Sushi and Baseball
Early Summer depicts a Japan in transition. Defeated and occupied by the Americans, the Japanese both cling to their traditional ways and embrace new ideas from their occupiers. How does the movie show this transition? Does this movie make a judgment about the new American influence? Is there a political slant, however subtle, in this film? What does this movie think about baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie?
In Early Summer, the transition that Japanese culture is undergoing during this time period is exemplified in the younger female characters in the film. While there are still hints of old traditions lingering when it comes to Noriko’s marriage, she is given full discretion in her decision making, which is something that may not have been common in Japanese culture before this. Her family attempts to find her a match with Satake and pressures her into marriage, but she is ultimately able to make her own decision when she decided to marry Kenkichi, and has the full support of her family. Throughout the film, Noriko’s age is highlighted constantly as everyone finds it unusual that she is unmarried at 28. This is another sign that things have changed for young women, as Noriko has made it to 28 without being forced into marriage, as women before would often marry in their late teens or early twenties. She emphasizes that she wishes to explore her options and find the right person, and this is largely respected (minus the pressures of her elders). Another young woman Noriko talks to in the movie (a friend from school) is also unmarried and of similar age to Noriko, so this shift in emphasis on marriage for love is not exclusive to Noriko/not only allowed by her family. In her day-to-day life, Noriko is a working woman who takes advantage of all the liberties this entails. The fact that she is able to work outside of the house as opposed to being expected to stay home as a homemaker/take care of children is notable in the newfound privileges that women now have. This film is a good document of feminist movements of the time as women are able to branch outside of their traditional roles in the home and begin to have the same liberties as men. This movie conveys liberal ideologies as the break from tradition by women in Japan at the time is key to this progression.
ReplyDeleteI noticed as the movie went on, there was a clear American influence/presence in the film. There is talk of coca cola, a traditional American structure and housing. There is a mix of culture. If you look at the house, it appears to be the traditional Japanese style with the sliding doors and low tables. The front door area seems to be the exception. There is a more American door style with a shelf for shoes and coats. Another very clear place of American influence is the industrialization of Japan. The city, from what we see is more modern. It has a grid layout with clear buildings and roadways. If you had not known the movie is set in japan, it could be easily confused for a street in any major metropolitan city. The roads look just like they do in the US, probably due to the USA being in the country. The railways and other methods of transportation have signs in English for the soldiers and tourists maybe. The clothes people are wearing also fit the bill of America’s influence. The 2 boys are wearing baseball hats and during the photo scene they cant decide if they want them on or off. They are the new fashion trend, but they at the time do not know how it will be in the long run. The movie does not make a large judgement about the influence. There is a little bit of mention how the usa lifestyle is more ideal and how women are “modern” now. I would say that it is very minor and the usa influence is just simply the way life is now. It isn’t bad or good, just simply is.
ReplyDeleteThe American transitions are very obvious in the Early Summer. The attitude of old japan lingers throughout the film as Noriko’s whole family is trying to set her up with some rich man who is much older than her. In Japan before America came in, that was the norm as the families would chose the husband for the bride as there wasn’t much self- expression from young females in Japan. With the American occupancy it encourages Noriko to take apart of more western traditions and have a voice for herself. She decides on a man who is her age and who she really likes. This was looked down on in the film because it was seen as a foolish choice as the man Noriko chose didn’t have a reputable name and didn’t have as much money. I think in a way the younger generation appreciates what America brings to Japan as Noriko breaks out of her families tradition going so far as the break up the family for her marriage, while her brother and her parents follow the old Japan and insist that she goes with the match that her boss had set up. I think this film can be used as a film that makes fun of American culture and looks down on it. The number of characters that are against Noriko’s free-willed mind greatly out numbers the people who actually believe in Noriko’s decision. I think that is evidence enough to show that most of Japan in against the changes that America has brought to it.
ReplyDeleteIn Early Summer, there are clear transitions to Western culture and specifically American culture. The movie shows this through the dialogue that they are adopting American culture. Noriko and her friend speak about the lifestyles they expect to lead as wives. Noriko's friend says that he always expected Noriko to have a full fridge of Coca-Cola and speak English in her household. While Noriko does not lead this lifestyle, it is clear that Japan is taking on the popular culture of American lifestyle especially in major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo. Also, from the office building we can see American military vehicles drive down the street. This movie has a different way of thinking that most political movies that challenge the occupants or status quo. The Japanese welcome this culture and the military to Japan despite nuclear weapons being deployed in Japan within the last decade. The movie gives off a pro-capitalism vibe because of its promotion of Western culture within the movie during a time when proxy wars were becoming more and more frequent. As a whole, the movie embraces American pastimes and are welcoming to the American military. Americans adopt Japanese culture in the form of anime and cuisine over the next half century while in turn the Japanese adopt our favorite pastime, baseball. The film has a strong female role in it as well. Traditional Japanese culture would have men be the head of the household with married men being the dominant role for a married woman and a father for an unmarried woman. The character of Noriko (old for an unmarried woman in Japan) is extremely western thinking because she chooses her own husband (who is a divorcee) and works a job when the traditional female Japanese bachelor would have her family choose her bride and help her mother out with household chores. Early Summer is very progressive thinking because the fall of the Japanese Empire and introduction of American culture and values.
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