Identity, Sansei, Japan, United States, Postmodernism, Racism, Stereotyping, Eurocentrism, Japanese American, Cultural Hybridity, Essentialism, Memoir, Social Privilege, Gender Dynamics, Assimilation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this book?
The work focuses on David Mura's memoir "Turning Japanese," detailing his year in Japan and his attempt to reconcile his identity as a Sansei (third-generation Japanese American).
What are the central themes discussed in the critique?
The core themes include the struggle for dual identity, the influence of American binary racial ideologies, social privilege, and the author's complex relationship with both American and Japanese cultures.
What is the main research question or goal of the critique?
The goal is to provide a critical analysis of Mura’s personal and political narrative, questioning whether his stay in Japan actually led to a resolution of his identity conflicts.
Which scientific or analytical methods are used?
The analysis employs a literary and sociocultural critique, examining the author’s use of language, narrative structure, and thematic content against the backdrop of historical and sociological contexts.
What aspects of the main text are analyzed?
The critique covers the book's postmodern structure, the accuracy of historical portrayals, the author's intellectual biases, and his treatment of personal relationships and cultural differences.
Which keywords define this analysis?
The analysis is characterized by terms such as identity, assimilation, Eurocentrism, essentialism, and cultural hybridity.
How does the author of the critique perceive Mura's view of "the West"?
The critique argues that Mura retains an imperialistic, Eurocentric perspective, constantly using the United States as a standard for comparison despite his efforts to identify with Japan.
How does the critique assess Mura’s treatment of his wife?
The reviewer characterizes Mura's behavior as chauvinistic, noting that he often shifts blame and uses his status as an outsider to justify his actions, failing to acknowledge her own experiences.
- Quote paper
- B.A. Stephanie Wössner (Author), 2003, Rezension zu David Mura's "Turning Japanese Memoirs of a Sansei", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/138136
