Essay Available:
Pages:
6 pages/≈1650 words
Sources:
3
Style:
MLA
Subject:
Literature & Language
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 21.6
Topic:
Tokyo Sonata as a Reflection of Japan
Essay Instructions:
Please read the assignment instruction and two articles that I uploaded. And please watch the movie "Tokyo Sonata" here is the link to the movie: https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=-YCMbel4Sds. We talked about these two articles in class. Please write some connections between the movie and the articles. The task of this assignment is to relate Tokyo Sonata to the historical and contemporary phenomena in Japan that we have discussed in class. Please use SIMPLE english and vocabulary, because professor knows my english skills. She wants to see the deep understanding of Tokyo Sonata and Japan. THANK YOU!!
Essay Sample Content Preview:
Name:
Instructor:
Course:
Date:
Tokyo Sonata as a Reflection of Japan
Introduction
The film Tokyo Sonata is one that speaks to the Japanese culture and the shifts in the social order. This is relative to the middle class and most importantly, the way that roles between the men and women change. Previously, the man was the most powerful and made all the judgment calls in their families and even at work. However, this changes in the period after the war when there is a boom in the economy. As is indicated in the family of the Sasakis, there is a shift in the roles of the breadwinner between the men and the women (McCalmont, Jonathan). When Sasaki is laid off relative to the downsizing that was taking place in the country, his role as a breadwinner is also lost. His influence over the family matters is also reduced. The period before the 1950s, was a tough one for most of the families. This is relative to the struggles that most of the families had to endure as the economic times were tough. Most of the companies had to let go some of the employees to survive the tough times. This is such a time as indicate in the film where the Sasakis are faced with loss of income as their father is retrenched (McCalmont, Jonathan). However, there a twist in the story as the woman in the family takes on the major roles in the family (Economic And Social Transformations). This is a situation that is reflected in the wider Japanese society. Having been a society where women were considered as second-class citizens, there is a change as women are seen to take more important roles in the society.
Thesis statement: The film reflects significant change in the social norms along with changes in the societal cultural values and standards within Japan and reference to the middle class.
Tokyo Sonata
Released in the year 2008, the film, Tokyo Sonata, is about a middle-class family that is struggling with the social shifts in the society. In the film, the father is Ryuhei Sasaki, his wife Megumi and they have two sons, Takashi the older one and Kenji the youngest. At one point Sasaki loses his job but he does not want to tell his wife and family about it (McCalmont, Jonathan). As such, he is seen to leave every morning in a suit as if leaving for work. He had been lad of as their company had started hiring cheaper labor. Devastated, the family is seen to experience shifts in the social order that they have had in the past. This is with reference to the fact that the father was the bread winner. As such, he held much of the authority and power around the house. However, this then shift after his wife realizes that her husband was no longer working. They all struggle to find meaning in their new reality where the wife is the bread winner and the husband is now a struggling jobless person among many in the society (McCalmont, Jonathan). The children in the family are also have challenges of their own as they seek structure and order in their own lives separate from the family, the oldest son is seen to enlist in the American Army, while the youngest take piano classes.
Japan before the 1950s
This was a period before and during the second world war. For the women in the society, life did not involve much as they largely looked forward to the role of being a house wife. This was an aspect that was trained on the girls from a young age while the boys were shown to be men. This meant that the boys did not have much chores around the house. As these would be left to the girls who had to be trained to be good wives in the future. As Fukuda-San indicates in her story about how she grew up before and during the war, it was a challenge being a woman at the time. Much of the value attached to being a woman, was in reference to their ability to good house wives (Chapter 4 A Success Story). This meant that they did not follow their dreams as the society had already a set path for them in the marriage life. Where their husbands would decide what was good for them and their children. As Fukuda states, at the time, it was not even allowed for a woman to walk in front of a man (Chapter 4 A Success Story). This is a seriously patriarchal society. Japan was largely associated with a society that oppressed women. Their right to fide on their own what they would have wanted to become lay in the hands of their parents and that of their husbands when they finally got married off. If japan had won the war, it would have been devastating for the society at large, as the women would not have a chance to develop their footi...
Instructor:
Course:
Date:
Tokyo Sonata as a Reflection of Japan
Introduction
The film Tokyo Sonata is one that speaks to the Japanese culture and the shifts in the social order. This is relative to the middle class and most importantly, the way that roles between the men and women change. Previously, the man was the most powerful and made all the judgment calls in their families and even at work. However, this changes in the period after the war when there is a boom in the economy. As is indicated in the family of the Sasakis, there is a shift in the roles of the breadwinner between the men and the women (McCalmont, Jonathan). When Sasaki is laid off relative to the downsizing that was taking place in the country, his role as a breadwinner is also lost. His influence over the family matters is also reduced. The period before the 1950s, was a tough one for most of the families. This is relative to the struggles that most of the families had to endure as the economic times were tough. Most of the companies had to let go some of the employees to survive the tough times. This is such a time as indicate in the film where the Sasakis are faced with loss of income as their father is retrenched (McCalmont, Jonathan). However, there a twist in the story as the woman in the family takes on the major roles in the family (Economic And Social Transformations). This is a situation that is reflected in the wider Japanese society. Having been a society where women were considered as second-class citizens, there is a change as women are seen to take more important roles in the society.
Thesis statement: The film reflects significant change in the social norms along with changes in the societal cultural values and standards within Japan and reference to the middle class.
Tokyo Sonata
Released in the year 2008, the film, Tokyo Sonata, is about a middle-class family that is struggling with the social shifts in the society. In the film, the father is Ryuhei Sasaki, his wife Megumi and they have two sons, Takashi the older one and Kenji the youngest. At one point Sasaki loses his job but he does not want to tell his wife and family about it (McCalmont, Jonathan). As such, he is seen to leave every morning in a suit as if leaving for work. He had been lad of as their company had started hiring cheaper labor. Devastated, the family is seen to experience shifts in the social order that they have had in the past. This is with reference to the fact that the father was the bread winner. As such, he held much of the authority and power around the house. However, this then shift after his wife realizes that her husband was no longer working. They all struggle to find meaning in their new reality where the wife is the bread winner and the husband is now a struggling jobless person among many in the society (McCalmont, Jonathan). The children in the family are also have challenges of their own as they seek structure and order in their own lives separate from the family, the oldest son is seen to enlist in the American Army, while the youngest take piano classes.
Japan before the 1950s
This was a period before and during the second world war. For the women in the society, life did not involve much as they largely looked forward to the role of being a house wife. This was an aspect that was trained on the girls from a young age while the boys were shown to be men. This meant that the boys did not have much chores around the house. As these would be left to the girls who had to be trained to be good wives in the future. As Fukuda-San indicates in her story about how she grew up before and during the war, it was a challenge being a woman at the time. Much of the value attached to being a woman, was in reference to their ability to good house wives (Chapter 4 A Success Story). This meant that they did not follow their dreams as the society had already a set path for them in the marriage life. Where their husbands would decide what was good for them and their children. As Fukuda states, at the time, it was not even allowed for a woman to walk in front of a man (Chapter 4 A Success Story). This is a seriously patriarchal society. Japan was largely associated with a society that oppressed women. Their right to fide on their own what they would have wanted to become lay in the hands of their parents and that of their husbands when they finally got married off. If japan had won the war, it would have been devastating for the society at large, as the women would not have a chance to develop their footi...
Get the Whole Paper!
Not exactly what you need?
Do you need a custom essay? Order right now: