A Review Of The Magnificent "Tale Of Genji"
Thursday, March 12, 2009
By Alvin Keith Rodriguez Sanorjo
Iv-Newton

Being written by the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early part of eleventh century, The Tale of Genji becomes a classic work of Japanese literature concerning the son of a Japanese emperor, his romantic life and the customs of aristocratic society at the time. Called alternatively the world's first novel, the first modern novel or the first novel to be considered a classic; precisely which is a matter of debate by those who make a living debating such things. Nobel Prize winning novelist Yasunari Kawabata named The Tale of Genji "the highest pinnacle of Japanese literature. Even down to our day there has not been a piece of fiction to compare with it."

The Tale of Genji was written for Japanese women of the yokibito, or aristocracy, and possesses many of the elements found in novels today: a central character, major and minor characters, well-developed characterization, psychological insight, complexity, sequential events taking place upon a time line based upon the central character's lifetime. Rather than using a plot, events just happen and characters evolve simply by growing older, much as in real life. The internal consistency of Genji is a notable feature, and evidence of Murasaki's skill; all characters age in relation to each other, and relationships between them remain consistent throughout chapters.
As far as I read, I notice that there is lack of names. According to my researches, even translator had problem translating it.They are usually referred to instead by their function, role, honorific or relation to other characters; for example 'Minister of the Right,' 'His Excellency' or 'Heir Apparent.' Lack of names was a feature of Heian era court protocol, which decreed their use in a public forum as unacceptably familiar.

Actually it was written to entertain women of the aristocracy in eleventh century Japan. The novel employs Heian period court Japanese: a highly inflected language with extremely and pretty complex grammar. Poetry has been often used in conversation, as was the custom in court life, with classic poems modified or rephrased according to the situation at hand. Of the classic Japanese tanka form, the poems would have been well known to the intended audience, and are often left unfinished as if mimicking of thoughts unsaid, the reader expected to complete a word or sentence— a complicating factor for a modern readership unversed in Heian era poetry.

Unlike in the times of Shakespeare where only men are allowed to act in a play, this nove l was intended for female audience , female author and maybe female actor. All official documents, essays and works of history were written in Chinese characters and only by men, producing the paradoxical situation where men wrote mostly in bad Chinese while their spouses produced excellent works in native Japanese. Women's prose and poetry from this period, of which The Tale of Genji is pre-eminent in same manner as Shakespeare in English, form the basis of what in time became a truly national literature, as poets switched from Chinese to the new Japanese scripts for their elegant simplicity and flexibility.

It is clearly that the story revolves around the story of a young man and his romantic life. It is a good story actually pertaining to the real life of a growing man. It's pretty realistic...really.The true happenings in medieval Japan, I think. But the part where the love of his life dies(this is in chapter 40), It actually pierce right through my heart.

Even though I didn't read the whole book(p.s. it cost more or less Php1000), I tried my best to find an ALTERNATIVE. That's why there is an Internet...sorry if I copied some info on the net. I will just write the address in the end of my review.

All in all the novel was a heck of amazement to me. I've never seen a novel so life like...where teenagers like us can relate to. One thing is just disturbing in this novel. It is the fact that this novel is "boomy"(a slang word only known to higher class of humans...joke!), too sexually explicit....


This is the sites where I get some of the infos here

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tale-of-Genji:-Book-Review&id=433504
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/packages/us/taleofgenji/introduction3.html

AN EVERLASTING MEMORY OF SEVENTEEN: A BOOK REVIEW OF NICHOLAS SPARKS' A WALK TO REMEMBER

By Vladimir Paat Villegas
IV-Sir Isaac Newton


When I was 17, my life changed forever… I relieve that year often in my mind, bringing it back to life, and I realize that when I do, I always feel a strange combination of sadness and joy… First, you will smile, and then you will cry – don’t say you haven’t been warned…

These were a few excerpts as Landon Carter started to tell her unforgettable memories of his wife, Jamie Sullivan, in Nicholas Spark’s A Walk to Remember.

