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"In a Bamboo Grove" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, (Kurt:) Reflects…
"In a Bamboo Grove" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Q1: Vs. other sub-genres of crime fiction
Structure
Narrative Multiple Perspective Approach
'Truth' as a subjective element
[Clare] information provided are
inconsistent and contradicts
either their own stories or that of the other characters.
[Spencer] In search for truth, can it still be
distilled
if it is subjective?
[Clare] It
may not always be distilled,
especially right then and there. Those who
claim
to be eyewitnesses may be
unreliable, whether purposefully or not.
[Rapha] Characters presented their viewpoints,
influenced by their own biases, motivations, and interpretations.
[Ryan] It is not always something definite and is
easily distorted and manipulated
depending on how different individuals frame their claims and how we ourselves interpret such.
[Pia] whenever a fact gets established, it mostly later on gets disproven due to
diverse testimonies
. The witnesses ultimately become
unreliable narrators
.
[Kurt] delves deeper into the complexities of human perception and the
fallibility of eyewitness testimony
.
Psychology
[Hash] themes of
truth and perception
are observed, urging readers to question the
reliability of our memory
[Stella]
Hindsight bias:
individuals overestimate their ability to predict the turnout of events.
Moral ambiguity
[Spencer] characters constantly grapple with
ethical choices
, reconsidering perspectives on what is right and wrong.
Social, Historical, Cultural
[Spencer and Clare] the influence of
Japanese culture
[Spencer]
understanding contexts
providing stepping stones closer to the author's own interpretation
Q4: The priest's description of Masago
(Kurt:) Evokes
a sense of fascination
to captivate reader's imagination & intrigue
(Vicky:) Vague description due to the priest being unable to take a proper glimpse of her
(RG:) Such detailed description of just her clothes because the priest was
restraining himself
from feeling attraction
Q5: Masago's claim
(Ryan:) It is her attempt of
proving conformity
to social gender expectations.
This masks her defiance
Q3: Takehiro as a samurai
Bushido
code of conduct
for samurais
Seppuku
committing suicide =
restore honor/eliminate shame from
(Gina:)
Masago (his wife)'s rape
(Gina, Stella, Biboy, & AC:)
Losing to Tajomaru (inferior class)
(Stella:)
Being abandoned
by Masago
in Feudal Japan's social hierarchy
(Gina:) Warrior class, influence on military and government matters
(Gina:) Leniency in legal punishments
(Stella:) Upper middle class (seen with decent clothes and weaponry)
Q2: Tajomaru and the twenty thrusts
Machismo
(Rafa:)
Personal desires
over conventional morality
(Pam:) Amused by the challenge
(Sylv:)
Victory and masculinity over values
[Pauhua]
values fighting strength
Reputation
(Sylv, Pam:)
Flaunting his skills
; winning after levelling the playing field
(Bloo:) Not a disgraceful bandit, but an
honorable fighter
[Clare and Pauhua]
aggrandizing and self-mythologizing
Justice
Minimized/justified
the crime
(Pam:) People in
positions of power
commit worse crimes
Levelled the playing field
(untied Takehiro)
(Rafa:)
Selfish or selfless? Magnifying grandeur or valuing honor?
(Sylv:) Not murder, but a victory
(Kurt:)
Reflects social perceptions
on femininity and purity, reinforcing conventional notions of womanhood
a strong sense of masculine pride
(Gina, Biboy, & AC:)
(Stella:)