The Literature of Kita Morio DISSERTATION Presented In
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Insignificance Given Meaning: The Literature of Kita Morio DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Masako Inamoto Graduate Program in East Asian Languages and Literatures The Ohio State University 2010 Dissertation Committee: Professor Richard Edgar Torrance Professor Naomi Fukumori Professor Shelley Fenno Quinn Copyright by Masako Inamoto 2010 Abstract Kita Morio (1927-), also known as his literary persona Dokutoru Manbô, is one of the most popular and prolific postwar writers in Japan. He is also one of the few Japanese writers who have simultaneously and successfully produced humorous, comical fiction and essays as well as serious literary works. He has worked in a variety of genres. For example, The House of Nire (Nireke no hitobito), his most prominent work, is a long family saga informed by history and Dr. Manbô at Sea (Dokutoru Manbô kôkaiki) is a humorous travelogue. He has also produced in other genres such as children‟s stories and science fiction. This study provides an introduction to Kita Morio‟s fiction and essays, in particular, his versatile writing styles. Also, through the examination of Kita‟s representative works in each genre, the study examines some overarching traits in his writing. For this reason, I have approached his large body of works by according a chapter to each genre. Chapter one provides a biographical overview of Kita Morio‟s life up to the present. The chapter also gives a brief biographical sketch of Kita‟s father, Saitô Mokichi (1882-1953), who is one of the most prominent tanka poets in modern times. The biographical information not only provides important background when examining Kita‟s fiction and essays but also indicates the influences on his writings. Chapter two examines two of his fictional works, Ghosts (Yûrei) and The House of Nire. ii Although both works are fictional, they contain strong autobiographical elements: Ghosts is highly introspective and tinged with Jungian insight; on the other hand, The House of Nire is a family epic that depicts the decline of one family over three generations during the enormous upheavals Japan underwent from 1918 to 1946. Through the examination of the two works and several of his essays, I demonstrate how Kita depicts the same materials from different perspectives. Chapter three deals with one of Kita‟s humorous travelogues, Dr. Manbô at Sea. Although this work is considered “humorous,” I argue that the work also has the theme of “recovery” beneath the comical style of the work. By tracing his alter-ego‟s journey as a ship‟s doctor on a Japanese Fishery Agency‟s survey ship, the chapter examines what materials are subjected to laughter and what are not. The methods Kita employs to make a phrase and a sentence “comical” are also analyzed in the chapter. In chapter four, his children‟s stories for the young and for adults are examined. Special attention is given to what makes some of his stories a “tale for children,” and how the components appear in these stories. Chapter five takes up his major works that do not fit easily into any given genre and are not discussed in the previous chapters. Translations of one essay and four short stories, which have not been translated previously and are discussed in this study, are provided in the Appendix. iii Dedication Dedicated to my parents iv Acknowledgments It was ten years ago in August 2000 that I set out for Columbus, Ohio, an 11 hour trip from Saratoga Springs, New York, in a fully loaded car with all my worldly possessions to return to graduate school to study Japanese literature; I was excited, anxious, and downright scared. It has been a long road with many ups and downs, and I could not have come this far without the help of so many along the way. First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Professor Richard Torrance, for his guidance, patience, and constant encouragement throughout my graduate work. His intellectual and personal support has carried me through this long journey. I am also truly thankful to my other committee members, Professors Shelley Quinn and Naomi Fukumori, for their instruction and guidance throughout my graduate studies and for graciously agreeing to serve on my dissertation committee. I am indebted to Professor Mari Noda for generously supporting my return to Columbus summer after summer to take courses and to work closely on my dissertation with my advisor. My heartfelt appreciation goes to Professors Charles Quinn and Shelley Quinn for constantly giving me warm support. v I am also very grateful to Professor Etsuyo Yuasa for being very encouraging and supportive ever since I had her as my professor in J801. The late Professor William Tyler always went the extra mile to help me out both academically and personally. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to study Japanese literature under him. I miss him greatly. Many thanks go to Ms. Debbie Knicely for all the help she has given me in the last ten years. My special gratitude goes to Dr. William E. Carson, III at the OSUCCC. Without his and my advisor‟s encouragement, I would not have even thought about taking my candidacy exams just two weeks after the completion of my treatments in 2005. Being able to meet him is one of the true blessings that arose out of the adversity of life. Skidmore College, my employer since 1989, has generously supported me throughout my graduate studies. The College gave me a two-year leave from 2000 to 2002 and a semester leave in 2005, which enabled me to be a full-time student and helped me to make progress towards my degree. The College‟s Faculty Research Development Grant (Part of Title VIA grant) of 2006 and Faculty Development Grant of 2009 and 2010 assisted me in writing this dissertation. I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by caring and encouraging colleagues. I would especially like to thank Patricia Rubio and Mary-Elizabeth O‟Brien, the former and the current Chairs of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures respectively, for their support, and all my colleagues at Skidmore College who have constantly given me encouragement. vi I have met many wonderful fellow graduate students in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at The Ohio State University. I especially would like to thank Noriko Chino, Ok Joo Lee, Lee Link, Jing Yan, and Ying Yu for all the help, support, and friendship they have given me. Lee Link has literally been with me from the beginning to the end of my time at OSU as a graduate student, and I cannot thank her enough for all the great, selfless help she has provided me, especially at the final stages of my writing the dissertation. My time at OSU would not have been as enjoyable, fruitful, and meaningful without these friends, and I am truly thankful that our paths have crossed here in Columbus. Last but not least, I give my deepest thanks to my husband, Robert Longhurst, for his constant encouragement, prayers, and his faith in me especially when I was doubtful about my ability to complete my graduate work. I am truly grateful to my family in Japan, especially my parents, Takeshi and Kiyo Inamoto, for their unconditional love and support that they have given me throughout my life. This dissertation is dedicated to them. vii Vita 1988................................................................M.S. TESOL, University at Albany, State University of New York Summer 1989 .................................................Visiting Instructor, Department of Asians and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of Virginia Summer 1991 .................................................Instructor, The Japanese School, Middlebury College 1989 to 2000 ..................................................Instructor, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Skidmore College 2000 to 2002 ..................................................Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, The Ohio State University 2002................................................................M.A. East Asian Languages and Literatures, The Ohio State University 2002 to 2008 ..................................................Lecturer, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Skidmore College 2008 to present ...............................................Visiting Instructor, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Skidmore College Fields of Study Major Field of Study: East Asian Languages and Literatures viii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Vita ................................................................................................................................... viii Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: The Writer ......................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2: Autobiographical Fiction ...............................................................................