Narrating the Other: Australian Literary Perceptions of Japan in Bloomington, MN

In the first extensive study of Japan in Australian literary consciousness, Narrating the Other provides a broad chronological exploration of Australian writers' representations of the Japanese from the late 19th to the 21st century. A comprehensive examination of Australian novels, stories, and memoirs reveals the powerful and continuing influence of depictions of Japan and its people. Images of 'Madame Butterfly,' 'the stranger,' 'the enemy,' and later 'the ally' or 'partner' vary according to authors, situations, and wider international relations. Narrating the Other identifies the patterns that Australian authors have used to portray and evaluate the Japanese, the changing nature of these patterns, their contextual relationship, and their contribution to the formation of wider Australian views on Japan and the Japanese.