For Friday: Akutagawa Stories: "Dr. Ogata Ryosai," "O-Gin," and "Loyalty"

NO QUESTIONS for Friday, bit be sure to read the following 3 stories: “Dr. Ogata Ryosai,” “O-Gin,” and “Loyalty” since we'll have an in-class writing over it instead. Here are some ideas to consider: 

* Two of these stories are unique for their mixing of East and West, Buddhism and Christianity. What side does Akutagawa seem to be on in each one (or in different ones)? Are these anti-Western stories, or does he use the West to criticize Eastern values and ideas?  

* Japanese society follows elaborate ceremonial rites of etiquette that bind the various classes of society. Even death, in these stories, one has to follow the proper procedure! So why might a madman be particularly troubling to members of this society? Do you feel Shuri is doing this on purpose; does he know what he’s doing?

 * Akutagawa’s narrators are one of his trademarks, particularly someone like Dr. Ogata Ryosai, who doesn’t really “get” the big picture (like the narrator of "Hell Screen"). How does he inadvertently see ideas we might otherwise miss, or place a satirical spin on the characters or events?  

* Many of these stories almost seem like non-stories, as nothing particularly dramatic happens, and the stories end without any particular conclusion. As Western readers, we find this very unsatisfying (in general) and baffling. So why did Akutagawa, who knew Western culture very well, write them this way?  Why do many of his stories seem to be more like anecdotes or gossip than truly fleshed-out stories?