J314 Burch Final Questions:

1. What are the pair of "contradictory traits" that Burch feels often come up in discussions about Japan? What does he think about them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Is there something about Japan's writing system to which Burch wants us to pay attention? What do you think about this argument?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. What are some of the characteristics of Japanese poetic writing, especially during the Heian period, that Burch notices?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. According to Burch, two “of the decisive characteristics of Heian literature as a whole” are POLYSEMY and INTERTEXTUALITY.  Explain these two terms and how they might they be important for the way in which we read modern Japanese texts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. What are the 4 basic "contentions" (p. 53) with which Burch wants to leave us?