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Tailing the Samurai's Tale

An Internet WebQuest on The Samurai's Tale byErik Haugaard
by Mr. Dan Fickett
Bonita Vista Middle School
CaliforniaLanguage Arts Content Standards

Introduction | The Task  | The Process & Resources | Presentation | Roles | Preparation to Present | Feedback | Evaluations

Introduction
tori shrine The Samurai's Tale presents a vivid picture of an orphaned boy's life during Japan's civil war era. The events, character relationships, character flaws, noble charactertraits, and admirable human qualities have an ancient context not fully uncovered within the story. You will approach this WebQuest as an investigative reporter, part archeologist, part detective,and part psychologist.  If you are clever at discovering details and making inferences, a greater depth of understanding of the events as well as the characters will unfold.   Then you can ponde rthe question: As we look to this day, how are we like sons of samurai?

    Pass through this tori(shrine) to find enlightenment

The Task

Your goal is to extend the class' understanding of this novel by reporting historical, cultural and thematic discoveries and interpreting their meanings with respect to characters and events in the novel.  What meaning do the relationships between characters and the events in the novel hold for Taro and other major characters?

It may be that in carefully looking into the past, we will find some trace of the meaning for our lives in the twenty-first century.  Do we see ourselves in the events and characters of medieval Japan?  What meaning for our own lives do we discover in the events and character relationships of this novel?

Each investigative reporter on your team will investigate a piece of the puzzle, contributing  to the depth of meaning your team uncovers.  Your success will be determined by your team's individual effort, your organization, and the meaning that surfaces as you put your puzzle together.  Enjoy!

 


Beginning The Process & Resources

The Process andResources

Select a team captain for your group during your first team meeting.  Team members will sign up for a minimum of three responsibilities in developing the team's presentation.  Each member should sign up for a specific internet research role, a specific focus notes assignment , and at least one presentation task:  artists to create the poster or slide presentation, writers for scripting the presentation and two or more members to present the team's findings to the class. The creative format of your presentation will determine the number of presenters needed by your group.  Your team captain will complete team meeting notes  one and place it in the file folder assigned to your team.

During the next several weeks, the team captain will be responsible for keeping track of the progress of each individual's contribution to the group and reporting the group's progress to by completing the captain's notes for  team meetings  two ,  three , and four .  The teacher will review the captain's notes periodically, and the folder containing these notes must be presented to the teacher on the day or your team's oral presentation.

As we read The Samurai's Tale, take individual  chapter notes for each chapter.  These will provide the basis for team discussions and assist you with the specific focus notes selected in the first team meeting.

Finally, use the internet links provided here to research the investigative role you selected in the first team meeting.  Be prepared to share your findings in your group meetings.  Look for historic and cultural details that might assist your team in the completion of the WebQuest task.
 
 



Beginning Presentation
The Presentation
Your team will present its investigative findings by creating a poster as the focal point for a 5 to 10 minute oral presentation.  Use 22 inch by 28 inch poster board to create a color picture collage or a color map of Kai.  Summarize The Samurai's Tale by illustrating important characters in the novel for the picture collage.  If you choose the map of Kai, locate important events on the map and present them in chronological order.  Alternatively, you may create a Microsoft Powerpoint presentation to focus the attention of the class with a multimedia presentation.  Before you select this option, at least two members of your group must already be familiar with Powerpoint.  Keep in mind that depth of content is still required.

Weave the fabric of your presentation by discovering several  universal themes exposed by the plot of the novel and influenced by its cultural setting.  Consider character goals and motivations, character relationships, and changes in character. Connect characters and events to universal themes.  Your presentation must also include cultural information and insights gained through exploration of at least two of the 'Web Quest' roles that follow. Use the questions in these events as a tool to magnify your understanding of the experiences of the main character, Taro (later called Murakami Harutomo). Shed light upon the culture of feudal Japan by exploring specific cultural details and inferringt he influence of these details upon the development of the plot, the main character, or important events.  Include the factual findings and inferences (logical conclusions) gained from your research in the fabric of your presentation.  Finally, it may be that in carefully looking into the past, we will find some trace of the meaning of our lives in the twenty-firs tcentury.  Conclude your presentation by bringing the distant past into the present.  Think about  important events, powerful people, and lofty goals in our modern world.  Do the events, characters, and universal themes your team discovered in investigating medieval Japan say anything about our lives today?  Share your opinons as you conclude.

