A Daughter of the Samurai · Chapter
Strange Customs explained
Etsu reflects on the vast differences between Japanese and American customs, from fashion and etiquette to the use of household objects.
What happens
Etsu reflects on the vast differences between Japanese and American customs, from fashion and etiquette to the use of household objects. She describes her struggle to reconcile her love for both cultures, often feeling caught between two worlds. Through conversations and observations, she explores the symbolism behind Japanese traditions and the American tendency to view objects purely for their aesthetic value, leading to cultural misunderstandings and moments of personal growth.
Themes in this chapter
Cultural Transition and Identity
Etsu feels caught between two worlds, trying to reconcile Japanese symbolism with American practicality, leading to a sense of standing 'upon a cloud in space.'
Tradition vs. Modernity
The chapter contrasts Japanese customs rooted in tradition and symbolism with American customs that often lack explanation, highlighting the tension between old and new.
Education and Enlightenment
Etsu learns to see Japanese objects with American eyes and vice versa, gaining a broader understanding of both cultures through observation and conversation.
Characters to notice
- Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto
Reflects on cultural differences between Japan and America, trying to explain Japanese customs to Americans and vice versa.
- Mother
Mentioned as a wonderful source of information about Japanese customs.
- Ishi
Recalled receiving a Turkish towel from Father and wearing it proudly to temple service.
- Kin
Recalled receiving a Turkish towel from Father and wearing it proudly to temple service.
- Father
Mentioned in a memory of bringing Turkish towels from the capital for the maids.
- Mrs. Holmes
Mentioned in a memory of giving Etsu chewing gum on the train, which Etsu mistook for medicine.
Key passages
“The standards of my own and my adopted country differed so widely in some ways, and my love for both lands was so sincere, that sometimes I had an odd feeling of standing upon a cloud in space, and gazing with measuring eyes upon two separate worlds.”
Etsu felt torn between Japan and America, loving both but struggling to reconcile their differences, as if observing both from a detached, neutral perspective.
Illustrates her internal conflict and cultural dislocation.
“In Japan, tradition, folklore, and symbolism are before one all the time. The dress of the people on the streets; the trademark on the swinging curtains of the shops; the decorations on chinaware; the call of the street vendor; the cap of the soldier; the pleated skirt of the schoolgirl: each points back to some well known tale of how or why.”
In Japan, every aspect of daily life—from clothing to street vendors—carries a story or symbolic meaning rooted in tradition, unlike in America where customs often lack explanation.
Highlights the depth of Japanese cultural symbolism.
“It was only after two years of close friendship with the hostess that I had the courage to tell her of my shocked first visit to her home. She laughs at me even yet, and I laugh too; but there is a warm feeling of satisfaction in my heart this moment as I remember that the rosary and the magonote no longer hang side by side.”
Etsu eventually told her American friend how the combination of a rosary and a 'scratch-my-back' tool had offended her Japanese sensibilities, and the friend later rearranged them, bringing Etsu relief.
Shows the resolution of a cultural misunderstanding through friendship.
