Book Review: Spring, Summer, Asteroid, Bird

[osprey_archer]

Two of the most interesting (deranged, over the top, extremely fun but also WTF) books I read last year were Henry Lien’s Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword and Peasprout Chen: Battle of Champions. So when I discovered that Lien had written a book about storytelling, Spring, Summer, Asteroid, Bird: The Art of Eastern Storytelling, of course I had to read what the author of Peasprout Chen has to say about storytelling, even though I generally approach the idea of Eastern and Western storytelling styles with a healthy dose of suspicion.

To sum up this suspicion briefly, I think that people often look at a snapshot of what Eastern and Western storytellers are doing right now, and then draw conclusions about The Eternal Differences of Eastern and Western Storytelling that aren’t Eternal at all, since they would be completely blown out of the water by a wider historical view.

For instance, I’ve seen the argument that “Western stories must have conflict,” which (although there are obviously outliers) is a pretty good summation of the current Western vision of how stories work… but in the 19th and early 20th century, stories about the characters having good times with no conflict were an accepted and popular literary mode in America and England, especially in children’s books.

Given this viewpoint, it’s perhaps no surprise that I think the book is strongest when it focuses on the differences between Eastern and Western animated children’s stories (for which read “Studio Ghibli” and “Disney”). The artform has only been around for about a hundred years and it’s been dominated by a handful of main companies, so one person can meaningfully encompass most of what’s been released. And the differences are striking, as I think anyone who grew up on Disney and then saw a Ghibli film can attest. Wait, you don’t have to have a villain? You don’t even have to have conflict? The kids can just ride in the catbus?

The weakest part IMO is the chapter where Lien argues that Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go is telling a profoundly Eastern story, because rather than rebel against their circumstances, the characters accept their fate and try to live the best lives they can within that context. Now I’m sure this is something that happens in Eastern stories, but this is also a theme with deep roots in the history of the English novel. Admittedly a theme that is deeply out of fashion right now! One that literary critics and internet pundits complain about at length when they discuss nineteenth century English novels! And then other critics/pundits reply, “Isn’t trying to live the best life you can in limited circumstances the TRUE rebellion, though?”, because Western critics/pundits have generally accepted that Rebellion is the moral standard by which literary works should be judged and by which we should all live.

So in that sense I suppose I’ve talked myself into agreeing with Lien, at least to the extent of agreeing that Ishiguro is telling a story that is alien and upsetting to current Western literary sensibilities… but it’s alien and upsetting in a way that has Western roots just as deep as the Eastern ones. Mansfield Park makes people blow a gasket for pretty much the same reason.

Reading the book is a bit like going to a coffee shop with a friend and having a good rousing literary argument. You may have some quibbles, you may indeed have some big disagreements, but it’s a stimulating and enjoyable experience nonetheless.

However, fair warning, it will not give you any new insight into why Peasprout Chen is Like That. Peasprout will simply remain a bizarre and beautiful mystery.

Comments

[adore]

because rather than rebel against their circumstances, the characters accept their fate and try to live the best lives they can within that context.

This is what I've found profoundly comforting about Barbara Comyns's novels.

because Western critics/pundits have generally accepted that Rebellion is the moral standard by which literary works should be judged and by which we should all live.

Not having control over much of the world and some of the circumstances we find ourselves in is uncomfortable, and to some it's unacceptable when characters accept it.

[osprey_archer]

Oh, I've never heard of Barbara Comyns. Which of her novels would you most recommend?

[kore]

(Jumping in to yell BARBARA COMYNS IS AWESOME)

[kore]

Heh, I was thinking of the whole Austen Versus Brontes debate that came up elsewhere, and how modern readers often tend to side with Marianne over Elinor, too. Austen really nails that leading a life of quiet desperation in Persuasion.

[osprey_archer]

Yes, absolutely, Bronte vs. Austen with the Brontes as Properly Rebellious vs. Austen the staid conservative... and then the Austen fans grumbling that actually Austen is QUIETLY rebellious. She shows us the deforming effects of male primogeniture on women's lives! The way that Anne is battened down by her family! And look at Elizabeth, isn't she spunky?

[regshoe]

So is Peasprout Chen Eastern storytelling, Western storytelling or simply unclassifiable? :D

Anyway—I am also suspicious of over-generalisations about storytelling, but this book sounds like a lot of fun—I like the comparison to a rousing literary argument.

[osprey_archer]

Well, Peasprout is DEFINITELY not accepting her fate and trying to live the best life she can under the circumstances. Peasprout is the Peony-Level Brightstar of martial arts figuring skating! Peasprout will shape her destiny!

[asakiyume]

I enjoyed reading this in much the same way I'd enjoy talking the ideas over with you in a coffee shop. It's very satisfying because I have exactly the same view of sweeping generalizations of Eastern and Western storytelling. Whenever anyone has sweeping generalizations about anything (men v. woman, children v. grownups, science v. art, etc.), I always want to pin them to the wall and get them to 'fess up what exactly the thing is that got them riled and that then they've generalized out from. Because usually that thing--like Ghibli v. Disney--is interesting to talk about and they've really noticed something. But trying to extend it to all XX everywhere .... nah bro.

[osprey_archer]

Yeah, you could write a whole book comparing Ghibli and Disney! Multiple books even! And you could maybe even move beyond the movies to consider what these movies suggest about the lessons that Japan and America consider are appropriate for children, which can in turn tell us interesting things about a society...

Although tbh I'm not sure what it says about America that the constant refrain to small children is "you have to share" when we are in many ways NOT about sharing on an adult level.

[asakiyume]

Yeah, lip service to something adults aren't living ....

[kore]

I would be really kind of hard pressed to say that today's Disney films are homogenous with early Disney films too, especially the "live action" versions of the classic animated movies which are just way too uncanny valley for me.

[sovay]

Because usually that thing--like Ghibli v. Disney--is interesting to talk about and they've really noticed something. But trying to extend it to all XX everywhere .... nah bro.

You can't even uncomplicatedly extend it through Ghibli and Disney! Or at least if you want to make the argument turn on rebelling against one's circumstances rather than making the best of them, then you are still stuck with the fact that Ponyo rebels to the point of nearly pulling the moon from the sky.

[asakiyume]

Good point!