Reflections

These activities are intended to encourage you to interpret the ways people express themselves, and to develop your personal expression skills.

1 Portrait of Murasaki Shikibu

In this activity you will write a pen portrait of Murasaki Shikibu, the author of the world's first novel The Tale of Genji, based upon biographical details and her writing.

What To Do

1. Read the biographies of Murasaki Shikibu at the following websites.
   
   • Women in World History
   • Harvard Magazine
   • James' Info Matrix

Make notes about her family background, education, work at court and writing. Use your notes to create a pen portrait of Lady Murasaki.

  2.   Read extracts from Murasaki Shikibu's writing at the following website.

• How does she perceive that others see her?
• What sort of person does she see herself as being?
• What do men at the court seem to think of her (and any female writers of fiction)? Why might they think so?

In the light of all of the sources about Lady Murasaki, discuss with your group what kind of person you think she was.

Extension Activities

1. The Tale of Genji has been narrated and read in a variety of forms for over one thousand years. Today, many Japanese read at least some parts of the story from several modern Japanese translations. It has been studied intensively as well and more than a hundred articles and books on it are published every year. The text is well known outside Japan. Since Arthur Waley's English translation of 1925, it has been published in more than thirty different languages. In the 12th century, picture scrolls of the story delighted the aristocracy. In the 17th century, during the Edo era, books of woodcut prints were produced and captured the imaginations of ordinary people. The version created for the UNESCO website is now available. Read a little of the story. Explore The Tale of Genji website which has photos of sites from the novel.
2. View The Tale of Genji as recreated by students on You Tube.

2 Report on Interview with Han Suyin

Han Suyin is a controversial Chinese-born Eurasian author of several books on modern China, novels set in East Asia, and autobiographical works. She has also worked as a doctor. In this activity you will reflect on the more controversial aspects of her life and also debate the characteristics of a hero.

What To Do

1. Find out more about the life of Han Suyin using the following websites and other sources. Take notes as you go. Write your own 250 word biography of Han Suyin using multiple sources as inspiration.

• Gregory Melle’s Not Sorry website
• Time Asia’s 60 Years of Asia Heroes
• Wikipedia’s entry on Han Suyin 

1. Han Suyin received her medical training in London. During the Korean War period, she worked as a doctor in Hong Kong. This is the period portrayed in her novel The Many Splendoured Thing. While this book was her greatest success; it was also her most scandalous. Written as a novel it revealed personal secrets that shocked and hurt many of her friends and family. It has been reported that a former family member, who asked to remain anonymous, that "it is truly unfortunate that she has a propensity sometimes to mix fact with fiction with unpleasant results for the persons concerned". What is the responsibility of authors in using incidents and events from ‘real life’? To what extent do people have the right to write about whatever and whomever they like? Discuss this issue in small groups, thinking about novels, autobiographies, newspaper articles and television series that you are aware of. What should be the rules for your own writing?

1. Han Suyin is one of Time Asia’s 60 Asian Heroes. Explore the list of heroes.  What kinds of people have been celebrated in this way? What categories of people would celebrated in an Australian context? What are the characteristics of a hero, in your view?
2. In describing why Suyin is a hero, the Times writer says “There was a time when being Eurasian could get you killed” He goes on to describe Suyin’s impact as “an epoch-shifting outburst.”  What does he mean by this?
3. Suyin also responded to political events in Asia and was regarded as a controversial figure by many in the West.  Google ‘han suyin asiaweek’ and read the article in the 1996 Asiaweek online magazine titled 'China and the Power Game'. Discuss some of her ideas.
4. This Asiaweek interview concludes with Suyin stating “Economics started the West's democracy so we'll have to see how economics on a transnational, global scale will influence values in the 21st century. Once China and India rise as great economic powers, the West will have to get used to equality among all nations in the world.” To what extent does this view and others that she has expressed in this article hold up now? 

3 Poem

In this activity you will write a poem expressing your feelings about a personal situation that is difficult to come to terms with or which seems puzzling and unfair.

What To Do

1. Read the poem 'Authorship' from The Crescent Moon by Rabindranath Tagore. You can also listen to Tagore reading the poem on the Smashits site.
2. After reading the poem, discuss the following questions with a partner. Make notes of your conclusions about the poem.
   
   • How old is the child in the poem?
   • What things about the situation does the child find frustrating?
   • How might you feel in the same situation?
   • Can you think of a similarly frustrating and seemingly unfair situation that you faced when very young, or which you face now?
3. Discuss with your partner some ideas for a poem on this theme. Develop a draft, and discuss it with your teacher. Review your poem and write a final copy for presentation.

Extension Activity

Access more of Rabindranath Tagore's writing on the Voices and Visions from India CD ROM.