Furui Yoshikichi on Physical and Mental Illness, Death, Social

LIMINALITY IN THE LATE TWENTIETH CENTURY Furui Y oshikichi on physical and mental illness, death, social ostracism, and workplace and ageing stress. (-:S«»-.;_~v ~) By Jennifer Scott BA(Hons) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Tasmania February 2002 This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University or any other institution, except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the thesis, and to the best of the Candidate's knowledge anq belief no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgment is made in the text of the thesis. This thesis may be made available for loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. Jennifer Mary Scott Date \\' 0:)..02 ABSTRACT The liminal is a condition of human existence which has been the concern of Japanese literature throughout its history, since it is an essential ingredient in the experience of crisis. This thesis examines Furui's contribution to this literature of the liminal (my term) - his careful and detailed psycho-socio-analytical studies of the late twentieth century mind in the liminal state. The introductory chapter begins with a brief overview of Furui 's writing and its place in contemporary Japanese literature, especially the literature of the liminal. I go on to outline the general theoretical approaches of the thesis. I base my argument on Turner's socio-anthropological interpretation of the tripartite structure of rites of passage, and focus on his view of the liminal as a threshold period or state in which normal social structures and hierarchies are replaced by the relatively unstructured egalitarianism of community (communitas). Extrapolating the link Turner makes with the philosopher Martin Buber' s view of community in relation to the duality I/thou, I suggest that liminality is common to and representative of the experience ofFurui's characters, and is an extremely effective concept for the analysis of the ambiguities and continually shifting perspectives of his characters' condition. In chapters two to five I look closely at examples ofFurui's writing and investigate his exploration of the liminal states which surround social ostracism, illness and mental disturbance, death, and stress in the workplace and as a result of ageing. The intellectual rigour and detail with which he deals with these issues is evidence of his debt to German and Austrian writers of the mid-twentieth century, his field of specialization as a professor of German literature. I also develop the concept of spatial and temporal liminality as important interpretative tools. I explore Furui's style and his debt to the traditional literature of the liminal in Japan, particularly the Noh drama. I account for Furui's portrayal of the mystery and poetry of the liminal condition, which distinguishes his work from medical or sociological treatises. I conclude that Furui' s rigorous and detailed psycho-socio-analytical approach to the critical states of his protagonists, enhanced by his imaginative sensitivity to language and to the philosophical issues involved, serves to distil his characters' predicaments to their essence, allowing the reader a better understanding of their experience ofliving in the late twentieth century. Acknowledgments First, I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Maria Flutsch, for her invaluable advice and guidance through what developed into a much longer period of time than first envisaged. Her constant support played a major role in helping me to complete the project. I would also like to thank Ms. Takame Ueki Sabine and other members of the academic staff of the School ofAsian Languages and Studies at the University of Tasmania for their comments, interest and encouragement over the years. I am grateful for the support of the School during my candidature and for giving me the opportunity to complete a year of research at Mie University. During my time in Mie, Professor Sachiko Matsui provided much valuable advice and practical assistance. My friends in both Australia and Japan played a big part in helping me maintain my sanity and have helped me see the thesis through with their good humour and companionship. Special recognition to Hiromi Takata, who kept me supplied with coffee and ice cream during the final stages of writing, and to my brother, Tim, who has been a steady supportive presence in his quiet and dependable way. I would also like to acknowledge the financial assistance I received through an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship and anAIEJ Scholarship. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Furui Y oshikichi for making his time so generously available on two occasions in 1997 and 1998. 1 CONTENTS Chapter One Introduction 2 Chapter Two 43 Lin:rinal Existences Chapter Three 113 The Liminality of Illness and Mental Disturbance Chapter Four 167 Death and Liminality Chapter Five 230 Stress in the Workplace and of Ageing Conclusion 277 Bibliography 288 2 Chapter One Introduction Literature of the Liminal The liminal is a condition of human existence which has always been a concern of Japanese literature, since transition is an essential factor in the experience of crisis. The link between liminality as a transitional stage in the ritual process, and the marginal world provides an important interpretative perspective on Japanese literature throughout its history. In this investigation of Furui Yosbikichi' s work, I will show just how important this aspect is to his output, in both content and style. I base my interpretation on the socio-anthropological analysis of the structure of rites of passage, as defined by van Gennep. Victor Turner's further detailed investigation of the transitional state of liminality, where subjects are relatively unbound by usual social norms and expectations, provides a useful interpretive perspective which can be effectively applied to a literary study. However, my approach is aimed at understanding more about Furui' s use of liminal features in style and content, which in tum contribute to the reader's understanding of the psychological states of Furui's protagonists. My use of the term liminality in this investigation concentrates on its "betwixt-and-betweenness", its ambiguity which allows liminars to move freely in the transitional regions, crossing and recrossing the border zone between states or social position. I also extend this concept of liminality to encompass the ambiguity of literary sty le which has been a feature of Furui' s writing from the very beginning. For the sake of convenience, I have divided Furui' s liminal concerns into four 3 broad thematic areas (marginal existences, illness, death and stress as a result of workplace pressures or the ageing process), reflecting his major concerns, and devoted a chapter to each. Of course, the works are not restricted in their thematic content to just one of these areas, but I have attempted to choose works that have that particular theme as their main focus and which provide a good illustration of the multiplicity and complexity of liminal aspects contained in them Although my classification is made on the basis of the type of liminal state being experienced by the protagonists, my discussion also includes other perspectives, such as the liminality of style and technique, and spatial and temporal liminalities. My interpretation is to be applied to the literary field, so its validity is restricted to a literary analysis. I begin my discussion with an overview of the socio-anthropological view of rites of passage and the theoretical background of liminality upon which I base my own psycho-socio-analytical approach. I also briefly look at Turner's concept of communitas and its connection with Buber's Gemeinschaft (community), as well as the link between mysticism and liminality, which provides an additional interpretative tool for an improved understanding of Furui' s view of the ecstatic marginal. A short biographical sketch of Fun.ri Y oshikichi is followed by a limited selection of examples of liminal literature in Japan as a prelude to an overview of Furui' s position in the post-war literature of Japan. I introduce the liminal features of Furui' s style and content and examine Irmela Hijiya-K.irschnereit' s theoretical model of the shishosetsu genre in order to better understand the similar features contained in Furui's work. Rites of Passage Important events in an individual's life, such as illness, death, funerals and the 4 rituals that surround them frequently feature in Furui' s writing. These are examples of rites of passage, first given a theoretical base by the social anthropologist Arnold van Gennep in 1909. Rites of passage are defined by van Gennep as "rites which accompany every change of place, state, social position and age."1 In the modem social context, the passage between one social status and another is evident in ceremonies such as marriage or graduation. The passage between one place and another could be relocation or moving home, while a move to a new job or school represents a passage between situations. In the passage of time, the social group moves from one period to another, for example into a new millenium or at New Year. The notion of liminality has its foundations in Van Gennep' s study of the structure of such rites in various cultures around the world, from which he concluded that "all rituals involving passage from one state to another share in a single tripartite structure defined by the necessary function of separation from one status and reincorporation into the new one, with a marginal or liminal period in between."2 He termed these discrete phases rites of separation or preliminal rites; rites of transition or liminal rites; and rites of reincorporation or postliminal rites.

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