Review of Historical Background

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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

This chapter is divided into three parts. The first is a review on the literary text covering from the information on the publication to the synopses. The second is the elaboration on the selected approach of the study, including some of its general ideas, its applicability and connection with the thesis problem formulation and objectives, and its methodological limits.

A. Object of the Study

The writer uses Kappa as the object of the study. Kappa is a novel written by Ryunosuke Akutagawa in 1927. The book used by the writer is the one published by Peter Owen Modern Classic publisher translated by Geoffrey Bownas. As a modernist Akutagawa was regarded as one of most influential author in Japan. The title father of the Japanese short story is also given to him. His name was survived in an award named Akutagawa Prize. The award was named after him in the memory of his contribution to the Japanese literary world. Awarded semi-annually to a new or raising author whose literary work published in a newspaper or magazine, this award is one of the most prestigious Japanese literary award. This 188 page novel consists of 17 chapters which primarily tells about the life of Inmate No.23, a patient of mental asylum who once dragged and stayed in the humanlike neighborhood called Kappaland. Kappa is a mythological creature which is often found in Japanese folklore. Inmate No.23 learned that some issues were discussed and responded differently in Kappaland. In 1947, Time magazine featured a full page review of Kappa under the title “Gulliver in the Kimono” written by David Peace. Focusing on the philosopher Magg, the issue of woman, and unemployment problems, Peace called Akutagawa “a unique satirist in the modern Japanese literary scene suffocating under imperialistic slogans” Healey in Akutagawa, 2009. Peace asserts in the belated tribute that Akutagawa is a master satirist from Japan, which came from the tradition of Swift and Butler. He points out those two writers as Akutagawa is known to develop a fondness for certain Western authors such as Swift. Akutagawa often mixed the Western storytelling styles with the myth and tale of ghost and monsters that are commonly seen in Japanese story. In another review of Akutagawa’s literary work, Peace 2007 stated that “beset by the financial repercussion and family obligations of his brother in-law’s suicide, Akutagawa began to write Kappa. He wrote it in less than two weeks and it was published in the March edition of the magazine Kaizo”. It was then completed on February 11, 1927. Kappa has been called the author’s last glorious spark, or the balance sheet of his life, according to Yoshida in Tsuruta 1967: 238. He also added that Kappa is Akutagawa’s longest satirical allegory. Some critics thought it was a children’s story, another thought it sweeping of society, a third thought it socialistic. However, Yoshida Taiji appears to have understood that it was distilation of the author’s feeling of revulsion from the whole of human life; and to him Ryunosuke wrote in gratitude Healey in Akutagawa, 2009: 40. He argues some of the satire is directed against such targets as censorship and capitalism, but the greater part of the work is an expression of human life and in particular of his resentment of his own fate. Akutagawa is known to have a schizophrenic mother and in the end of his life he tends to suffer from similar mental illness. Despite Akutagawa himself said Kappa has less to do with specific social critique, but his overall disgust with life, the writer believes that the allegory of Kappa must have something to do with his ideology as a part of society in Japan during Taisho period. Thus, the writer focuses on Akutagawa’s vision of the working class problems and his perspective on class relations.

B. Approach of the Study

Using the Marxist literary approach in this thesis, the writer attempts to get a closer look on how Japanese society live in the beginning of the 20 th century and how kappas who live in the Kappaland resemble the life of Japanese society. The Marxist literary approach is a set of view based on the perspective of Marxist theory upon the relation between society and its mode of production portrayed in literary works. Marxist criticism analyses literature in terms of the historical conditions which produce it; and it needs similarly, to be aware of its own historical conditions Eagleton, 1976:xi-xii PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI For Marxism, literature does not exist in some timeless, aesthetic realm as an object to be passively contemplated. Rather, like all cultural manifestations, it is a product of the socioeconomic and hence ideological conditions of the time and place in which it was written, whether or not the author intended it so. The reason is under the conviction that human beings are themselves of their socioeconomic and ideological environment Lois, 2006: 66. At least there are two interests of Marxist critics. First, the literary work might tend to reinforce in the reader the ideologies it embodies. Second, it might invite the reader to criticize the ideologies it represents Lois, 2006: 66. It is focusing on the social, political, and economic forces in society demonstrated in the literary text, including the interactions of classes and ideology in a text. Marxist approach to literature generally asks if the literary work reinforces whether intentionally or not capitalist, imperialist or classist value. After answering the question, the critic’s job is exposing and condemning that aspect of the work. In addition, Marxist literary approach seeks to answer if the work can be seen as a critique or capitalism, imperialism or classism and in what ways the text reveals and invites the reader to condemn the oppressive socioeconomic forces including repressive ideologies. A literary work can be said as to have a Marxist agenda if it criticizes or invites the reader to criticize oppressive socioeconomic forces Lois, 2006:68. The goal of using Marxist theory in literary criticism, Lois argued, is to help enrich our reading of literary works. Moreover, it helps us to see the ways in which