Monday, September 24, 2007

Textual Analysis

In the essay "Going to Japan" by Barbara Kingsolver the author was trying to convey the idea of how different each country's way of language is. She also learns that body language was an important key in communication. Kingsolver learns from her mistakes feeling as if she was without any intelligences or any idea of what's going on around her. The essay prove a pint that by going to an different country isn't always fun, and you should learn a country's important aspects before going if you have a sense of respect for ones' country.
The memorial that Kingsolver went to see was the last of what she went to research in Japan. She learned many of significant view points in her visit to Japan. Kingsolver was convinced that she had the feeling she didn't do anything correct, her friend told her that by her asking for forgiveness she would make the Japanese people happy. Kingsolver took it in consideration that forgiveness was something that made a major difference and to Japan society it was the highest gratitude a person can put forward. As her trip continues she learns to use the facts that her friend enlighten her with, and used it toward an airline official. By doing so she tell the airline official that she forgive the airport for the inconvenience they brought upon the passengers and she felt by doing so this showed a demonstration of respect by showing the airline official forgiveness.
I felt that Barbara Kingsolver was trying to declare that by applying different cultural backgrounds you will become aware of the mistakes people make everyday are probably a bit more important in another part of the world. Every country have their own degrees in which what is expected from one another. Also how one present themselves in the presences of another. In the essay Kingsolver demonstrate how my statement I made earlier is partially true. "I crossed my arms when I listened, which turns out to be, in Japanese body language, the sign for indicating brazenly that one is borded(574)." Like I mentioned body language is another way of communication describe in this essay. Each country has it's own cultural behaviors.
Also in the essay "Going to Japan" the author feels she lacks self knowledge as her trip becomes more difficult for her to keep from making simple minded mistakes. Kingsolver said, "I couldn't remember everything, could not even recite the proper alphabet. So I gave myself away instead, evidently as a kind of public service. I prepared to return home feeling empty-handed(575)." By saying this she felt that she went on the trip to research and with her making senseless acts, she felt those mistakes were more important than what she went to Japan for.
In conclusion to all this, when traveling their is always one thing to keep in mind. That is to always recognize the significances of others and by doing so you wouldn't have to feel like you fell an indicated task. The key element is to focus on normal communication skills and proper gestures.