Using Child’s Play as a historical source, discuss the ways in which Higuchi Ichiyō depicts the Meiji period as a time of historical and social change

In Modules 2 and 3 we explored the profound changes that followed the collapse of the Tokugawa military government and the ambitious program of reforms implemented by the Meiji regime to modernize Japan and transform it into a country on a par with the “enlightened” nations of the West.

Written in 1895-96, Higuchi Ichiyō’s short story Child’s Play (Takekurabe

)

 challenges in more than one way the grandiose narrative of the Meiji period as a bright era of “civilization and progress” by showing that Japanese people of the time did not equally experience the radical transformations and new opportunities brought by the Meiji restoration. While not openly criticizing the Meiji government, Higuchi Ichiyō’s story highlights that change, especially among the lower sectors of society, occurred at a slower pace and opportunities to pursue an education and advance one’s position on the social ladder were still largely limited by factors such as one’s socio-economic status and gender.

Using Child’s Play as a historical source, discuss the ways in which Higuchi Ichiyō depicts the Meiji period as a time of historical and social change. How does her depiction compare to the optimistic vision of the Meiji era as a period of progress and positive change promoted by documents such as Itō Hirobumi’s “Speech on Japan’s Future

“, “The Charter Oath

 on female textile workers and on poverty and prostitution collected by Mikiso Hane (also in module 2) support Higuchi Ichiyō’s bleak vision of the Meiji period?

Please note:

1. The focus of your paper should be Higuchi Ichiyō’s “Child’s Play” and you should use the other sources we studied in Module 2 as a way to support or challenge Higuchi’s depiction of the Meiji era. 
2. You do not need to compare Higuchi’s story with ALL the other sources mentioned in the prompt. However, you should make sure to compare Higuchi’s story with AT LEAST two of the other sources listed in the prompt. 

Instructions and Tips for Success

Before starting this assignment, please review the following points:

LENGTH, FORMATTING, STYLE:

1. Your essay should be at least 900 words long. You are welcome to write more if you wish. Please make sure to add a word count at the beginning of the paper. Headings, citations, footnotes, and bibliography are not considered for the word count. 
2. If you quote or reference information from a source, you can use either in-text citations or footnotes. For in-text citations, please use the same format we have been using in the weekly assignments [for example, (Higuchi, 17) or (Child’s Play, 17)]. If you prefer footnotes, any format (MLA, APA, Chicago…) will do, as long as it’s properly and consistently used.
3. You don’t need a reference list/bibliography at the end of the paper unless you are citing external sources (= sources that were not provided in this course). If you are citing external sources, please add a bibliography listing external sources at the end of the paper. 
4. You don’t need a title.
5. Please submit your paper to Canvas as a Microsoft Word document or Pages file. Please do not upload Pdf files.
6. Organizing your response in a logical way, quoting sources correctly, and using correct grammar and spelling all count as part of your grade for this assignment.  Make sure to edit/proofread your assignment before turning it in. If you are not confident about your editing/proofreading skills, consider making an appointment with the ASU Writing Center (online consultations are available).

CONTENTS AND STRUCTURE

1. To help you contextualize and analyze Higuchi’s “Child’s Play,” I am providing a number of background materials. These materials are optional but recommended. You are not expected to do any external research for this assignment, although you are welcome to consult and cite other sources if you wish (in that case it is your responsibility to ascertain that the sources you are using are historically accurate and reliable). 
2. Your paper should follow the traditional structure of an argumentative essayLinks to an external site.. You should start with an introduction in which you briefly provide the reader with some context to make sense of Meiji Japan, Child’s Play, and its author. Remember you are writing for a reader who is smart, but who isn’t necessarily knowledgeable about Asian/Japanese history, so make sure to explain things and provide some historical context. In your introduction, you should also summarize the main argument of your essay that is to say a sentence or two in which you explain the main point of the essay. You can think of your argument statement as a “preview” you are offering of what will follow or a short version of the answer to the question asked in the prompt. Make sure that what you state in the argument is consistent with what you write in the rest of the paper.  Finally, your paper should have a brief conclusion in which you summarize your main points. In order to do well in this exam, your essay should have all of the above-mentioned elements.
3. Some major themes you can consider in your analysis of Child’s Play as a historical source include but are not limited to: education in Meiji Japan; the tension between tradition and change; the “somber” side of the Meiji period, that is to say, the stories of ordinary folks like Midori who were forced into degrading jobs against their will for economic reasons. 
   
4. Your essay does not need to discuss everything about Meiji Japan or every theme explored by Higuchi in Child’s Play. If you plan to write about 900  words, two themes should be plenty for your essay. I can’t tell you exactly how many quotes or how many examples to use, but as a rule of thumb: one or two specific examples per point should be enough (more below).
5. Make sure to be specific. You should support your points by quoting or paraphrasing the source at hand.  Regardless of whether you quote or paraphrase, you need to include a citation whenever you use information extracted from a source. If your paper is too vague and doesn’t show that you have carefully read Higuchi Ichiyō’s story you won’t do well. Please be as accurate as you can but use direct quotes judiciously. Remember, when you quote you should not just plop in quotes without any context for the reader. Explain, expand, or challenge the quote. Want to learn more about how to quote, when it’s appropriate to quote, and when it’s better to paraphrase? Check out these terrific resources from Vanderbilt UniversityLinks to an external site. and the University of Adelaide
6. In addition to the instructions provided here, please make sure to read, understand, and follow the rubric provided below if you want to do well.
7. Still have doubts/questions? Feel free to reach out to me 

DUE DATE:  Submit between 09/03/2023 and 09/09/2023 at 11:59 pm