The author, by the time the book was written, was living in North Carolina with a wife and three sons. He also wrote different New York Times bestsellers including The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, and The Rescue and also a co-author of Wonkini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding. According to him, the inspiration of the novel came from his sister who would be remembered through her life and courage.

As told by Landon himself, the story took place in Beaufort, North Carolina in 1958, wherein he was 17. By that time, he was having some good time with his life, especially with Rev Hegbert Sullivan, the Southern Baptist minister of the town. After some time, he encountered a major turn in his life that began in his portrayal in a Christmas stage play. His feelings toward Jamie Sullivan, the shy daughter of the minister, began to develop through the times they did things together, enabling Landon to be more matured that what he was. Their love then went on through an ordeal – Jamie’s suffering under leukemia – until the day came that their wishes came true through their wedding. Right then, Landon realized that even if Jamie died, all the memories that were left with him were worth treasuring after four decades.

Through the different events that happened throughout the story, one would see the different themes of trust, faithfulness, concern, fortitude, and love. These themes then serve as the summary of all the memories of that year.

Obviously seen, the story was written by the author in an omniscient point of view. He presented the story with himself as Landon narrating his life through the different flashbacks and its further explanation of the story, thus revealing good elements.

Simplicity is one edge of the book. Though, it does not mean that every thing is too literal when the reader sees it. There are some parts that were given some touch of depth in terms of language. However, the author has a good sense of words that may not get the reader into topsy-turvy paths of vocabulary. Some parts that need further clarification are also written well. Through simple vocabulary, the events are given justice from misunderstanding of the readers. And a good edge of it is imagery. Some scenes might just be pictured by the reader upon a glance.

By the simplicity, clarity is induced. Simple words make the reader understand the story further and faster. Reading between the lines can be done also upon the happenings that the reader needs not to think deeper.

The theme presented through the different things mentioned above also keeps a person to continue reading the book. It might have been talking something that has been beyond what is teenage romance because of their activities. However, it makes such great persuasion through kisses and different things that are still wholesome. Without the use of any obscene elements, such sweet love that can happen by that time is well-presented.

And most of all, the logic of the story is outstanding. The serial events show many interrelations with all the other events, the characters, even with the theme. Explanations are somehow given justice except when the narrator says “don’t ask me why” instead of saying it in a more gentle way. Thoughts and arguments presented throughout the story may also amaze the readers because something done might be far from what is possible.

Upon the touching of emotions, it talks about romance. As said earlier, the kind of romance presented is wholesome that the parents of the young readers have nothing to worry. It just touches the touches the feelings of the readers through the different events that show the legacy of their love through the ordeals and through the years of solitude. It also keeps the reader on track especially when the lead characters talk as couples.

There are some events that tackle humor in such a way that it does not raise too many eyebrows. Good examples of these are the eating of peanuts in the graveyard and the calling of Landon to the minister directly through his name. These hilarious deeds then make the reader smile even a little.

A different form of tragedy is also a touching quality in the story. His wife may have died already but one will see that throughout her life, every thing was done at the right time. These then makes the story bittersweet, touching the reader further as the narrator summarizes all of it after four decades.

After all the analysis, it is clear that the book suggests that in any walk of life, a person may see another side of a negative thing and its best way is through the heart, making him mature further than what he is. This then leaves everyone to accept that a loss that uplifted someone else shall remain living forever even in the memories.

All of these then leave out almost all points convincing. Some might not be. But those are too little to find out because one reader will relate to the novel one way or another. A good example is the love from my friends and my families, who might be far away from me in the soon future. But it will leave such beautiful memories worth watching because it became the secret construction material to make such good structure of my personality.

Everything may go. Everything may fade through time. But because of triggering the maturity of a Landon Carter, the memory of Jamie Sullivan will last forever. It will be an everlasting memory of seventeen.