Comparing Aguri And The Thief

The transition between Meiji Japan and Liberal era Japan experienced growth by leaps and bounds, especially in politics and economics. Japan rose from a country under the unequal treaties to a one that was viewed as an equal by the most powerful countries of the West (Reischauer 189). Unfortunately, this was because it followed in their footsteps by becoming an imperialist nation through victories in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars (Reischauer 185 - 187). This allowed them to access resources that contributed to the growth of the economy, in addition to its integration into the world economy (Reischauer 194). In terms of politics, more and more political parties began to form, and tensions between the oligarchs of the cabinet and
Consumer culture is another new development as Japan continued to modernize, and this greatly influenced the social dynamics of Liberal era Japan. This is represented by Tanizaki Junichiro’s “Aguri” and “The Thief”. Both stories illustrate a Japan with more freedoms, which bring with it criminality and a superficial, avaricious culture. “Aguri” follows a couple that shops in Ginza and Yokohama. The only thing the main character, Okada, does is purchase things for Aguri, his girlfriend, and have sexual fantasies. This conception of love is a huge shift from the love that Daisuke and Michiyo share in And Then; while they have the freedom to date around and be with whoever they want to be, there does not seem be be any substance to this relationship. “The Thief” is narrated by a young man living among other boys in a dormitory, and they are all trying to figure out who is stealing their belongings. The thief turns out to be the narrator himself, who claims that he can’t help this habit (Tanizaki
At this time several brave women came to challenge the “good wife, wise mother” ideology and redefine femininity through a feminist magazine called the “Blue Stockings”. They published many short stories that directly critiqued and violated the feminine ideals put forth by the Meiji Civil Code, and the fact that they were able to do this shows that Japan is more open to changing social and traditional norms. One short story, “A Woman Writer” by Tamura Toshiko, is about a female writer who is in an unhappy marriage with a sexist author. The woman has violent tendencies and lashes out at her husband after he criticizes her writing, which would be unheard of under the Meiji Constitution (Handout #8, pg. 8). Shortly after, however, she feels incredibly guilty and calls herself a “bad woman”, showing that she is still under the influence of neo-traditional ideologies (Handout #8, pg. 3). A notable scene in this story is a flashback to a conversation the woman writer had with her friend, who talks about her individualism and her marriage: “Even though I am getting married, I will remain myself, I am I. The love I have is not the sake of anyone else. It’s for myself. It’s my love” (Handout #8, pg. 3). This quote challenges the Meiji notion that women are property that are meant to be bartered through arranged marriages. There is also a hint of romanticism, as the girl repeatedly