The writer's method of writing 'Shōgun'

The writer's method of writing 'Shōgun'

Hey there! Peter here. In my last post, I had already talked a little about this book, I had been reading. In this post I would like to highlight the writer's method of expressing the difference in culture. Of course, the two sides (Europeans and Japanese) had different perspective towards foreign culture, especially for Japan since during this period of history. Japan closed its country for a few hundred years under the Tokugawa shogunate but was forced to open its port in 1854 by Captain Perry of the United States. However, back in those days, only the Portuguese were allowed to trade with the Japanese through a port town named Nagasaki. 

Back to the story...

The writer cunningly wrote in two perspectives. When the readers are placed into the perspective of Captain Blackthorne (the captured English captain), we would feel that Japan was truly a uncultured and barbaric place. We would not understand how the Japanese society works and it would like the Japanese world was uncivilized because of their methods.

On the other hand, later in the book, the author placed us into the Japanese perspective. After, we would understand much more about their honor, pride and culture. From what the author did, I learnt that Honor was the factor that the Japanese culture was based on.

"without that dignity, what is the ultimate point of life" Omi, Japanese noble

At this point of the story, I find how the story is unraveling very attracting and interesting at the same time. I'll let you know of the events that comes after :)