Oe Kenzaburo's Workpieces in the Social and Cultural Context - Case Study Example

Research Designed About Oe Kenzaburo Student’s Name Institution Introduction Oe Kenzaburo is a Japanese writer who has gained enormous popularity among renowned writers in the world. Oe comes from rather wealthy land owning family but that is not propelled him to international fame. Kenzaburo has been is accredited with putting Japanese literature in the limelight due to his various books that have won him various awards international. This is attributed to the fact that individuals reading his books could relate to them. This is due to the fact that Oe put a lot of emphasis on social factors which formed majority of his themes. In addition to these, Oe is seen as a family oriented person (James 1993). This is evident in some of his books which are based on the life of his son. His son Hikari suffered from mental disorder, but Oe accepted his condition and stood by him. Therefore, based on this it is quite right to arrive at the conclusion that Oe is indeed a family oriented person. This has made him a favorite among the most renowned writers the literature world has ever come across. Therefore, as a result of his ability to capture all kind of audience through his books Oe won the hearts of all kinds of individual not withstanding their cultures. In addition to this, Oe work had the ability to capture not only the older individuals but also young individuals. Additionally, due to his work Oe was nominated for a Nobel Prize in the field of literature which he won in 1994 (Claremont 2008). Background Oe Kenzaburo was born in 1935 on the island of Shikoku in Japan to a family of seven children, where he is the third born. Oe was born to a military father, but never got the opportunity to enjoy the comfort of his father during his childhood. This is attributed to the fact that his father died while participating in the Pacific War. However, this did not in any way affect his upbringing. This is due to the fact that Oe was brought up by his mother with the help of his grandmother. Oe’s grandmother is attributed with introducing Oe to art which greatly influenced his works. In addition to this, his grandmother also taught Oe on how to improve his oral performance. As a result Oe gained interest in understanding which is evident in later stages of his life whereby he enrolled for French classes while in college. However, Oe attributes his success to his mother, whom according to Oe played a crucial role during his childhood (Claremont 2008). According to Oe, his mother was his first educator and through his mother he gained the passion in literature. This is attributed to the fact that his mother had a tendency of buying Oe short-story books which greatly impacted on his understanding of literature. In addition, to his mother and grandmother, Oe also stated that his elementary teacher greatly impacted on his life, which became evident when Oe refused the Order of culture award which was issued to him by the Emperor (James 1993). His refusal of the award is attributed to the numerous lies that he was subjected to by his elementary teacher in respect of the Emperor. Oe went on to attend high school in Matsuyama and later enrolled in Tokyo University where he studied French Literature. In1960 Oe married Yukari Itami the daughter of renowned film director Mansaku Itami. Together with his wife, they have three children. His first born Hikari was born with congenital abnormality of the skull. Doctors advised Oe and his wife to let their son die but this was not something the family was not willing to undertake. As a result Hikari lived under the care of his parents and would feature in various books written by Oe (Manuel 1999). Childhood Oe Kenzaburo was born in a humble family comprising seven siblings whereby his father was enrolled in the Japan military force. Oe came from a quite wealthy land owning family due to the vast land that his family owned. However, Oe’s family loose most of their land due to the imposed land reform during and after the World War II. However, probably the saddest part of Oe’s life was the fact that he would not enjoy a childhood with a father around, since his father would later die while participating in the pacific War. Despite, the death of his father Oe had a quite normal childhood. This is attributed to both his mother and grandmother who became his role models as he grew up. His grandmother undertook him on lessons pertaining arts and oral performance which greatly impacted on his writing in later stages of his life. His mother on the other hand, took it to herself to educate Oe (Claremont 2008). She achieved this by purchasing books such as The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, which were short stories. According to Oe, he credits his achievements to his mother since it was through his mother that he developed a passion for literature. In addition to his mother and grandmother, Oe’s elementary teacher played a significant role in the development of Oe as a child. This is attributed to the fact that, his elementary inflicted fear in Oe relating to the Emperor. Stories of the Emperor tormented Oe’s childhood and he attributes these stories to his feud with the Emperor (Kinsella 2000). However, despite such events Oe’s passion for literature continued to blossom even as he attended high school. However, his passion for literature became apparent when he joined Tokyo University at the age of 18 to study French literature. While at the university Oe started writing short stories that greatly borrowed from western culture especially French and USA. While at the university and immediately after completing university Oe grew an interest in politics. This saw him joining political parties and became an active member. As a way of passing his political message to the world, Oe resorted back to literature. Through literature Oe wrote books narrating his political plights. These books would from time to time land him in trouble but that seemed never to bother him as he never stopped. This trend is also evident in some of his later works that are politically influenced (James 1993). The social and cultural context Oe Kenzaburo’s works were greatly influenced by both social and cultural values. This is evident in most of his works that replicate issues that touched on cultural values and social values.one such event is in relation to suicide, whereby the Japan society had embraced the act. According to society committing suicide was romanticized. This is because according to Japanese society, individuals that committed suicide demonstrated their immense love for their partners. Therefore, instead of discouraging the act the society advocated for it, thus suicide events in Japan are quite rampant. However, Oe tries to create an awareness on this menace and its negative implications in the society through his book The Silent Cry. The book follows the life of the narrator as he has to overcome the pain of his friend’s death through suicide. Through the book Oe tries to demonstrate that suicide is not the best solution and thus should not be discouraged (Taylor & Kassai 1998). Additionally, through his work Oe demonstrates the significance of family in Japan. According to his works family plays an integral part in the development of individuals and the society as a whole. As a way of demonstrating importance of family, Oe’s works mainly concentrate on the life of handicapped character, who through the help of his family members is able to live a normal life. In line with this statement, Oe also tries to address social issues and cultural issues that touch on disability (James 1993). Most families tend to abandon their