Blog 13

1. I'm not sure that I found the scene that explains it well, although perhaps Kurokawa's decision to make Horikoshi work on an already completed project was an example?  Maybe also the point where Horikoshi is told that he will stay in Germany without really being asked what he wants.

2. When it comes to Sempai-Kohai relationships, the obvious example in The Wind Rises is the relationship between Kurokawa and Horikoshi.  As Horikoshi’s boss, Kurokawa has the right to order Horikoshi around, even “hazing” him slightly.  Because Horikoshi understand this relationship, he answers all of Kurokawa’s questions and orders with a simple “hai” (“yes sir”).

 

3. One of the major themes in The Wind Rises is the process of Japan trying to catch up with its Western counterparts in terms of technology and engineering, so this process of iitoko dori takes place throughout the film, as Horikoshi travels to Germany and speaks to an Italian designer to learn how to create something uniquely his own.

4. Your comparative analysis paper

① What are you going to compare and contrast?

Silence and ambiguity in social interactions in Japanese and American cultures.

②What Japanese key concepts are you going to use? 

Chinmoko, aimai, kenkyo, honne, tatemae

③Thesis statement---What are you going to prove by explaining #1 and #2.  

Although these two cultures have different ways of achieving it, both cultures are attempting to achieve a stronger sense of community: the Japanese use silence and ambiguity in the hopes of causing no one offense, while Americans speak their mind in the hopes of open opinions causing change to ineffective or offensive social rules.

④What is the writing format for your paper

MLA