The Latin American Freuds

The gothic expresses itself in each culture differently. Destroyed castles and anti-Catholic sentiments mark the European gothic; the Eastern gothic contains elements of honor and problems with modernization. Latin American gothic literature is often channeled through or coupled with magical realism. The relationship between gothic and magical realism is so interconnected because both deal with the uncanny and exploring what happens when things are not as they should be. 

            “The Gospel According to Mark” by Jorge Luis Borges contains gothic elements such as decaying structures, unusual weather, superstition, mistaken identity, and class struggle. The piece in “The Gospel According to Mark” which struck me as being related to the gothic is the family known as the Gutres. Borges says that: “They were tall, strong, and bony, and had hair that was on the reddish side and faces that showed traces of Indian blood. They were barely articulate” (Borges 479). This is very similar to the characters in “Olalla” by Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson uses these characters to explore the mental decay of the aristocrats in Spain. Borges is painting the gauchos of Argentina in this way to explore the problems with superstition and misunderstanding.

            The misunderstanding of the Gospel of Mark presents the magical realism aspects of “The Gospel According to Mark”. The mistaken identity and unusual weather of the gothic takes on a deeper more fantastical role in this text. The weather surrounds the ranch where Baltasar is staying, trapping him there, and recreated the conditions necessary to reenact the crucifixion. The growth of a beard, his background, and relationship with the Gutres all conspire against him to convince the Gutres that Baltasar must be crucified. The crucifixion is surprising and comes at the very end of the text (Borges 482), but when reexamined the magical realism of Baltasar’s similarity to Jesus and the familiar tale of Jesus’ crucifixion coming to life is troubling and terrifying.

            “If You Touched My Heart” by Isabel Allende contains gothic elements that include decaying structures, incarceration, transgressive love, and class struggle. Physical incarceration is a common gothic trope which is seen in “The Castle of Otranto”, “Olalla”, “The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin” and other gothic tales. In “If You Touched Me Heart” the young innocent Hortensia (gothic maiden) succumbs to the charm of Peralta (evil man ie: Manfred, Baron) and is trapped in a ruined sugar mill (Allende 520).

Inside of the sugar mill Hortensia experiences a physical change. “She was unaware of the scales sprouting from her skin…she did not feel her ears growing to capture external sounds…her legs, once graceful and firm, were growing twisted as they adjusted to moving in that confined space” (Allende 523). Here the experience of someone transforming into a monster is presented as a very real result of being trapped in a sugar mill.

“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is gothic because of the hidden identity of the angel, the perception of a transgressive divine, the decay of the angel and his chicken coop, and the unusual weather. The angel in this story has ‘an unbearable smell of the outdoors, the back side of his wings was strewn with parasites and his main feathers had been mistreated by terrestrial winds” (Marquez 2). The angel in this story is not the typical angel of Christianity and his decay, as the decay of a castle in Western gothic, provides the necessary device for the author to explore some gothic or allegorical idea.

The magical realism in this story takes place most noticeably in the angel. When he is first seen he is indiscernible, but “Pelayo and Elisenda very soon overcame their surprise and in the end found him familiar” (Marquez 1). This is textbook magical realism, taking something unfamiliar and making it familiar. The familiar is made unfamiliar when the response to the angel is covered by Marquez, which paints the bureaucracy of the church and carnival attraction to religious matters of his people as a real problem.

Just as Marquez uses gothic and magical realism devices to explore his problems with the glam and glitter of organized religion, Borges uses it to explore the problems of superstition and blind faith, and Allende is exploring the torture of people in her native Chile. The gothic according the Chris Baldick, the texts of “The Gospel According to Mark” and “If You Touched My Heart” can be found in his collection The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales, is primarily concerned with creating an atmosphere which is then used to explore the fears of the past (Baldick xix-xx). This is true of these stories, which make use of gothic tropes to create an environment, which can then be used to explore concerns that have manifested themselves in the author’s life or country. The role of magical realism is related to the bias of the author, its connection to Latin America, as well as the tendency of magical realism to create gothic irony. That is to expose fears or issues, familiar or unfamiliar, that become more understood through the use of this uncanny manifestation.

Understanding the Understanding of Howl's Moving Castle: Westernizing the Eastern Take on A Western Novel: The Problems of Understanding

The creation of any piece of art is going to create fans and critics. Some might not understand the piece. Others might understand the piece and then feel betrayed, that they’re particular understanding of the story was not respected by the author. The transition of a piece across cultures means that a greater understanding can only be achieved a greater understanding of different cultures, art techniques and transitions and can offer a greater understanding of what it means to be gothic or anime or a remake.

