The American School

Short story, "The American School" of Kojima Nobuo is a somewhat humorous look at imagined (even likely) for a couple of Japanese English teachers who were forced to visit the newly established American School in Japan shortly after the end of World War II. The plot revolves around four main characters-Isa is a protagonist who is forced to learn English simply because he knows a few words and phrases, but hate language, because he can not speak well. Shibamoto the head of a procession of Japanese visiting the school (although we do not know much about him as a narrator rarely gives us his point of view). Yamada's overachieving extraction who speaks English well enough to continue with the American troops, and thus thinks I'm better than Jesus (put it in position antagonist) and Michiko, the only woman in the group, which was interesting to speak English better than Yamada. As their procession moves along to American schools, the reader has a chance to see the Japanese and American cultural traits that the interaction between U.S. troops riding in jeeps and native walks, as well as the behavior of American children in school.

One example of how the Americans seem to be arrogant and impatient in contrast to the Japanese and their ways. For example, Yamada's encounter with American soldiers in the jeep that was when he found that Yamada was the leader was running late for his appointment with U.S. officials, throw your hands in the air and drive off, saying sarcastically: "I am really very sorry you were able to I had to wait. " It rushed, a "must-be-in-time" attitude, verses more easy-going nature of Japanese seem to summarize, if you will, cultural differences between East and West.

The second example shows the differences in cultural characteristics occurs later. Isa and Michiko were inside the school waiting in line for a tour when Michiko sees two students holding hands in a "mutual affection". Michiko says: "Look at these two there-how disgusting!" which shows that neither Michiko never saw two people love holding hands before, or holding hands in public is not something generally accepted in Japanese culture at that time. Kojima Nobuo generally points to such cultural gaps and does not usually come directly from assertions that satire or culture. In this way, he shows tact in assuming that the reader is smart enough to make his or her own assumptions and judgments. When Michiko decline in their high heels and a principle of see what happened, we know that content is smug, arrogant American says, "Ah, yes. Starih kamikaze spirit."

In conclusion, the "American School" is a short well-written, sometimes satirical story that helps to consider a few of the many differences in cultural characteristics between Japan and the United States until the end of World War II.