Megan Saliba Alternative Calendars 9 November 1999 Existence in a World Divided Lurking in the “mystery of the Orient”(Tanizaki 20) lies the images and beauty created by shadows. It is this traditional essence which is being replaced and forgotten as westernized culture and morality sprout their roots in the Japanese society. Tanizaki’s specifically examines this idea of clashing cultures in the essay In the Praise of Shadows, and indirectly and symbolically reveals this concept through the …showed first 75 words of 903 total…

…showed last 75 words of 903 total…and supports the incorporation of Westernized culture into the original customs and the future of Japan. But the understanding of the western world’s impact, having lured many away from a reasonable and original rate of development and tradition, has in turn created the drastic cultural splits within Japan. Symbolically, Kaname’s interactions and interpretations of women, and the environment in which he exists, represent the paradoxical relationships between the West and Japan. Bibliography none