New Books in Popular Culture Catherine Butler, "British Children's Literature in Japanese Culture: Wonderlands and Looking-Glasses" (Bloomsbury, 2023)
Jan 20, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Catherine Butler, a Professor of English at Cardiff University and expert in children's literature, dives into the intricate relationship between British children's books and Japanese culture. She explores how classics like 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Gulliver's Travels' have been reinterpreted in Japan through adaptations and tourism. The chat covers the cultural exchanges during Japan's Meiji Restoration, the influence on child-rearing perspectives, and the significant impact of these narratives on Japanese animation, particularly Studio Ghibli's works.
01:13:05
Alice's Translation Mystery
- Alice in Wonderland's numerous translations are surprising.
- The book's specific references and unique genre made adaptation challenging.
Literary Lenses on Japan
- British visitors used children's literature to interpret Japan.
- Gulliver's Travels and Alice in Wonderland offered frameworks for understanding cultural differences.
Japanese Child-Rearing
- The Japanese indulged children without spoiling them, puzzling British observers.
- This contrasted with Victorian notions of strict child-rearing.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Cultural Intersections: British Literature and Japan
01:35 • 17min
Exploring 19th Century British Children's Literature and Japanese Culture
18:21 • 2min
Cultural Exchanges: Japanese Childhood and Literature
20:31 • 22min
Nello and Patrasche: A Cultural Connection
42:40 • 9min
Exploring British Literary Influences in Global Locations
51:16 • 4min
Cultural Echoes: British Literature in Japanese Animation
55:05 • 12min
Exploring British Children's Literature and Its Cultural Impact
01:07:35 • 2min
The Little Broomstick
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Mary Stewart
Mary Stewart's "The Little Broomstick" is a charming children's fantasy novel that follows the adventures of Mary, a young girl who discovers a magical broomstick.
The story takes her on a journey to a magical land filled with witches, spells, and fantastical creatures.
The novel explores themes of friendship, courage, and the importance of believing in oneself.
Its enduring appeal lies in its imaginative storytelling, memorable characters, and exploration of themes that resonate with young readers.
The book has been adapted into various media, including film and animation.
When Marnie was there
Joan G Robinson
Joan G. Robinson's "When Marnie Was There" is a poignant children's novel that follows the story of Anna, a young girl who spends a summer in the Norfolk countryside.
She befriends Marnie, a mysterious girl who lives in a nearby marsh.
The story explores themes of friendship, identity, and the healing power of memory.
Its enduring appeal lies in its evocative setting, well-developed characters, and exploration of complex emotions.
The book has been adapted into various media, including a successful Studio Ghibli film.
British Children's Literature in Japanese Culture, Wonderlands and Looking Glasses
British Children's Literature in Japanese Culture, Wonderlands and Looking Glasses
Wonderlands and Looking-Glasses
Catherine Butler
Catherine Butler's "British Children's Literature in Japanese Culture: Wonderlands and Looking-Glasses" explores the multifaceted relationship between British children's literature and Japanese culture.
The book examines how British classics have been translated, adapted, and integrated into Japanese popular culture, encompassing print, film, and tourism.
It delves into the selection process, cultural understanding, and reworking of these texts within a Japanese context.
Butler's analysis considers both individual works and their broader cultural implications, offering insightful case studies and exploring the impact on Japanese perceptions of Britain itself.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of this unique cultural exchange.
A Dog of Flanders
A Christmas Story
Ouida
Ouida's "A Dog of Flanders" is a sentimental novel that follows the story of Nello, a young boy, and his loyal dog, Patrasche.
Set in the Flemish countryside, the story depicts their struggles against poverty and hardship.
The novel explores themes of loyalty, compassion, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Despite its somewhat tragic ending, the story's emotional impact has resonated with readers for generations.
Its popularity in Japan led to adaptations in various media, including a popular anime series.
A Little Princess
Frances Hodgson Burnett
The novel follows Sara Crewe, a seven-year-old English girl living in India with her wealthy father.
She is sent to a boarding school in London where she is treated like royalty due to her father's wealth.