Creatively organize this information within the poster or multimedia format your group chooses and deliver your findings to the class in a 5 to 10 minute presentation.  Creativity is important, so don't plan on simply reading notes to the class.  Discover a venue that will capture and hold the interest of the class.  Don't forget the conclusion.

Before investigating your web links, understand that you will explore Web pages from people all over the world, gathering cultural and historic information on the period of time in which the novel takes place.  You may find the reading level in these Web pages challenging. Feel free to use the on-line HyperTextDictionary, which appears as the first link in each role.  Alternatively, use a classroom dictionary.

 


Beginning Roles

WebQuest Roles

Each of these roles represents a piece of the puzzle to a better understanding of The Samurai's Tale.  Each researcher holds part of the meaning for other researchers.  As you meet to pull your presentation together, examine the information collected.  You may have to construct meaning from contradictions which are not easily resolved. Finally, organize the information gathered by determining which investigative research is best suited to meeting the goals of the WebQuest task .
Role 1:  Investigation of Samurai Weapons and Creed: Research the code, beliefs, and weapons of the samurai warrior. Then review the several incidents when Murakami begins to collect the implements of a samurai. As you develop the importance of Murakami's acquisition of helmet, sword, and armor, note any changes in his character that you detect. What do these changes say about the main character?  Support your findings with examples.  Be sure to discuss the symbolic importance and true value of the sword presented by Lord Akiyama to Murakami. What is the relationship between receiving a name and the katana?  Do the helmet and armor carry any symbolic meaning to the samurai warrior?  What central idea or message about life does Taro learn through these experiences?
Role 2:  Investigation intosocial ritual:  Taro (Murakami) drinks tea with several major and some minor characters during this novel.  Research the importance of drinking tea in the Japanese culture.  Choose two instances from the novel when Taro (Murakami) drinks tea with a major or minor character and speculate on the symbolic or political significance and meaning of this sharing of hospitality.  What does this ritual say about the ancient Japanese culture?  How is this in conflict with the events of the civil war era (Sengoku Era)?  Do Western cultures engage in a similar ritual and if so, what is its significance today? Role 3:  Investigation into the value ofart and beauty:  The civil war era (Sengoku Era) in Japan was very violent and gruesome, yet the architecture, art, gardens, haiku, and calligraphy of this period suggests that Japanese samurai appreciated art and beauty. Do some research into one or two of these aesthetic genre and discover two or three examples of the samurai's understanding, use, and love of art and beauty. Using the information gathered in your research, elaborate on at least two instances in the novel where aesthetic values are implied or mentioned. Extend the classes understanding of the novel by answering several of the following questions: Why would the author include this information in the novel? Does it serve to develop the character, the setting and scene, or have some other significance?  Reflecting on the most influential and important samurai warriors in this novel, speculate on the contradiction between love of art and beauty and the violence and destruction of the civil war era we witnessed in the novel. What human condition allows these contradictions of spirit to coexist? Are these forces still part of the human experience today? Provide a clear example.
Role 4:  Investigation intoOral Traditions - Japanese Myths and Folktales:  One value of literature is that we make meaning for our lives as we witness the experiences of  characters in stories.  Often we can witness life through the traits of a story's main character.  These "character traits" are related to the strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, behaviors, accomplishments, and the spirit in which the main character pursues his or her life.  They constitute the sum of human experience.  Stories are written to lead the reader toward observations of these traits, and thus the reader discovers a new awareness of life's meaning.  How does a character influence the events within a story?  What changes, if any, occur?  Who is affected?  Why?   With theseconcepts in mind, research several Japanese myths and folktales.   Discover at least two universal themes present in these myths or folktales that also observed through the interaction of the main characters in TheSamurai's Tale.  To correlate these themes with events or major characters in the novel, review the thematic categories listed in the chart of the hotlink above.  How do the themes you discovered in these oral traditions evidence themselves in the novel?  Which characters are involved?  What are their goals?  How do they illustrate one of these ancient themes?  Be prepared to cite specific examples from the novel to illustrate the appearance of these universal themes in The Samurai's Tale. Role 5:  Investigation into JapaneseProverbs: Read a minimum of 15 Japanese proverbs.  Find a different proverb for each of the six major charactersin the novel. Provide an example from the novel that illustrates the relationship between the proverb and the character. Based upon the proverbs you read and their relationship with the characters in the novel, infer how Japanese values concerning life and the way in which one should live.  Compare what you discover with the events in TheSamurai's Tale.   Does our Western view of life in the 21st century have any similarities?   Do you see any differences?
Zen is the Buddhist sect most popular with feudal samurai. Research the fundamental principles of Zen.  What is Bushido and how is it connected with the Bushido code?   What are the basic principles related to the Bushido code?  Do any of the major characters, including Murakami, exhibit the Bushido code or any of the principles of Zen?   If so, explain.  Does the Bushido code support the kind of conflict and cruelty during the civil war (Sengoku Era)?   Be very specific, using concrete details and examples as you explore this question.  How does this code compare with the way we live our lives today.
 


