Two-World Literature

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In this compelling study, Rebecca Suter challenges our understanding of world literature by exploring the use of cultural stereotypes in Kazuo Ishiguro's early novels. The concept of "world literature" has faced criticism, with some arguing it stems from a unified, imperialistic cultural perspective. Suter presents Ishiguro's work as a significant alternative, highlighting his unique cultural background—born in Japan and raised in the UK—as a lens through which he addresses universal human concerns differently. Through close readings of his early narratives, Suter illustrates how Ishiguro crafts a "two-world literature" that transcends the limitations of a Western-centric viewpoint. His first two novels, A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World, use Japan as a metaphor to parody and challenge Western stereotypes, questioning the universality of Western values. This subversion continues in The Remains of the Day, which resonates with both English and Japanese cultural contexts. Ishiguro's early work delves into the intricate relationship between social conditioning and personal agency, emphasizing that characters' actions are shaped by their cultural backgrounds without being solely defined by them. This nuanced exploration of identity and memory is evident in his later acclaimed works, which have garnered him a global readership and a Nobel Prize. Readers of Ishiguro's two-world literature are invited to engage