The most obvious element of Japanese influence is the presentation of the story. Howl’s Moving Castle was adapted from a book, written by a Westerner, into a movie, directed and written by a Japanese man.  The film version does not occur in a traditionally Western format but is instead remade into the Japanese animation. The tropes of Japanese animation are then combined into the tropes exhibited in the written story. The audience member must not only take into account the effect that the original text had on the making of the film, but also the similar features that Japanese animation films would have in common.

The appearance of Japanese culture exhibited in this film and held in common with other animation I have seen (which is limited to two films, heavily influenced by the Gothic agenda being promoted) have included similar Japanese supernatural elements. These Japanese gothic animation films make heavy use of recognizable but also unfamiliar supernatural elements. The shikabane is not just a zombie, but also a zombie with a Japanese twist that can only be understood with an understanding of Japanese culture. In Howl’s Moving Castle supernatural elements include witches and wizards, demons, and curses. These pieces are obviously Western; they first appeared in a Western book. However, they have been reimagined and placed in Japanese cultural, gothic, and animation traditions. When they are placed in this new environment they acquire aspects that may be unfamiliar to Western audiences.  The idea of these things might not be unfamiliar but what is unfamiliar is how these ideas are delivered, which is in a traditionally Japanese animation way.

Miyazaki’s message about war might is Japanese and might be hard for a Western audience to understand. The Japanese as the “losers” in WW2 and the experience of mass destruction certainly shapes viewpoints on war. The Western audience, especially Americans have a much different viewpoint on WW2 and a much different view on war overall. This stance on war might be overlooked completely by Western audiences and if it is understood, it may be disagreed with.

Those who may not have issue with the war message, or might approve of Miyazaki’s message would be interested in this film. This film might appeal to other viewers who have a vested interest in the gothic, fantasy, remakes, or Japanese animation. The film combines various elements and genres and would appeal to fans of each genre. The variety of genres also opens the film up to critics that feel that their genre is misrepresented. Arguments might also be made from those who do not properly understand the film, or the direction that the director wanted to take this specific interpretation.

There is a lot of room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Unfamiliarity with any of the genres of traditions can result in an incomplete understanding of the film, and the creation of issues that might not really exist. To understand the film as Miyazaki meant it to would probably mean being Miyazaki himself. A Western viewers perspective might mean that Miyazaki’s interpretation of Western elements into eastern elements, the experience of war, and supernatural elements might be misunderstood. A viewer who has broad but shallow knowledge might be able to understand better than a viewer who has narrow and deep knowledge and who would have problems with Miyazaki’s direction and the perceived disregard of traditional or appropriate traditions of Japanese gothic, Western literature, Japanese animation, filmmaking, and storytelling in general.

Number 5: A Whopper with a Side of Howl's Moving Castle, Hold the Creative License

Hushico’s review of Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle is deeply troubling because of their desire to “BK” their film viewing experience. When this viewer didn’t get the movie they had planned on they were disappointed. What this outlook does not provide for is a reinterpretation of the text, or a director who is working outside of his usual specialty. Of course, every viewer has ideas conjured up about a specific film and may be disappointed when the director’s creative discretion takes too many liberties, but to not give a movie a chance for trying something new with source material or different from previous movies, means missing out on some possibly great films.

The reviewer apparently takes issue from the very beginning. Miyazaki is committing a crime just by using Diana Wynne Jones’ novel as a source. The reviewer complains of Jones’ writing style but doesn’t elaborate on what exactly they find irritating. Based on this stance the reviewer should be happy that Miyazaki chose to change some fundamental elements of the story, but this disappoints them as well.

The biggest problem with this reviewer is their stance on Sophie and her romance with Howl. Hushicho writes: “Howl’s heroine has little real conviction except what other people persuade her to have. She doesn’t suit Miyazaki’s usual style of youthful yet strong heroines. She was just some stupid girl on the screen, nothing more.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. In a world occupied by narcissistic wizards, greedy witches, and wicked royals, Sophie offers the only source of goodness for goodness’ sake. Howl plays a convincingly young and egotistical wizard in over his head, who needs the help of a young woman to save him from himself. That is what romance is all about: A guy who thinks he has it all figured out, who is reminded of what’s really important by a girl who’s got a nice pure heart.

The viewer is made to sympathize with Sophie and really understands her. What young person hasn’t felt that they are ugly or unworthy of love? Who hasn’t stumbled into something over their heads and rejoiced and cried then rejoiced again as they fought to figure it out? As American as I am, and as American as the ending was, and although I knew that this may not have been done for innocent reasons, I sure did like to see everything work out okay.

Hushicho also has problems with Howl himself. The reviewer feels that Sophie was too ordinary, and nothing really happened between the two. Except, Howl saving Sophie from the guards, from the blob men, from the castle, inviting her into his garden, allowing him to stay in his home, and Sophie saves Howl’s heart, literally. What could be more romantic then holding someone’s heart in your hands and giving them life? Come on, that brings a tear to Stone Wall Jackson’s eye.