disabled children as they view them as a bad omen, thus making lives of disabled children quite difficult. As a result most disabled children end up dying without achieving their potential. However, Oe through his work tries to show that disability does not necessarily mean that children cannot fulfill their potential. This is attributed to the fact that, Oe was faced with the same situation in relation to his son Hikari. However, instead of abandoning his son, he stood by him and Hikari has grown to become a reputable music composer. Therefore, based on this Oe demonstrates that disability indeed is not inability (Claremont 2008). In addition to this, Oe also addresses the political environment that has always engulfed japan as demonstrated in his books. However, his most significant political event is his ongoing feud with the Emperor which culminated in him declining an award from the Emperor. Oe has always distanced himself from Empirical rule. Therefore by addressing both social, cultural and political values Oe stands out among his peers. This is evident in the amount of respect he is accorded wherever he goes and the numerous awards (Claremont 2008). Additionally, Oe’s love for foreign literature has led to him adopting some western cultures and integrating them with Japanese culture. This has proved to be quite beneficial in relation to recognition of his works. This is attributed to the fact that, by integrating western culture his works develop an international appeal. Therefore, as a result he is capable of capturing international audience without much difficulty when compared to other Japanese writers that have focused on Japanese cultures only. This has also given him an edge over other international writers, and his proficiency was awarded with a Nobel Prize which is greatest award an individual can receive (Kinsella 2000). Oe Kenzaburo major works and themes Oe kenzaburo books have had a major impact in the international scene in relation to their immense contribution to literature as it is known today. This can be attributed to the fact that Oe derives inspiration from the society around him and his personal experience (Manuel 1999). Therefore, as a result Oe’s books had the ability to capture audience of different cultures and perception. This can be attributed to the fact that, readers could relate to almost al Oe’s writings. This is because Oe’s works greatly touched on events that affect individuals on a day to day. Therefore, in an effort to demonstrate this it is important to look at some of Oe’s works namely; The Silent Cry, A Healing Family and A Quiet Life (Claremont 2008). The Silent Cry The Silent cry is a 1975 book which focuses on two brothers Mitsusaburo and Takashi who return to Japan from exploits in the west. Upon arriving in Japan Mitsusaburo gets married to an English professor in Tokyo. However, the marriage is plagued with crisis after crisis, but the most devastating crisis is the birth of a handicapped child. In addition to this, Mitsusaburo is faced with the death of his friend who commits suicide, thus making his life quite complicated. His brother on the other hand forms a revolutionary group in aim to safeguard the culture of Japan from Korean invasion. Through this book Oe addresses the issue of suicide which in japan which has been romanticized by writers and Japan culture. Oe does not glorify suicide but rather condemns it by portraying the pain Mitsusaburo through in dealing with the death of his friend. Use of suicide greatly interconnects with Oe personal life and demonstrates that suicide is not the best solution to his personal problem (Claremont 2008). A Healing Family A Healing Family is a 1995 novel which concentrates on Oe’s experiences with his son Hikari. In the book Oe accounts how he received the news of his son at birth. Hikari was born with a mental disorder which greatly affected his family. Through the book Oe describes how doctors advised them to on the effects of raising a mentally handicapped child. In addition to this, doctors normally told them that their son would most likely not survive to see adulthood. However, Oe and his wife were not discouraged by the condition of their son. They gave him the care any child would want, which Oe states was not easy but their love for their son made it possible. However, the talking point of the book is when Oe recounts the first time Hikari. Hikari first word were quite emotional as this opened a channel of communication between Hikari and his parents. This is attributed to the fact that prior to Hikari first words communication was quite difficult but that all changed after Hikari started talking (Taylor & Kassai 1998). A Quiet Life A Quiet life is novel that can be categorized as both fictional and non-fictional that was written in 1997. This is attributed to the fact that the book draws inspiration from Oe’s personal life experience, but narrates these events using fictional characters. The book concentrates on the life of Ma-chan and her family (Claremont 2008). Ma-chan is a twenty year old girl who lives with her family that has a handicapped son Eeyore. Throughout the book Ma-chan develops a close relationship with her disabled brother, who according to Ma-chan has a magical gift in the form of music composition. This together with the fact that Ma-chan and her brother were outcasts within the family meant that they were destined to be close to each other. Ma-chan narrates the hardship she had to encounter while taking care of her young brother, which she attributes to their father who abandoned them. However, despite the numerous challenges they both faced the book has a good ending. These events greatly reflect on the life of Oe and his personal experience of taking care of a handicapped child. Eeyore draws similar characteristics to Hikari as they are both handicapped but possess a great gift in the form of music (Manuel 1999). Conclusion In conclusion, Oe kenzaburo has greatly made significant strides in his lifetime especially in the world of literature. His works have propelled him to the international limelight which has been capped by a Nobel Prize for his work in literature. The success of his work can be attributed to their ability to relate to the average reader. This attributed to the fact that his works get inspiration from his personal life, which a lot of readers could resonate with. Additionally, the fact that his works have a maintained a uniform theme made it possible for writers to identify his works. In addition to these, Oe borrows inspiration from the society around him as is evident in some of his internationally recognized books. The success of Oe has greatly distinguished him with other writers of Japan origin, which is evident by the numerous international awards. However, Oe has also been embroiled in various controversies but such events did not impair him from achieving his dreams. Therefore, as a result Oe kenzaburo has become an inspiration to numerous established and upcoming writers. Therefore, modern literature cannot be fully understood without looking at the works of Oe Kenzaburo, thus making Oe one of the greatest writers of all time. References Claremont, Y (2008). The Novels of Oe Kenzaburo. London: Routledge. Manuel, Y (1999). Familial Autobiography and the World: A Review Article of Work by Kenzaburo Oe. CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, 1(3), 1-7. Taylor, N.D & Kassai, R (1998). The healer and the healed: works and life of Kenzaburo Oe. The Lancet, 352(9128), 642 – 644. James, R (1993). The Split personality of Oe Kenzaburo. Japan Quarterly, 40(4), 444-457. Kinsella, S (2000). An interview with Oe Kenzaburo. Japan Forum, 12(2), 233-241. Read More

