Women have been at the forefront of Japanese literature for over a thousand years, from classics like The Pillow Book and Tale of Genji to the recent explosion of novels in translation such as Convenience Store Woman.
On this one-off taster course we will look at the (very) short story ‘Planting’ by important contemporary author Aoko Matsuda. In just a few pages Matsuda raises many interesting questions about Japan’s response to the 2011 tsunami, the situation of women in contemporary Japan, and the importance of role models from literature and elsewhere.
Together we will closely read and discuss this powerful story while beginning to situate it in the longer history of Japanese women’s literature.
Copies of the story and background materials will be provided on the day. All you need is enthusiasm for reading and discussing books!
About the tutor
Lewis Ward has been teaching literature for over 20 years. He has travelled widely in Japan, and has friends and family connections there. Join him in November for a longer exploration of this topic on the Mary Ward course ‘From Pillow Books to Convenience Stores: Japanese Women’s Literature’.
