Jake Beck, Week 3, Q3.

Throughout the Thornberry article we get glimpses into the development of Japan's Kabuki threatre after World War 2 which I believe is essential to rebuilding the identity of Japan's culture. Like most countries after WW2 (except the US) most other countries had to rebuild their countries from the ground up. Japan, like Germany's political and constitutional aspects where shaped by the US and other countries. Japan's constitution was partially shaped by General MacArthur who was appointed as occupational leader until Japan regain independence in 1952. This is particularly important because part of Japan's central identity was shaped by a country(and its military) with values far different than their own.

After Japan reclaimed its independence much of their central cultural identity was partially lost. So it only makes sense that Japan would look back to their history of theatre in order to reclaim an identity. Something it's helpful to look back in order to look forward. Within Thornberry's article, he tracks how kabuki evolved as a response to the lose of cultural identity. Thornberry notes the various stumbles this art form took before becoming central a principle and crucial marker of identity for Japan. One such moment Thornberry talks about is the shift of Kabuki theatre putting on full multi hour performance to a midori style of presentation that highlighted the most notable scenes of a single play. This shift came for the Japanese peoples reaction to the performances. I can assume that after being ruled by a single emperor to the dissloution of that regime and having a country being rebuilt by a culture much different from their own, I can believe that  the Japanese people wanted to pick and choice what the wanted instead of having it crammed down their throats. This response comes form the people deciding the way they wanted their theatre done. Even though Thronberry notes that the revival of Kabuki was considered particularly important to the rebuilding of Japan's culture, it was the audiences members reactions and preferences to Kabuki that ultimately helped decide the preferred form of presentation Kabuki would be used in representing the Japanese culture.