Mimicry’ & ‘Cultural Hybridity’ From Homi Bhaha to Junichiro Tanizaki (Post-Colonial Studies)

Setyowati, Yulis (2014) Mimicry’ & ‘Cultural Hybridity’ From Homi Bhaha to Junichiro Tanizaki (Post-Colonial Studies). Working Paper. Fajar Satria, Surabaya.

Text (Mimicry’ & ‘Cultural Hybridity’ From Homi Bhaha to Junichiro Tanizaki (Post-Colonial Studies)) monograf bhabha notion-yulis setyowati - YULIS SETYOWATI.pdf Download (2MB)

Abstract

Tanizaki is regarded as an important figure in contemporary Japanese literature. In comparison to other Japanese writers, Tanizaki has a unique trait which distinguishes him from others. One of them is that Tanizaki started his debut since 1910, and until his death in 1965, Tanizaki continued to be a popular, top-selling writer. In can be said that for 55 years, Tanizaki never stopped writing and his works never stopped selling. Another feature of Tanizaki is that he was able to survive the changes going on in the Japanese society, from the Meiji era (1868- 1912), all the way through Taisho (1912-1926) and the pre-war and post-war Showa (1926-1989). During that time Tanizaki kept publishing, selling and maintaining his popularity for such a long time. In early years of his writing, Tanizaki is infatuated with the West and all modern things. His first debuts are often discussed as part of the general tendency in the literary movements of the time. It had been noted that at 1920"s in Japan the motion picture was introduced as well as other elements of modern culture, and Tanizaki was the first Japanese to found and run a film company. In line with these changing, Tanizaki changed both his writing style (from one who is infatuated with the West and all modern things to purely Japanese one) and the contents of his novels. Tanizaki"s changing style seems to be also influenced by his moving up to Okamoto. After the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, Tanizaki decided to move to Okamoto- an area in which rich Japanese tradition was still alive and represents Japan"s old culture- which is totally different from Tokyo. Living in Okamoto triggered him to write classical Japanese beauty. As a result, at this phase most of Tanizaki"s masterpieces reveal the theme of clash between traditional culture and the urge to be modern country. In a way, Tanizaki is a controversial author who subtly portrays the dynamics of family life in the context of the rapid changes in 20th-century Japanese society. Frequently his stories are narrated in the context of a search for cultural identity in which constructions of "the West" and "Japanese tradition" are juxtaposed. Sei Ito notes, “If we removed this writer from our contemporary literature, it would surely create a huge emptiness.” It is clearly shown that Tanizaki puts himself in a towering position amongst the famous writers in Japan. He started his career as a writer in 1910 when he was a student at Tokyo University. His debut work Shisie (The Tattoer) was well accepted. Then, his first work invites Kafu Nagai to comment entitled Tanizaki Jun"ichiro shi no sakuhin (Mr. Tanizaki Jun"chiro"s works, 1911). In his critique Nagai remarks that Tanizaki produced a series of works either on exotic setting or describing strange feeling or phenomenon.

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