Clash of Cultures

Clash of cultures is a major and overarching theme in David Mitchell's novel, "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet". Clash of cultures involves the meeting of two diverse nations or cultures, and how each is affected by, influences, and rebuffed by the other. The clash of cultures is on visible display throughout the novel, and occurs in three major areas - religion, law, and interpretation.

In terms of religion, Japan has outlawed Christianity. Its past has been very inhospitable to Christians, as Christians were slaughtered by the Japanese. Japan is a mixture of various pagan and spiritual religions, as well as fanatical cults like Enomoto's. Despite this religious intolerance, Japanese Christians still practice in secret for fear of their lives. Jacob himself smuggles his Psalter onto Dejima. The Christian concept of marrying for love is totally at odds with Japanese arranged marriages. Whereas Christianity speaks...