Abe Kobo

[Mark Gibeau]

Ted Rains wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Can anyone direct me to some analytical papers (in English) on Abe Kobo's
> screen adaptations or Abe in general?
>
> Thanks,
> Ted

Unfortunately there is little in terms of critical writing on Abe in English
(not all that much more in Japanese either, though with his death both of th
ese situations are beginning to change).  Some basic papers on Abe in genera
l are (in descending order of relevance):

Motoyama, Mutsuko.  "The Literature and Politics of Abe Kobo" Monumenta Nipp
onica 50 (Autumn 1995): pp. 305-323.

Yamamoto, Fumiko.  "Metamorphosis in Abe Kobo's Works."  Journal of the Asso
ciation of Teachers of Japanese 15 (November 1980): pp. 170-194.

Horvat, Andrew.  _Kobo Abe: Four Stories._  Tokyo: Hara shobo, 1973.

Kimball, Arthur G.  _Crisis in Identity and Contemporary Japanese Novels._
Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle, 1973.  (sections)

Yamanouchi, Hisaaki.  _The Search for Authenticity in Modern Japanese Litera
ture._  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1978.  (sections)

There was a book just published (2 yrs ago) in English on his theatre troupe
, called _Fake Fish: The Theater of Abe Kobo_ by Nancy Shields, which I've o
nly glanced at.  Susan Napier's book, _The Fantastic in Modern Japanese Lite
rature : The Subversion of Modernity_ also contains some sections on Abe (I
believe), but I haven't read it so can't comment on its relevance.  Wimal Di
ssanayake published an article on Woman in the Dunes (both text & movie, he
examines it from a (zen?) buddhist point of view) in an East-West Center pub
lication series but unfortunately I do not have the citation readily availab
le.  If it sounds like something you might be interested in let me know & I'
ll dig up the full citation.  Hope this helps.

Mark.

************************
Mark Gibeau
Dept. of Asian Languages
Stanford University
mgibeau at leland.stanford.edu