JAPANESE LITERATURE

Japanese literature has been influenced heavily by the Chinese literature from the ancient period all the way to the Edo Period
(1603-1868) which corresponds to the early modern Japanese literature. Japanese literary works also reveal elements of Indian and
later of Western elements but above all, they reveal a distinct style which has also greatly influenced both Eastern and Western
literatures.
Japanese literature can be divided into four periods: the ancient, classical, medieval, and modern.
Ancient literature in Japan deals primarily with myths and legends. Tales like the creation of Japan, wherein the islands came
from the gemstones imbued in the swords of gods are very prominent during this period. The celebrated writers during this period
are Ono Yasumaro, Nihon Shoki, and Man’yoshu who wrote based on real events in the country.
The classical literature in Japan occurred during the golden age, the Heian period. During this period, Murasaki Shikibu, one of the
greatest Japanese writers, wrote the seminal text, Tale of Genji. Tale of Genji, considered the world’s first novel, is a very charming
and accurate depiction of the Japanese court during the Heian period under the reign of Empress Akiko.
History and literature were intertwined during the Medieval period due to the influence of the civil wars and the emergence of
the warrior class. Thus, war tales are very prominent during this period. Besides war stories and tales, the popular form of Japanese
poetry, the renga, saw its rise.
Modern literature can be further divided into early modern, which happened during the Edo period, and modern, which started
during the Meiji period, when Japan opened its doors to the West. The early modern gave way to the rise of new genres like the
Japanese drama, kabuki, the poetry form known for its simplicity and subtlety, haiku, and the yomihon, a type of Japanese book
which put little emphasis on illustration.
The modern period also marked the emergence of new styles of writing. Japanese writers started to romanticize and tried
experimenting with different genres and subject matters. The Second World War heavily affected Japanese literature but soon, the
distinct Japanese style of writing manage to regain its popularity. Some of the prominent modern Japanese writers are Yasunari
Kawabata, Kobi Abe, Takiji Kobayashi, and Haruki Murakami to mention a few.
(https://www.scribd.com/document/412634387/21st-Century-Literature-of-the-Philippines-and-ofthe-World-1)

ACTIVITY 1: Fill in each blank with the correct word to complete each statement below about Japanese literature.
1. The country which has much influence on Japanese literature was ____________.
2. Japanese literature can be divided into four periods: the ___________,
____________, ___________________, and ________________.
3. Ancient literature in Japan deals primarily with ______________ and __________.
4. The classical literature in Japan occurred during the golden age, the
____________ period.
5. ______________ is considered the world’s first novel.
6. ____________ and ______________ intertwined during the Medieval period due
to the influence of the civil wars and the emergence of the warrior class.
7. The early modern period gave way to the rise of new genres like the Japanese
_____________, _______________, _________________, and _____________.

The Boy Named Crow (an excerpt from Kafka on the Shore)
by Haruki Murakami
Activity 2A: Answer the following questions.
1. What does the boy feel toward Crow? Give textual evidence to prove your point.
2. How would you describe the boy named Crow?
3. What does the sandstorm represent? Give textual evidence to prove this.
4. Why does the boy in the story have to be the toughest 15-year-old in the world?
5. Could you relate to the main character of the story? Why or why not?
6. Do you think all of us have experienced the storm that the text is talking about? Support your answer. You can cite your own
experience.

B. Extract the part that shows the figure of speech and then identifies what it means. The first one is done for you.

1. Sentence – Money isn’t like mushrooms in a forest; it doesn’t just pop up on its own
Figure of speech used - simile
Meaning – Money is going to run out one day.
2. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________
3. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________
4. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________
5. Sentence - ________________________________________________________
Figure of speech used _______________________________________________
Meaning - _________________________________________________________
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