The
Man in the High Castle creates an alternate world where Japan and Germany
win the World War. The story takes place in the PSA, which is controlled by the
Japanese, and many of the character's comments mentioned an interesting point
about the Japanese. From the beginning, Mr. Childan and his store, the American
Artistic Handicrafts Inc., show that the Japanese value old American antiques.
"No contemporary American art; only the past could be represented
here" because only ancient objects seemed to catch the eyes of wealthy
Japanese (5). I find this problematic in two ways: the Japanese enjoy only American
inventions and only value material objects.
Even
though Japan won the war, they put more worth on old American artifacts than
their own inventions. I think this shows how much of an effect the Western
countries have had on the Japanese people, because even when they are in power
they still feel inferior. Now that the Japanese rule half of America, they feel
superior to the current Americans and therefore their designs were not valued.
But the Americans before the World War are viewed as talented and better than
the Japanese's inventions, so their creations are seen as valuable items.
The
Japanese also put more worth on material objects. They give artifacts as
presents and a milk bottle cap is suddenly a collectible to them. The objects
resemble the past and show that the Japanese choose to brood in history, rather
than look to the future. The objects
they choose to value also reveal how superficial they are. When Mr. Childan was
going to meet Mr. Tagomi, he was thinking of how he had to remember to bow,
hide all facial expressions, and make sure a slave carries his bag inside
because formalities were more important than actual intentions (28). But these
objects they love were also being reproduced as fakes, "and so it's all a
fake, a mass delusion," and this beckons me to ask, do the Japanese only
value what is on the surface (64)?
In the novel, I think it is safe to say that the Japanese do simply value what is on the surface. Their appearance to others, whether it be in personal dress, those who they are associated with, or the material objects that they carry, always is of premiere concern. It also appears that at times members of the Japanese community do not fully understand why it is that such physical characteristics are of such precedence, but they blindly follow their colleagues. Such an idea reminds me of the blinded following of Hitler by much of the German population during World War II.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the Japanese believe heavily in social habits and appearances, but I also believe that they invest in American antiques for larger reasons. By making American historical objects collectible they are forcing Americans, their underlings, to peddle their history. No longer is the past of untouchable value because it has a price. The Japanese seek to own the American past, present, and future.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Japanese hold a high value on appearances and collecting american items. I also think that Collin makes a good point that investing in American antiques is Japan's attempt to put a price on the American culture and to exhibit their control of the american way of life. It also acts as a reminder to the Americans that they are no longer in control and that Japan can buy and sell their culture as if it is solely a thing of the past.
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese definitely care a whole lot about appearances and put high value on authentic American antiques. I do think, however, that the obsession with antiques does not reflect the Japanese valuing only what is on the surface. Since fakes that are almost entirely identical are devoid of value to them, it seems that the value is not on what is on the surface, but rather what is behind the object.
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