Beginning Preparing to Present

Preparing forthe Presentation

Each group member has learned about a different aspect of Japanese culture and history, making new meaning by discovering how this information relates to Taro and the events in TheSamurai's Tale.   As you meet with your team, discuss, debate, and ultimately reach a consensus on the creative presentation format your team will use. Share the expertise you have developed through your research in the areas for which you are responsible.  Sift through the information.  Analyze and select details, pictures, facts, and opinions to complete the task . Remember that your presentation must include thematic inferences and at least two investigations from the assigned WebQuest roles.   Weave this information into the presentation of character and event.  Don't report the research separately, as if playing "pin the tail on the donkey".
 


Beginning Feedback Evaluations

Real World Feedback

You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now it's time to put your learning into a letter to be sent out for real world feedback. Rethink the Japanese oral traditions each of you researched in Phase 2 and write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained.  Here's the process:
 
  1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and what your goal was in completing this project. Let the expert know that you want to share your thinking. Ask the expert for opinions or suggestions about your inferences concerning themes or Japanese values you discovered.

    2.  
  2. Give specific background information showing how you used the researched information from the Japanese myths and proverbs links to infer themes or Japanese values in the novel.

    3.  
  3. Your letter must be composed by the group and should be at least five paragraphs in length and develop good support for the group's inferences. Make sure to be specific in both the information (where you got your information) and the reasoning (why the information supported your group's inferences).

    4.  
  4. Have each person on the team proof read the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the e-mail message. Use the link below to make contact.  Sendyour message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.
Your Contact is: Ask theExpert - Click on the "ONLINE" button to submit your letter to "Ask the Folklore Expert." You may also enjoy browsing the Folklore and Mythology archives.  Click on the ARCHIVES button.
 
 


Title Beyond   Evaluations

Beyond

Research into the culture and history of medieval Japan is essential to more fully understand a topic as broad and complex as The Samurai's Tale .   It creates a much sharper picture of the time, the place and the people.  The research process develops an appreciation for the complexities in forming judgments and valuing the author's work. Having done the research, you are in a better position to understand, judge, and discuss the value of this novel.  You should be proud of yourselves!

Looking beyond the black and white of a topic and probing for depth of meaning and understanding involves critical thinking skills that can be repeated in academic classes like history, English, math, and science.  In fact, searching for depth of detail and discovering new meaning through critical thinking adds purpose and direction to the substance of one's whole life.

For those who want more, here are some extended questions to consider. Is a samurai warrior elegant, loving, loyal, educated --an ideal worthy of our respect-- or do samurai warriors represent evil, cruel, self serving individuals who are unaware of the value of life?  Find a friend and have a lunchtime debate.
 
 



Title


Act Now
Content by Mr. Dan Fickett
Last updated February22, 2006