Cse Reflective Narrative
Title of the course: Japanese Cinema
Course number: JAPN 310
JAPN - 310 Identify the MLO the course meets: MLO 4
course description: An introductory scrutiny of major Japanese directors and genres with attention to film composition, choices of subject and character, ideas of the cinematic, and the relationship of crime to Japanese culture and society. Students will analyze and critique films. The discussion of films will deal with the production of their historical, social, and cultural context as well as issues dealing with gender, inequality, and social change.
Title of the course: Japanese Cinema
Course number: JAPN 310
JAPN - 310 Identify the MLO the course meets: MLO 4
course description: An introductory scrutiny of major Japanese directors and genres with attention to film composition, choices of subject and character, ideas of the cinematic, and the relationship of crime to Japanese culture and society. Students will analyze and critique films. The discussion of films will deal with the production of their historical, social, and cultural context as well as issues dealing with gender, inequality, and social change.
This semester, I am taking JAPN 310. This course focuses on the examination of the cultural, social, economic, and political aspects of the Japanese community in a historical and contemporary context. This course has been very thoughtful because we have to expose ourselves to understanding Japanese directors and genres with attention to film composition, choices of subject and character, ideas of the cinematic, and the relationship of cinema to Japanese culture and society. Students will analyze and critique films. Discussion of films will deal with the production of their historical, social, and cultural context, as well as issues dealing with gender, inequality, and social change. Also, for this course, we were asked to explain and comprehend the purpose and significance of films. For example, an assignment we had to do for this course was to search for a film of our choice and then discard the message intended to be delivered. Criticizing the Japanese government through a film is not very common in Japanese culture. The chosen film, “Shoplifters,” shares an idea of the harsh lives of low-income people in Japan and how the government has no idea how to deal with a situation of this magnitude. The film also shows the practices that were implemented in their household to survive. This course has helped me a lot to understand Japanese culture. Since I come from a Hispanic family and have always experienced economic issues, I relate to these people and the film. In addition, my professor has also taught us some important lessons and provided us with useful tools like being open-minded and curious to learn from other cultures. Even though This class was very interesting and inspiring personally, I learned a lot from each one of my classmates, and this was only by reading through the reflections we had to do every week. Some of these reflections and investigations surprised me because we would do group discussions about the films and the readings assigned weekly, and we were also allowed to share each other's experiences and the outcomes. I believe that the diversity in class was such a factor in learning. Finally, I have analyzed this situation and come up with ideas to be more aware of how we as citizens can support and contribute to those in need. For example, we empower and support these people by creating programs, sheltering them, donating clothes and food, or in any other way possible.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_89An0MLrsy4zZkoqFdU68xSIU993S_kxjgtyCR7cow/edi
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_89An0MLrsy4zZkoqFdU68xSIU993S_kxjgtyCR7cow/edi