“The Invisible Japanese Gentlemen” by Graham Greene, was written in 1965 and touches upon several very important issues such as: egocentricity, lack of experience leading on to “arrogance”, criticism to the previously mentioned characteristics, the concept of “observation”, and the significant and different role that a narrator can play in a literary work. This creation definitely changed the style of writing literature. Moreover, this short story makes us reflect upon the role that teachers can play to start making people develop critical thinking skills and a real power of observation too. Through this story we can also criticise teachers who are similar to the girl, provoking that education continues to be in crisis.
The story tells the readers about a group of eight Japanese gentlemen and a young British couple. All of them are in a restaurant and the narrator is there too, but not as a character. The Japanese seem to be very polite and always smiling, they are eating. On the other hand, we have the couple talking about the book that is about to be published by the girl, who is a “writer”. Nevertheless, she is extremely self-centred and arriviste. She presumes she has a powerful sense of observation. Her fiancé carefully listens to her trying to “open her mind” a little bit, but she does not seem to listen, really. She does not seem to observe either, she just talks about herself, herself, and herself. It is rather shocking to see a girl who is so stubborn at her age. She has probably not had too much experience in life, so she may think that literature is “a piece of cake”, when it is not.
Concerning the narrator, he performs a very important role. He describes the entire scene, but from within the story. As the couple talks, the narrator criticises the girl and he makes the story quite richer in terms of narration since this is a new technique in writing. Apparently, the narrator has a lot of experience in literature since, very sarcastically, he criticises everything the girl says. He criticises her “power of observation” mainly. He kind of “demonstrates” his real power of observation when he says that all the Japanese wore glasses, but one, for example.
Nonetheless, not everything is criticism. We may think that the author of this short story wants to pass his experience down to this young woman. By disparaging the woman, he is kind of teaching what he knows. This is exactly what future teachers should do. Teachers have to try to make their students develop a real power of observation and critical thinking skills. Being self-critical helps you see your strengths and weaknesses. It also helps you to be more humble. “Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skilfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.”[1]
Despite the previous definition, there are some teachers that tend to think they have everything sussed out and do not go beyond the surface in order for them to upgrade and continue learning. This might be a reason that somehow explains the crisis of education in Chile nowadays. Teachers seem to be a bit self-centred as well as the girl. There are teachers who do not like receiving feedback and improve, although they should. Being a teacher does not make you a God; teachers are supposed to be human beings, with a social motivation and vocation, that can continue becoming competent throughout all their lives. In fact, learning is infinite and has no constraints.
It is vital that children from this generation learn to think critically and to observe. People who observe are far more likely to develop a more profound understanding of what goes on around them. Therefore, they will be more critical with what they see or listen to. In addition, these children will generate a fully developed sense of tolerance since they will be much more open to considering different standpoints and models. What’s more, once students get through critical thinking, they will in all likelihood mature their emotional intelligence since they will be self-critical. As a consequence of this, they will easily identify when they are acting in a “prejudice” fashion.
In sum, through analysing a literary piece of work, we can get a lot of input out of it. For instance: ideas, discussions, different viewpoints, development of imagination and critical thinking skills, amongst other very important concepts. Literature and education should go hand in hand so that this society is more “awake” and stays alert when needed to face up to difficulties and changes.
[1] Available on the Internet: http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/define_critical_thinking.cfm. November 17th, 2008.
The story tells the readers about a group of eight Japanese gentlemen and a young British couple. All of them are in a restaurant and the narrator is there too, but not as a character. The Japanese seem to be very polite and always smiling, they are eating. On the other hand, we have the couple talking about the book that is about to be published by the girl, who is a “writer”. Nevertheless, she is extremely self-centred and arriviste. She presumes she has a powerful sense of observation. Her fiancé carefully listens to her trying to “open her mind” a little bit, but she does not seem to listen, really. She does not seem to observe either, she just talks about herself, herself, and herself. It is rather shocking to see a girl who is so stubborn at her age. She has probably not had too much experience in life, so she may think that literature is “a piece of cake”, when it is not.
Concerning the narrator, he performs a very important role. He describes the entire scene, but from within the story. As the couple talks, the narrator criticises the girl and he makes the story quite richer in terms of narration since this is a new technique in writing. Apparently, the narrator has a lot of experience in literature since, very sarcastically, he criticises everything the girl says. He criticises her “power of observation” mainly. He kind of “demonstrates” his real power of observation when he says that all the Japanese wore glasses, but one, for example.
Nonetheless, not everything is criticism. We may think that the author of this short story wants to pass his experience down to this young woman. By disparaging the woman, he is kind of teaching what he knows. This is exactly what future teachers should do. Teachers have to try to make their students develop a real power of observation and critical thinking skills. Being self-critical helps you see your strengths and weaknesses. It also helps you to be more humble. “Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skilfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.”[1]
Despite the previous definition, there are some teachers that tend to think they have everything sussed out and do not go beyond the surface in order for them to upgrade and continue learning. This might be a reason that somehow explains the crisis of education in Chile nowadays. Teachers seem to be a bit self-centred as well as the girl. There are teachers who do not like receiving feedback and improve, although they should. Being a teacher does not make you a God; teachers are supposed to be human beings, with a social motivation and vocation, that can continue becoming competent throughout all their lives. In fact, learning is infinite and has no constraints.
It is vital that children from this generation learn to think critically and to observe. People who observe are far more likely to develop a more profound understanding of what goes on around them. Therefore, they will be more critical with what they see or listen to. In addition, these children will generate a fully developed sense of tolerance since they will be much more open to considering different standpoints and models. What’s more, once students get through critical thinking, they will in all likelihood mature their emotional intelligence since they will be self-critical. As a consequence of this, they will easily identify when they are acting in a “prejudice” fashion.
In sum, through analysing a literary piece of work, we can get a lot of input out of it. For instance: ideas, discussions, different viewpoints, development of imagination and critical thinking skills, amongst other very important concepts. Literature and education should go hand in hand so that this society is more “awake” and stays alert when needed to face up to difficulties and changes.
[1] Available on the Internet: http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/define_critical_thinking.cfm. November 17th, 2008.
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