Message from kirion
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This is a wonderful topic to conclude the first week of the seminar. I am familiar with the writers and books presented by Prof. Miyake.
I studied "Genji Monogatari"in original classic language. We had to take a one-year course on "Genji Monogatari". So fortunately I tasted the original language. I also studied "Makura no Sooshi" in my Japanese literature class in Japan.
Now I am in America, and teaching American and international students. I must use English to teach them the classical literature. Prof. Miyake taught me her teaching style and wonderful ways to communicate with students. The web site she provided us are very interesting and useful.
Using "manga" is easy and a more popular way to introduce "Genji Monogatari" to American students, but it reduces the original beauty of the language. For the purpose of introducing Japanese literature to American students, this is one of the tools we can use.
Just a little comment: I don't like Akatsuka Fujio's manga: "Genji Monogatari". The drawing lacks beauty, Osaka dialect is not suitable for this literature; they destroy the real "Genji Monogatari".
I checked 'youtube" and Liza Dalby's web sites. They are interesting and I can show them to my students (not like some of "manga" that have x-rated pictures.)
All the famous literature presented by Prof. Miyake is interesting and fascinating. Thank you very much!


