Assignments
Journal: Reaction to each reading and
each film (one paragraph to one page in length). Bring to class each
day.
Microthemes: Here are some questions
to consider while reading the articles for discussion in class.
1. What does Tokyo mean to the major characters in "Narcissus," "Umbrella
on a Moonlit Night" and "Paper Doll"?
2. Compare the legal definition of family in Sugimoto and Ochai with
the nostalgic view in "Sazae-san" and "Tora-san."
3. What is the impact of the educational system on family life
as seen in "Family Game," Shimizu’s "Japanese Entrance Exams and "Umbrella
on a Moonlit Night"?
4. What do the authors' of "Kitchen," and "Girl" want you to think
about alternative sexuality?
5. Sugita and Ochai make a strong case that women are subordinate
in the legal family structure, does the presentation of family life in "Kitchen,"
"Umbrella on a Moonlit Night" and "Sazae-san" reflect this inferiority?
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