Instructions
In a well-developed response (550–650 words), organized into three or four well-structured, cohesive paragraphs, analyze how Tanizaki Jun’ichirō contrasts “the Japanese way” with “the necessities of modern life” in In Praise of Shadows, and place his ideas in historical context. Each paragraph should develop a clear part of your overall argument and connect logically to the others.
Your response should:
- Explain Tanizaki’s contrast
Identify one or two key differences he draws between traditional Japanese aesthetics and modern (especially Western) life. What does he value, and what does he critique? Explain why, providing at least one specific example from the text. - Interpret his argument
Make a clear claim about what Tanizaki is saying about modern life. Does he see traditional aesthetics and modernization as incompatible, or is he trying to preserve or adapt something within modernity? Justify your interpretation clearly and succinctly with evidence from the text. - Provide historical context
Connect Tanizaki’s ideas to what you learned in Varley, chapters 9 & 10, about Japan’s encounter with the West and its modernization. What developments in Japan help explain the tension Tanizaki describes? Using Varley, briefly explain one or two relevant changes (such as Westernization, new technologies, or shifting social practices) and show how they help clarify Tanizaki’s concerns. Be specific. - Make a broader connection
Connect Tanizaki’s perspective to at least one earlier cultural concept or theme from the course. Do his ideas resemble earlier aesthetic values (such as yūgen, sabi, impermanence, or simplicity) or are they something different? Briefly explain the connection and what it suggests about continuity and change in Japanese culture.
Remember...
- Develop a single, coherent argument that connects all parts of the prompt
- Use specific examples from In Praise of Shadows and Varley to support your claims
- Focus on analysis (how and why), not just description (what)
- Make clear connections between Tanizaki, historical context, and earlier course themes
Length
500–650 words.
Resources
Linked below...
For the Tanizaki Junichiro "In praise of shadows" I do not have the video but you can ask chatgpt to summarize it and use that. Here is what chat gpt gave me but you are more than welcome to do your own research.
Tanizaki Jun’ichirō’s “In Praise of Shadows” is an essay about Japanese aesthetics and the beauty found in darkness, subtlety, and imperfection. Tanizaki argues that traditional Japanese culture values dimness, shadows, soft lighting, and quiet atmosphere, while modern Western influence often favors brightness, cleanliness, shine, and convenience. He uses examples like architecture, lacquerware, food, toilets, theater, and women’s beauty to show how Japanese taste developed around low light and natural materials. For him, shadows make objects feel deeper, more mysterious, and more beautiful because they allow the imagination to fill in what is not fully visible.
A major point of the essay is that beauty is not always about being clear, bright, or perfect. Tanizaki believes that gold, wood, paper, and old surfaces look more meaningful in shadow because they carry a sense of age, softness, and depth. He contrasts this with modern electric lights and Western-style buildings, which he feels can destroy the quiet mood of traditional Japanese spaces. Overall, the essay is a reflection on how modernization changes culture and taste. Tanizaki is not simply saying the past is better, but he is mourning the loss of a slower, more delicate way of experiencing beauty.
Tanizaki Junichiro, In Praise of ShadowsLinks to an external site. (Goodreads link with purchase options) Yo