| Budget Amount *help |
¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
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| Research Abstract |
This research was conducted to explore how Japan and the Japanese people are represented in Australian writing, especially in contemporary literature since Australia's emergence as a multicultural society.
In the author's earlier research, it was found that Japanese people were often portrayed in pre-World War II literature according to two major patterns. The first pattern represented a feminine type of character, with typical `Madame Butterfly' features. The second pattern represented a masculine type of character, with aggressive, conquering ('invasion') features. Both characterizations reflected both the time and tide in the relationship between Japan and Australia, as well as wider affairs of the Pacific region and the world.
With the Pacific War came more direct contact between Japan and Australia. Enemies found themselves in a master-subordinate relationship, first as prisoners-of-war, and then as participants during the occupation of Japan by the Allied Forces. While the current research shows that the feminine and masculine archetypes can still be found in literature after the war, it also reveals variations and new patterns beginning to emerge. As a result of the closer contact, and more direct observations, with the Japanese themselves, as well as a growing interest in the Asian region, and a perception that Asia was a neighbor rather distant land, Australian writers began to include a greater variety of Japanese characters of different ages, occupations and positions in their work. Characters became more complex reflecting both a changing attitude and growing understanding towards Australia's northern neighbors.
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