Hello! I am Divya parmar. I am writing this blog to give response to the Thinking activity which is held by Dr. Dilip barad sir. In this blog i cover points like Introduction of the Novel and then introduction of writer and then i give answer as the response of thinking activity.
➡️ Introduction of the work : An Artist of the Floating World
An Artist of the Floating World (1986) is a novel by British author Kazuo Ishiguro. It is set in post-World War II Japan and is narrated by Masuji Ono, an ageing painter, who looks back on his life and how he has lived it. He notices how his once great reputation has faltered since the war and how attitudes towards him and his paintings have changed. The chief conflict deals with Ono's need to accept responsibility for his past actions, rendered politically suspect in the context of post-War Japan. The novel ends with the narrator expressing good will for the young white-collar workers on the streets at lunchbreak. The novel also deals with the role of people in a rapidly changing political environment and with the assumption and denial of guilt.
➡️ About the writer:
Sir Kazuo Ishiguro is a British novelist, screenwriter, musician, and short-story writer. He was born in Nagasaki, Japan, and moved to Britain in 1960 with his parents when he was five. Ishiguro is one of the most celebrated contemporary fiction authors writing in English. His first two novels, A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World, were noted for their explorations of Japanese identity and their elegiac tone. He thereafter explored other genres, including science fiction and historical fiction. He has been nominated for the Man Booker Prize four times, winning the prize in 1989 for his novel The Remains of the Day, which was adapted into a film of the same name in 1993.
➡️ Question - Answer section:
1. 'Lanterns' appears 34 times in the novel , even on the cover page, the image of lanterns is displayed. what is the significance of lanterns in the novel ?
👉 Answer: 'An Artist of the Floating World' is a novel by kazuo ishiguro. In this novel we find so many Japanese traditional, culture and rituals. In this novel lanterns appears 34 times. Lanterns. Although in use since ancient times, these outdoor features are lately becoming a new exterior decorating trend, in the countries of both Eastern and Western hemispheres. In Australia, more and more homeowners are including lanterns in the design of their gardens to achieve eye-captivating look and to make the outdoor living spaces more comfortable and enjoyable. This is especially true for Asian-inspired gardens, since lanterns represent one of the main elements of Japanese tea gardens. In this novel we find lanterns in houses, parties, mid-night parties and at the celebration time. so in this novel it is displayed as a symbol of purity, positivity, and celebration.
2. Write a brief review of the film based on the novel.
👉 Answer: When we read novel and then we watch movie we find that movie is very honest to the novel. cause all the narration techniques, camera directions, sounds, incident sequence, combination of dailogues, background and music all are make climate to relate novel and narration. Both are presented as first person narration. The first and last frame both are related and near to the novel. First frame is about the bridge of hesitation and in novel by words it is on bridge of hesitation. so symbolically it is connected to the novel. Novel it self became some time unrealiable narration that's why in movie we get problem somewhere to connect all the incidents.
3. Debate on the uses of art / artist ( Five perspective:
1. Art for the sake of art- aesthetic delight
- At the starting of novel when masuji Ono do painting just for art sake there is art for sake of art. Tourtoise (As the character of novel) aslo done painting with very less speed cause he also do painting of art sake.
2. Art for the earning money / Buisness purpose :
We can see the example of takeda firm which uses art for the money purpose and buisness purpose. They ultimate goal is not for quality of art, it is quantity of art.
3. Art for Nationalism / imperialism - art for the propoganda of government power
Under the influence of chisu matsuda , masuji uses his art for Nationalism and imperialism. But it is not the right way to use your art and creativity for this kind of nationalism and imperialism.
4. Art for the poor/ Marxism:
When masuji Ono started to using his paintings for government and power he uses poor children as the character. But this is also inappropriately way to use of art.
5. No need of art and artist :
In childhood masuji Ono , his father is against his paintings. Generally in world all parents are curious to make their child buisness or rich man but no one is instersted in artists. Cause the life of artist is very difficult also art can not make fast money. It needs a passion. But the thinking of masuji's father is like, live a life with the goal of make money. So there is no need of art and artist in this entire world.
