I also haven't read it yet. No time to read anything for pleasure with classes going on. But I plan on reading it...now that I can buy a copy (impossible to get one during xmas....everywhere was sold out!) I wonder how the movie adaption is compared to the book? -becka :)
Hmm. Orientalism. I think you're definitely right, however I think we're actually in a larger phase of Culturalism. As in, we've got these huge countries of immigrants, some who feel connected to a cultural past and a lot who don't.
I think a lot of people like to "sample" other culturals as a way to fill the void of having none of their own. (Hello, Madonna anyone?)
And I don't see it going away anytime soon. I think a charge of culturalism(orientalism) for this book is correct, but only in so much that's a book written to satisfy what a lot of people want (as you've pointed out) and what a lot of people what is culture.
i kinda meant orientalism in terms of power and the hegemonic deviousness intrinstic in it.
i mean...what is he pretending to write in this book? what is he trying to say? I think he knows that he's writting crap and is happy to know that he has gotten away with it - with a fat ol' cheque.
i agree tho! i see a general searching in culture now... and a 'trying on' of various 'other' kinds. (a sentence in itself with inscribes the idea that a Western culture is well and good)
But i think this general searching may be a good addition and hopefully this desire to be open to 'other' cultures will stay (altho the whole 'appropriation' issue makes this sticky... i'm a fan)
i would accept that if a geisha or a even a japanese man wrote it... but there are too many problems for me. Especially after seeing an interview with the author. What a git.
I wonder what the japanese think about all the fuss with one book
is there such thing as responsibility in writing? or should there be?
I think so. I don't think a story is ever just a story; it comes from somewhere, is written by someone with some sort of agenda or ideology in mind (even if it is unconsious), is OF someone/people and does thing after it is made. bad stories, good stories... all of them.
this means there is no such thing as *just* a story/novel/fiction etc.
BUT that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a book even though it has those issues. Sometimes it's best they exist to remind us of that... I'm just saying be aware of it. Like I read Terry Goodkind books. Talk a bout capitalism in fantasy!! Capes and magic in a fantasy USA. I have problems with it... but i read them! (and enjoy them.)
And I'd actually rather read the harlequin (sp?) novels over the memoirs of a geisha any day. At least we know those paperbacks are crap. (tee hee - sorry now i'm just poking you for fun!)
P.S. About history and narratives, and politics of personal narratives in a larger context there is a book called "Meatless Days" by Sulari. It's easy to read and makes this point very clear. If anyone is interested
10 comments:
I haven't read it. I've heard mixed things, so I wasn't sure. What did YOU think?
I also haven't read it yet. No time to read anything for pleasure with classes going on. But I plan on reading it...now that I can buy a copy (impossible to get one during xmas....everywhere was sold out!)
I wonder how the movie adaption is compared to the book?
-becka :)
Too simple, too easy... and too obviously a product to appease the contemporary markets.
this whole asian trend thing is annoying and i'm wondering if it's not just the f2 of orientalism. (f2 seems very close to f1 here...)
Hmm. Orientalism. I think you're definitely right, however I think we're actually in a larger phase of Culturalism. As in, we've got these huge countries of immigrants, some who feel connected to a cultural past and a lot who don't.
I think a lot of people like to "sample" other culturals as a way to fill the void of having none of their own. (Hello, Madonna anyone?)
And I don't see it going away anytime soon. I think a charge of culturalism(orientalism) for this book is correct, but only in so much that's a book written to satisfy what a lot of people want (as you've pointed out) and what a lot of people what is culture.
(Your culture, any culture, give it to me now!)
i kinda meant orientalism in terms of power and the hegemonic deviousness intrinstic in it.
i mean...what is he pretending to write in this book? what is he trying to say? I think he knows that he's writting crap and is happy to know that he has gotten away with it - with a fat ol' cheque.
Said's idea of Orientalism...
i agree tho! i see a general searching in culture now... and a 'trying on' of various 'other' kinds. (a sentence in itself with inscribes the idea that a Western culture is well and good)
But i think this general searching may be a good addition and hopefully this desire to be open to 'other' cultures will stay (altho the whole 'appropriation' issue makes this sticky... i'm a fan)
i would accept that if a geisha or a even a japanese man wrote it... but there are too many problems for me. Especially after seeing an interview with the author. What a git.
I wonder what the japanese think about all the fuss with one book
here's the gist of it for me:
is there such thing as responsibility in writing? or should there be?
I think so. I don't think a story is ever just a story; it comes from somewhere, is written by someone with some sort of agenda or ideology in mind (even if it is unconsious), is OF someone/people and does thing after it is made. bad stories, good stories... all of them.
this means there is no such thing as *just* a story/novel/fiction etc.
BUT that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a book even though it has those issues. Sometimes it's best they exist to remind us of that... I'm just saying be aware of it. Like I read Terry Goodkind books. Talk a bout capitalism in fantasy!! Capes and magic in a fantasy USA. I have problems with it... but i read them! (and enjoy them.)
And I'd actually rather read the harlequin (sp?) novels over the memoirs of a geisha any day. At least we know those paperbacks are crap. (tee hee - sorry now i'm just poking you for fun!)
P.S. About history and narratives, and politics of personal narratives in a larger context there is a book called "Meatless Days" by Sulari. It's easy to read and makes this point very clear. If anyone is interested
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