It seems evident that the reviewer took issue with Miyazaki’s film because it wasn’t typical Miyazaki. I suppose I could take issue with this film for not being typically gothic. Just because something isn’t what you’re used to, or what you expect does not make it a failure, perhaps this is due to me not seeing any other Miyazaki films but I was pleasantly surprised by Howl’s Moving Castle as a film in a vacuum, as an example of Japanese gothic, and as a translation of an English novel. By broadening my horizons I have a better understanding of Western and Eastern gothic. Perhaps a similar viewpoint would help the reviewer to put Miyazaki’s body of work into perspective. Sometimes when you "have it your way" you end up with a bacon sundae, and that's no good for you at all. Trust the experts. 

Japanese vs American Gothic: Women Are Still Scary

     The main gothic theme of exploring the fears of the past and how changes to our current understanding of the world can be terrifying remains in Japanese gothic. The difference in cultures results in a difference in systems. Different values are more important, different aspects of society have changed or change in ways that are not European, and different cultural expectations affect how a Western reader experiences the Japanese gothic. What remains is that when things change fear is often the result. European and Japanese gothic both place a high value on exploring the role of women in society.

            Japanese and European gothic approach women in similar ways, Matilda and Hippolita type characters still make appearances, and transgressive women are a major source of fear. In “The Chrysanthemum Vow” the monk’s mother is your typical Hippolita, ignorant of the events going on around her and always offering a weak womanly viewpoint on things. Transgressive women are not in “The Chrysanthemum Vow” at all, but their lack of involvement makes as much of a statement about the role of women as a story centering on a woman does. By excluding women entirely the auther is asserting that the only true loving relationship is between two men, and that women are by their nature unable of an honorable loving relationship.

            “The Tattooer” contains a transgressive woman in a stronger role than most European gothic stories. However, the role of the transgressive woman is still the same, to play off of the fear of what happens when people behave, as they shouldn’t. Matilda misbehaves by loving out of her social class, and disobeying her father. Women in Japanese gothic transgress by becoming too powerful. The modernization of Japan spurred the creation of a more independent Japanese woman, which scared men because it was a rejection of the old social order.

            “The Surgery Room” is a classic tale of “the good ‘ole days” with some incorporation of “what have women become?” The main character should be the pure innocent beautiful young woman we experience at the end of the story that the author esteems. Instead the main character, a noble woman (typically gothic), is withholding some dark secret from her husband. The husband in this story is not the tyrannical male of the European gothic but instead the pawn of some larger evil (a la “The Sandman”).

            Japanese gothic is similar to European gothic in that it explores the fear that is experienced when things change. However the things that are changing are different in Japanese culture than in European culture, or at least the response to these changes is different. Reading the Japanese gothic helps broaden the definition of what is gothic. Gothic changed as time went on, changed in the shift from novels to short stories, changed in the shift from European to American, and then again in Japanese. What holds these stories together is the underlying fear that they are exploring, what makes them interesting and valuable is what information the reader can glean about some culture at a particular time. 

Graphic Novels and the Gothic

            In non-illustrated narratives the author must rely on words to communicate his ideas to the reader. This can be beneficial when the reading allows for more interpretation, since the author is presenting a blurrier depiction of the narrative, a variety of imaginings can accompany the words. In an illustrative piece the author uses words, albeit less of them, and illustrations. This combination of words and illustrations allows the author to depict a narrative that is much closer to his imaginings. The author is allowed to more accurately convey their narrative in the way they intended, the story is less likely to get lost in translation. This does not mean that the story cannot be interpreted and appreciated on different levels.

            Commonly the illustrations are able to depict graphic happenings in a way that might be more disturbing to some readers, or prompt reader’s to connect the illustrations to more graphic ideas or images. In a non-illustrated work the author must rely on the words to connect ideas and occurrences. In these works words can only reference words, allusions within the piece or to other works occurs in one dimension. In illustrated works the author and illustrator have another dimension to incorporate ideas and allusions.

            These changes from non-illustrated to illustrated does not make the graphic novel better or worse than the usual written narrative. The graphic novel allows the author to present a very specific mental image, to infiltrate the readers mind and replace interpretation with a crafted depiction of their choosing. This can limit the reader’s role in making the story come alive, and individual to the reader. The story can at times seem more real, more disturbing, and more gothic when the author hits the nail on the head. There is less room for error however, and when the story falters in places, the author cannot rely on the reader to make up the extra.

            Horror by itself is not gothic. Irony is also not particularly gothic. When the two are combined however you get something that is often gothic, especially in the sense of it becoming uncanny. Horror can fail to be horrific at times when it becomes too familiar. This familiarity means that the tactics used to scare are expected, and without the surprise, the sense of terror is lost. When horror is combined with irony, the surprise returns because the familiar horror is made unfamiliar.