Takahashi,+Max

=**Sexuality in American and Japanese Literature** =  

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Sexuality in Literature ** ==

= = Human sexuality and all the expressions and explorations that go along with it has always been a major influence in every aspect of our lives. Among the cultures that embrace their sexuality, the two that immediately pop into the heads of most people are those of the Americans and the Japanese. In both Japanese and American culture, there is an underlying sexuality behind much of the artistic and creative output. Though sex and its many associated taboos, virtues, deviancies, and purities have infiltrated every medium possible for as long as anyone can figure, the cultures of America and Japan have many similarities and many more differences when it comes to the expression of sexuality in their respective literary endeavors. = =

 American Literature
= = In American literature, as with many other American pastimes, sexuality is an ever-present factor in character development, driving the story along, or being the objective of the entire thing. Among the more sexually explicit books are those in the romance genre and, somewhat surprisingly, those intended for young adults and teens. The openly sexual nature of these books serve a similar but ultimately radically different set of purposes. The romance novel, considered to be a genre unto itself, exists to allow those who are reading them to indulge in a larger than life fantasy that is both unrealistic and, in many cases, completely out of the realm of obtainable possibility. The romance genre, while heartily scoffed at by most people, has a legitimate niche market and a dedicated base of fans who swear by these erotic and generally ridiculous works of fiction. On the other hand, the novels meant for the young adult and teenage demographic are equally explicit for a different reason. These novels are effectively becoming instruction manuals on human sexuality, discussing important aspects of sex such as intimacy, attachment, and when it is wrong or downright illegal to engage in sexual activity. This has a downside though, in that many authors who produce this material write their novels as Penthouse forum-esque expeditions into sexuality, in gory detail and minus the morals. In general, American literature follows the trend of many other American pastimes. It is material that can challenge nearly every aspect of sexual identity, activity, crime, and any number of other related ideas and themes. Unlike American television and mainstream comic books, novels do not have to be censored as harshly, allowing for the authors to get away with almost anything, and since it is a medium that requires a vast amount of imagination on the part of the reader, the scenes contained within can be either self-censored or wildly exaggerated. = =

 Japanese Literature
= = Although the literature of Japan does not shy away from such matters as sexuality, the explicitness with which depictions and discussions of sex are handled are extremely downplayed. Sex is a natural act shared between lovers in Japan, traditionally, and the authors who write in a traditional manner treat sex as something that happens but doesn’t warrant an overly graphic, guttural depiction. If the act does have any imagery attached to it, however, it is typically that of a beautiful and natural bonding process, in the style that is very unique to Japanese literature.  Like American literature, Japanese literature also has a distinct brand of literature aimed at the younger populace, usually taking the form of graphic novels called manga. Contrary to popular Western pop-culture belief, these graphic takes on literature contain more than just giant robots, tentacle rape, and any other manner of perverseness involving bodily functions, dismemberment, and todders. In addition to the aforementioned, they also tackle such social issues as growing up, dealing with individuality in a very filial-based atmosphere, and of course blossoming sexuality and romance.



Sources

"David Greven, Men Beyond Desire: Manhood, Sex, and Violation in American Literature." //Leviathan// 11.3 (2009): 101-105. //Literary Reference Center//. EBSCO. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

McWilliams, John. "The Rationale for "The American Romance." //boundary 2// 17.1 (1990): 71-82. //Literary Reference Center//. EBSCO. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

Nakanishi, Masayuki. "Gender Enactment on a First Date: A Japanese Sample." //Women & Language// 21.1 (1998): 10-17.//Literary Reference Center//. EBSCO. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Pattee, Amy. "The Secret Source: Sexually Explicit Young Adult Literature as an Information Source." //Young Adult Library Services// 4.2 (n.d.): 30-38.//Literary Reference Center//. EBSCO. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Perez, Marlene. "Going All the Way in Teen Literature." //Young Adult Library Services// 4.2 (n.d.): 20-21. //Literary Reference Center//. EBSCO. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Poovey, Mary. "Sex in America." //Critical Inquiry// 1998: 366.//Literary Reference Center//. EBSCO. Web. 10 Apr. 2011.

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