However, her life takes a drastic turn when her father dies and she loses her fortune.
Despite being reduced to a scullery maid, Sara uses her imagination and kindness to cope with her new circumstances.
The story culminates with the discovery that her father's friend, Mr. Carrisford, has been searching for her to restore her rightful inheritance, transforming her life once again.
The Borrowers
Mary Norton
The story follows the Clock family—Pod, Homily, and their daughter Arrietty—who live secretly in the walls and floors of an English house.
They 'borrow' items from the 'human beans' to survive.
The narrative is framed by the story of a young boy who befriends Arrietty while recovering from an illness at his great-aunt's country home.
The boy's friendship with Arrietty and her family leads to a series of adventures and dangers, particularly from the suspicious and hostile housekeeper, Mrs. Driver.
The novel explores themes of survival, friendship, and the precarious lives of the Borrowers in a post-war British setting.
Watership Down
Richard Adams
Watership Down is an adventure novel that tells the story of a group of rabbits who flee their warren after one of them, Fiver, has a premonition of impending disaster.
Led by Hazel and Bigwig, the rabbits face numerous perils, including hostile rabbit communities and human threats, as they search for a new home.
The novel explores themes of leadership, freedom, and survival, contrasting the democratic and caring leadership of Hazel with the authoritarian rule of General Woundwort.
The story is rich in anthropomorphic details, including the rabbits' own culture, language, and mythology, and it provides deep insights into the trials and triumphs of life through the eyes of its rabbit characters.
Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter
This beloved tale, written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter, follows the adventures of Peter Rabbit as he ignores his mother's warnings and enters the garden of the strict Mr. McGregor.
Peter's curiosity and disobedience lead him into various predicaments, including a chase by Mr. McGregor, losing his clothes, and eventually escaping back home.
The story teaches valuable lessons about obedience, caution, and the consequences of naughty behavior.
The narrative is enriched with charming illustrations and has become a timeless favorite among children and parents alike.
Harry Potter Series
A Series of Seven Fantasy Novels
J.K. Rowling
The Harry Potter series chronicles the adventures of Harry Potter, a young wizard who discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday.
Along with his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry navigates the magical world, attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and confronts the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
The series spans seven years, each book set over the course of one school year, culminating in a final battle against Voldemort in the seventh book.
The series explores themes of friendship, courage, and the struggle between good and evil, set against a richly detailed magical backdrop.
Gulliver's travels
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" is a satirical masterpiece that uses fantastical journeys to critique human nature and societal flaws.
Gulliver's encounters with Lilliputians, Brobdingnagians, and other fantastical creatures serve as allegories for political and social issues of Swift's time.
The novel's sharp wit and biting satire continue to resonate with readers today, offering a timeless commentary on human folly and the complexities of power.
Gulliver's experiences highlight the absurdity of human conflict and the importance of reason and moderation.
The book's enduring popularity stems from its ability to entertain while simultaneously provoking thought and challenging readers' assumptions.
Whether watching Studio Ghibli adaptations of British children's books, visiting Harry Potter sites in Britain or eating at Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurants in Tokyo, the Japanese have a close and multifaceted relationship with British children's literature. In British Children's Literature in Japanese Culture: Wonderlands and Looking-Glasses (Bloomsbury, 2023), Catherine Butler considers its many manifestations in print, on the screen, in tourist locations and throughout Japanese popular culture.
Taking stock of the influence of literary works such as Gulliver's Travels, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Tom's Midnight Garden, and the Harry Potter series, this lively account draws on literary criticism, translation, film and tourist studies to explore how British children's books have been selected, translated, understood, adapted and reworked into Japanese commercial, touristic and imaginative culture. Using theoretically informed case studies this book will consider both individual texts and their wider cultural contexts, translations and adaptations (such as the numerous adaptations of British children's books by Studio Ghibli and others), the dissemination of distinctive tropes such as magical schools into Japanese children's literature and popular culture, and the ways in which British children's books and their settings have become part of way that Japanese people understand Britain itself.
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