The Outsider Within: Ten Essays on Modern Japanese Women Writers

by Tomoko Kuribayashi (Editor), Mizuho Terasawa (Editor), Reiko Yonogi (Contribution by), Chigusa Kimura-Steven (Contribution by), Masayo Kaneko (Contribution by)

Overview

The Outsider Within contains ten articles written by new and veteran scholars of Japanese women writers, both from the U.S. and abroad, with a focus on their fictional works available in English translation. Preceded by a general introduction, which discusses the position of the Japanese woman writer as an outsider within their native society, the ten essays offer general information on Japanese women's literature, society, and culture, along with detailed analyses of individual works.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761822431
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	04/25/2002
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	5.62(w) x 8.78(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Tomoko Kuribayashi is Assistant Professor of English, University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Acknowledgements Chapter 3 Note on Japanese Names Chapter 4 Introduction Chapter 5 Modern Writing-The Renaissance: Desire for Autonomy and Connection: Tamura Toshiko's Female Characters; Flower Power: Nature, Art, and Woman in Okamoto Kanoko's "A Floral Pageant" Chapter 6 Post-World War II Writers-The Pioneers: Reclaiming the Critical Voice in Enchi Fumiko's The Waiting Years; Setouchi Jakucho: Female Subjectivity in the Exploration of "Self," Sexuality, and Spirituality Chapter 7 Exploring New Women's Lives-Confronting the M/Other: A Defiant Muse: Reading and Situating Kurahashi Yumiko's Narrative Subjectivity; The Ordinary and the Marginal: The Significance of Mother in Tomioka Taeko's Works; Fantasies of Maternal Ambivalen Chapter 8 Young Writers-Women's New Places: Sharing Sex, Sharing Meals: A Discussion of Hayashi Mariko's Works; Destabilization of Gender in New Age Japanese Women's Literature: Yoshimoto Banana and Arai Motoko Chapter 9 Bibliography Chapter 10 About the Contributors Chapter 11 Index

Editorial Reviews

Focusing on fictional works available in English translation, ten essays consider the place of 20th-century Japanese women writers as outsiders in one sense or another. Presented by Kuribayashi (U. of Wisconsin at Stevens Point) and Terasawa (Waseda U., Japan) the essays consider ways that writers flaunted femininity, critiqued the position of women in Japanese society, existed as outsiders in ways not necessarily related to their gender, and explored contemporary Japanese sexual politics. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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