Masahiko Shimada’s Reflection And Innovation To Post-modernism Literature In New Century Novels

Masahiko Shimada is the bannerman of post-modernism literature in Japan. According to the difference of content and techniques of expression, this paper will divide his novels into early novels and new century novels. Early novels refer to novels published from 1983 to 1999, and new century novels refer to novels published from 2000 to 2012.In his early novels, Shimada applies the postmodern techniques such as parody, the fabrication and absurd of plot and the alienation of expression, intending to destruct and reconstruct the text. Also, in his early novels, Shimada mentions postmodern themes associated with division and disintegration repeatedly, such as schizophrenia, imitation, deformation, rental child, non-national, etc. But his new century novels, whether in terms of subject and content or the techniques of expression, are quite different from his early novels. This paper mainly regards Shimada’s new century novels as the object and explores his reflection and innovation to post-modernism literature, on the basis of comparison with his early novels.This paper mainly consists of three chapters.Chapter one concerns about the change from the spirit of age in his early novels to the reality and history in his new century novels. In early novels, standing on the leading edge of post-modern society and the high consumption society, Shimada pays close attention to what will happen in the near future. But in new century novels, Shimada examines reality and history from the front, introduces social reality and history factor to his novels, and points out social problems in Japan. Both the spirit of age and reality indicate Shimada’s attention to society, but the attention degree and techniques of expression are different. The early novels express its spirit of age through the extensive use of post-modern techniques. However, the reality and history in new century novels is expressed by reducing the use of post-modern techniques and the regression to the traditional narrative approach. With the change from the spirit of age to the reality and history, the techniques of expression also have changed.Chapter two analyzes the changes in post-modern techniques. In early novels, Shimada applied many post-modern techniques, such as the openness of the text, fabrication and absurd of plot and the alienation of expression. In contrast, in new century novels, post-modern techniques obviously reduced, with the application of the openness between text and the fabrication of plot. Instead, Shimada began to pay attention to the integrity of narrative fiction, and concentrate his efforts on narrative approach. The changes in post-modern techniques serve the changes in theme and content.Chapter three explores about Shimada’s reflection and innovation to post-modernism literature. In new century novels, Shimada reduced the use of post-modern techniques deliberately, which is the reflection to post-modernism literature. And the use of post-modern techniques and the introduction of reality and history indicate his innovation to post-modernism literature. On the other hand, post-modern realism literature fused the feature of post-modernism literature and realism literature, with enriching its theme and content and improving its narrative approach, which is the reflection and innovation to post-modernism literature. Therefore, Shimada’s reflection and innovation to post-modernism literature show the approach to post-modern realism literature.As the bannerman of post-modernism literature in Japan, Shimada actively explores the literature mode after post-modernism literature actively, and opens up a new situation for the development of literature in Japan. This paper mainly discusses Shimada’s reflection and innovation to post-modernism literature, which is a great reference to Japanese literature in new century, especially to post-modernism literature in Japan.