Childhood Oe Kenzaburo was born in a humble family comprising seven siblings whereby his father was enrolled in the Japan military force. Oe came from a quite wealthy land owning family due to the vast land that his family owned. However, Oe’s family loose most of their land due to the imposed land reform during and after the World War II. However, probably the saddest part of Oe’s life was the fact that he would not enjoy a childhood with a father around, since his father would later die while participating in the pacific War.

Despite, the death of his father Oe had a quite normal childhood. This is attributed to both his mother and grandmother who became his role models as he grew up. His grandmother undertook him on lessons pertaining arts and oral performance which greatly impacted on his writing in later stages of his life. His mother on the other hand, took it to herself to educate Oe (Claremont 2008). She achieved this by purchasing books such as The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, which were short stories. According to Oe, he credits his achievements to his mother since it was through his mother that he developed a passion for literature.

In addition to his mother and grandmother, Oe’s elementary teacher played a significant role in the development of Oe as a child. This is attributed to the fact that, his elementary inflicted fear in Oe relating to the Emperor. Stories of the Emperor tormented Oe’s childhood and he attributes these stories to his feud with the Emperor (Kinsella 2000). However, despite such events Oe’s passion for literature continued to blossom even as he attended high school. However, his passion for literature became apparent when he joined Tokyo University at the age of 18 to study French literature.

While at the university Oe started writing short stories that greatly borrowed from western culture especially French and USA. While at the university and immediately after completing university Oe grew an interest in politics. This saw him joining political parties and became an active member. As a way of passing his political message to the world, Oe resorted back to literature. Through literature Oe wrote books narrating his political plights. These books would from time to time land him in trouble but that seemed never to bother him as he never stopped.

This trend is also evident in some of his later works that are politically influenced (James 1993). The social and cultural context Oe Kenzaburo’s works were greatly influenced by both social and cultural values. This is evident in most of his works that replicate issues that touched on cultural values and social values.one such event is in relation to suicide, whereby the Japan society had embraced the act. According to society committing suicide was romanticized. This is because according to Japanese society, individuals that committed suicide demonstrated their immense love for their partners.

Therefore, instead of discouraging the act the society advocated for it, thus suicide events in Japan are quite rampant. However, Oe tries to create an awareness on this menace and its negative implications in the society through his book The Silent Cry. The book follows the life of the narrator as he has to overcome the pain of his friend’s death through suicide. Through the book Oe tries to demonstrate that suicide is not the best solution and thus should not be discouraged (Taylor & Kassai 1998).

Additionally, through his work Oe demonstrates the significance of family in Japan. According to his works family plays an integral part in the development of individuals and the society as a whole. As a way of demonstrating importance of family, Oe’s works mainly concentrate on the life of handicapped character, who through the help of his family members is able to live a normal life. In line with this statement, Oe also tries to address social issues and cultural issues that touch on disability (James 1993).

Most families tend to abandon their disabled children as they view them as a bad omen, thus making lives of disabled children quite difficult.

Read More