Essays and Research Papers on Asian Literature

A 5 page review of the first English translation of the experiences of one Chinese woman in pre-revolutionary China. The contention is presented that Xie’s experiences serve to dispel the Twentieth Century notion that up until the 1949 revolution China remained to a large degree traditional. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

An 8 page paper which discusses the author Amy Tan in relationship to what inspired her to write and how her writing has changed her life. The paper also takes two of her short essays/stories and compares then in relationship to thematic content. The short essays/stories are found in her work "The Hundred Secret Senses" and are titled "The ...

5 pages in length. Musui's Story tells of the life of a samurai in the lower class of his society who gave up the aspirations expected of him in order to learn from those who were beneath him according to societal rules of the time. It is a fact that religion in society played a role ...

6 pages in length. Alexander the Great has been heralded all throughout history as one of Greece's most memorable and illustrious personalities; while he was instrumental in providing leadership for the Greeks, he was also a notorious murderer who utilized his authority to put many people to death. This aspect of Alexander's persona ...

This 5 page paper discusses the idea of female inequality as illustrated in stories from ancient China. Bibliography lists 9 sources.

A 5 page paper comparing the famous Irish author with a Chinese writer less well-known in the United States, but just as influential in his own country as Joyce is in the English-speaking world. The paper illustrates the many uncanny parallels between these two authors. Bibliography lists 9 sources.

A 4 page essay that examines the work of Japanese writer, Banana Yoshimoto. Profiling two of her books, the writer argues that while Yoshimoto's writing has not earned literary acclaim, her writing style captures the reality of life for young people in contemporary Japan, and elsewhere, and. Therefore, is appealing. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 4 page essay that examines the fiction of Japanese writer Banana Yoshimoto, specifically looking at Goodbye Tsugumi, Kitchen and N.P. as being representative of her fictional style. The writer argues that Yoshimoto writes from the heart, offering her readers insight into the minds, as well as the lives of her protagonists. It is this ...

This 7 page paper takes a look at this Chinese novel and its treatment of gender. Gender is explored in a variety of ways. Attention is paid to the roles taken by both men and women in Chinese culture. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This is an 8 page paper discussing gender roles in Ramayana and those of today. The tale of Ramayana first said to be written around the year 1000 B.C. outlines the traditional gender roles in dharma. Rama as the male role model was obedient to his parents and faithful to his wife and eventually led ...

An 8 page overview of the book by Jan Wong. Wong, a Canadian ethnic Chinese, lived in China during the 1960s and 1970s. Although she had lived a life of privilege in Canada and could not even speak the Chinese language, she manages to provide a unique and unmatched account of one of ...

This is a 6 page review of Charles J. Dunn’s work entitled “Everyday Life in Traditional Japan” (1969, 1977). This is a well structured text which tells of life of Tokugawa Japan during the years 1600 to 1850 approximately which Dunn uses as his basis for “traditional” Japan. The text is accompanied by many well ...

A 3 page consideration of these aspects of the horrors of World War II. “Farewell to Manzanar” is used for insight into this time. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

5 pages in length. The Japanese family formation reflects some of the most loyal attributes of any familial system in the world; that the foundation of is based upon the tenets of gaman (perseverance) and gambaru (trying hard) speaks to the inherent dedication of both body and spirit when it comes to making some ...

(4 pp) Hayashi Fumiko's work places Japanese women in the role of hero/heroine in a world that has previously only allocated that status, or "badge of honor" to men of prestige. As a person and an author she claims the right to wear that badge herself.

A 6 page research paper that offers a brief survey of 4 books on Japan. This includes 2 novels, Kokoro by Soseki and A Personal Matter by Oe, as well as 2 non-fiction works. The writer argues that all of these works reflect the psychic pain that the Japanese have experienced in adjusting to Western ...

This 5 page paper discusses the “Diary of Lady Murasaki,” a poet in the Heian court of Japan in 1000 AD. Bibliography lists 10 sources.

This 10 page research paper examines the topic of ero-guro-nansensu or "erotic-grotesque-nonsense" movement in Japan, which became prominent in the 1920s. At the forefront of this trend was Edogawa Rampo and the writer examines this Japanese literary genre focusing on Rampo and how two of his short stories, "The Human Chair" and "Caterpillar," epitomize ...

A 5 page paper on the way the characters of the four sisters in Tanizaki's classic novel epitomize a conflict of values, and values in transition in pre-war Japan. One source (the book itself) listed.

A 4 page essay that contrasts and compares two short stories, Ihara Saikaku's "Barrelmaker Brimful of Love" and Nawal El Saadawi's "In Camera." Saikaku's story is set in seventeenth century Japan and El Saadawi's narrative is set in twentieth century Egypt, yet both authors relate their particular society's perspective on social justice, in regards to ...

This is a 6 page review of Charles J. Dunn’s work entitled “Everyday Life in Traditional Japan” (1969, 1977). This is a well structured text which tells of life of Tokugawa Japan during the years 1600 to 1850 approximately which Dunn uses as his basis for “traditional” Japan. The text is accompanied by many well ...

A 3 page consideration of these aspects of the horrors of World War II. “Farewell to Manzanar” is used for insight into this time. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

5 pages in length. The Japanese family formation reflects some of the most loyal attributes of any familial system in the world; that the foundation of is based upon the tenets of gaman (perseverance) and gambaru (trying hard) speaks to the inherent dedication of both body and spirit when it comes to making some ...

(4 pp) Hayashi Fumiko's work places Japanese women in the role of hero/heroine in a world that has previously only allocated that status, or "badge of honor" to men of prestige. As a person and an author she claims the right to wear that badge herself.

A 6 page research paper that offers a brief survey of 4 books on Japan. This includes 2 novels, Kokoro by Soseki and A Personal Matter by Oe, as well as 2 non-fiction works. The writer argues that all of these works reflect the psychic pain that the Japanese have experienced in adjusting to Western ...