A Pale View of Hills, is set in the context of post-war Japan, following the country's defeat in World War II. As a result of the war, the country had entered a phase of transition, moving away from its traditional ideals towards Western ideals. It is during this change that Japanese society's reaction towards this change is reflected through various characters, both conservative and liberal is largely about the oppression of women in traditional Japanese society.This essay will analyze the portrayal of women in the novel, with a focus on the patriarchal nature of Japanese society and social expectations on women wrote an essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? original essay A Pale View of Hills suggests that Japan was centered on a patriarchal society and emphasizes the submissive role of a woman. This can be seen through the husband-. spouse relationship between Etsuko and Jiro which could be representative of a typical husband-spouse relationship in Japan. There is a strong adherence to traditional values and also a strong sense of duty and obligation. This is evident during the visit of Jiro's colleagues where Jiro asks Etsuko to "get some tea for the gentlemen", despite the fact that "(She) was already on her way to the kitchen". This line supports the gender roles that women were expected to fill and the tasks they were obligated to perform. Furthermore, during this ongoing interaction between Jiro and his colleagues, one of his colleagues had said that after finding out about his wife's desire to vote for another political party, he had threatened her and expected her to vote for his preferred party. He says: “My wife votes for Yoshida only because he looks like her uncle. It's typical of women. They don't understand politics. They think they can choose the country's leaders the same way they choose clothes." and also did not deny the fact that he had threatened his wife with a seven iron. This statement clarifies the misogynistic values that were present in Japanese society and perhaps its attitude towards women. Furthermore, Jiro and Ogata-San had both agreed afterwards that "husband and wife voting for different public parties is a sad situation", which suggests that Etsuko is expected to mirror Jiro's views in public. This depiction of Etsuko may be a parallel to the roles played by Japanese women in post-war Japan. This suppression of the female voice is further emphasized in chapter 7, where Etsuko is seen “gazing blankly at the view from (her) apartment. window” and recognizes “a pale profile of hills” and the “rare sense of relief from the emptiness of those long afternoons (she) spent in his apartment”. The image of the window is a symbol of entrapment: being able to see the external perspective but limited to one's internal boundaries. The emptiness of those long afternoons could suggest Etsuko's desire for something more, perhaps freedom. However, the fact that the hills she mentions can only be seen on a clear day, even if pale, also seems to suggest that whatever she desires may not necessarily exist. Indeed, this image suggests the suffocating ideals of Japanese patriarchal society and the way it limits women's freedom. The portrayal of women is not only seen through the patriarchal attitudes of Japanese society, but also through the social expectations placed on women. Some of these expectations have been discussed previously in relation to patriarchal values, such as submission and obedience. A Pale View of HIlls suggests.
tags