COMP 264(F) Japanese Literature and the End of the World (Same as Japanese 254)

JAPN 254(F) Japanese Literature and the End of the World (Same as Comparative Literature 264)
From the endemic warfare of the medieval era to the atomic bombing and the violent explosion of technology in the last century, the end of the world is an idea which has occupied a central place in almost every generation of Japanese literature. Paradoxically, the spectacle of destruction has given birth to some of the most beautiful, most moving, and most powerfully thrilling literature in the Japanese tradition. Texts may be drawn from medieval war narratives like The Tale of the Heike; World War II fiction and films by Ibuse Masuji, Imamura Shôhei, and Ichikawa Kon; fantasy and science fiction novels by Abe Kôbô, Murakami Haruki and Murakami Ryû; and apocalyptic comics and animation by Oshii Mamoru, Ôtomo Katsuhiro and Takahata Isao. The class and the readings are in English; no familiarity with Japanese language or culture is required.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: in-class exam, ungraded creative project, and a few short response assignments, plus two 5- to 7-page papers emphasizing original, creative readings of the literary texts.
No prerequisites. No enrollment limit (expected: 15).
Hour: C. BOLTON