ABSTRACT
It is crucial for foreign language programs to develop courses that promote ability to read texts critically in a global context. This chapter introduces a Japanese literature and film course in which language use plays a key role in literary analysis and critical thinking exercises. The author emphasizes the importance of bringing authenticity to the English translation of Japanese literature. The examples shown in this chapter guide Japanese language educators in developing class discussion topics that require critical reading based on linguistic differences and meanings that are lost in English translation. The ideas discussed in this chapter enable students with little to no knowledge of Japanese to understand nuances and subtleties in the original works that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. These exercises stimulate their interest in the language itself. Their desire to read the original texts and/or to watch the film without subtitles greatly motivates students to study the language.
