Smiling Wolf -- New Works Series of Chinese and Japanese Women Writers

Author: Tushima Yuko
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-09-01
Features: Tushima Yuko (1947-) is the daughter of the renowned Japanese writer Kafu Takizaki. She began her literary career during her university years and has published over 100 novels (stories) to date. She has been awarded nearly all major Japanese literary prizes except for the Akutagawa Prize, making her one of the most influential contemporary female writers in Japan. Tushima seeks to challenge the traditional male-centered family structure and instead explores the value and existence of women by affirming their sexual and reproductive functions, ultimately constructing a family model centered on women. As a result, in many of her works, the family depicted often lacks a male head of household—either without a father or without a husband. Even when a father or husband does appear, the character is inevitably a redundant figure who holds little significance for the children, wife, or family. Some also interpret this unique literary phenomenon as being related to the author's personal life experiences—her father's death by suicide after an affair, her divorced husband, her deceased elder son, and her mentally disabled brother. Indeed, the plot and characters in her works often closely resemble or even overlap with Tushima's own experiences. However, this is no longer a simple reproduction of life but rather a unique literary world created through the author's blend of realism and imagination.