Assignment: Background Research

Masuji Ono, the narrator of Ishiguro's An Artist of the Floating World, begins his story in Japan in October of 1948.  He discusses his life before and after the war.  Throughout the book so far, there have been many historical and cultural references made, and knowing about those references can help us understand the story better.

Due Monday 3/4
Choose an area to research.  Find the reference in An Artist of the Floating World and think about why Ishiguro chose to include that reference in the story.  Read about the reference online and if you can, in books found in the library.  For this project, a summary of Wikipedia entries is allowed.  However, please keep in mind that if you were writing a formal academic research paper, your readings from Wikipedia would just be the starting point and could not be used as a reference.  Also remember, you may find more interesting information on other websites or in books. 

Due after Spring break:
Write a 1-2 page summary of your readings and an explanation of the importance of the reference in the book.  Focus on the information that can help us better understand Ono's story. Turn in a printed copy of your writing on 3/7, which will be photocopied and distributed to the class.  Even though this is not a formal research paper, please include the source of your information at the end of your writing.

Present your research in class. In your presentation, you should summarize your writing and show short video clips or photographs that help us understand the reference.

Choose one of these areas or discuss your own ideas with Nichole:

• Godzilla - Jenny
• The Lone Ranger and Silver - Yunbae
• Lord Yoshitsune and Miyamoto Musashi - Feng
• Japan and the U.S. in World War II
• The Floating World
• harikiri/ honor in Japanese society - Jangwon
• The Japanese in Manchuria/China in World War II - Cheng
• Japanese propaganda posters during World War II - Lee
• Japanese traditional architecture