Adolescence in 19th Century Japan

Paper Summary:

This paper provides insight into adolescence in the Meiji period of Japanese history. It uses a primary source - the novel, "Growing Up" by Higuchi Ichiyo to show how fiction of that period can give us better insight into the lives of adolescent Japanese children in Meiji Japan in the 19th century. The paper discusses the historical value of this writing.

From the Paper:

"Higuchi Ichiyo's Growing Up is a portrait of youth during the Meiji period. It is a fictional account of a group of children's coming of age in the town of Yoshiwara. Yoshiwara is a lower to middle quarter with a wide breadth of characters. The characters that Ichiyo presents provide an interesting window into the life of young people in late 19th century Japan. The three characters who allow the most insight are Nobu, Midori, and Shota. Nobu is the son of a priest, Midori is the sister of a prostitute, and Shota lives with his grandmother who runs a pawn shop. Over the course of this piece of writing, the reader follows each of these youths as they struggle with the hardships of growing up and finding themselves. The historical value of this writing is that it allows one to study the maturity of children at this time and their role in society as based on class. It also shows the realities that children had to face at a young age and how much family determined ones occupation at the time. More importantly it shows the suddenness with which these life changes struck adolescents, such as the sudden movement from playing in the streets, to tending to businesses. It would be hard to imagine today, that kids between twelve and fifteen would be taking on the responsibility of priesthood, or the running of a business. It would be even harder to imagine a twelve year old girl becoming a prostitute, but this is exactly the reality that these children face. Growing Up highlights the sudden transition into adulthood that Japanese children had to make during the Meiji period."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ichiyo, Higuchi "Growing Up." In Modern Japanese Literature: From 1868 to the Present Day, edited by Donald Keen. New York: Grove Press, 1956

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