How Does 'Audrey Hepburn'S Neck' Portray Western Influence?

The novel 'Audrey Hepburn's Neck' paints Western influence as both alluring and disruptive through the lens of Japanese culture. The protagonist Toshi's obsession with Audrey Hepburn symbolizes this duality—her elegance represents Western ideals of beauty, while his mother's rejection of Western medicine highlights cultural resistance. The book shows how Westernization infiltrates daily life, from fashion to relationships, creating generational divides. American military presence looms as a constant reminder of post-war influence, with Toshi's mixed feelings mirroring Japan's own complicated embrace of Western values. It's not just about adoption but adaptation, where Western elements are filtered through Japanese sensibilities.

In 'Audrey Hepburn's Neck', Western influence acts like a double-edged sword that reshapes identity. Toshi's journey from rural Japan to Tokyo parallels the nation's rapid Westernization, where American pop culture becomes both aspiration and alienation. The Audrey Hepburn posters aren't mere decoration—they embody unattainable standards that distort self-perception. His relationships with Western women further complicate this, showing how cultural fetishization works both ways.

The novel cleverly uses food as metaphor—whiskey replaces sake, hamburgers compete with sushi—showing how Westernization alters even mundane choices. Yet the most piercing commentary comes through language: Toshi's English fluency grants privilege but also estranges him from his roots. The Western gaze permeates everything, from how characters view themselves to how Japan markets its own culture back to tourists. What starts as fascination gradually reveals itself as cultural erasure, masked as progress.

Unlike other stories that portray Western influence as purely positive or negative, this book sits in the uncomfortable middle—acknowledging its inevitability while mourning what gets lost in translation. The ending suggests cultural hybridity is possible, but only when both sides retain their dignity.

What struck me about 'Audrey Hepburn's Neck' is how it frames Western influence as psychological colonization. Toshi doesn't just admire Western culture—he internalizes its superiority, measuring his worth through foreign approval. The titular neck becomes a cruel symbol; his fixation on this Western beauty standard makes him dismiss Japanese features as inferior. Even his romantic pursuits reveal this—he idealizes white women while overlooking compatriots.

The book's brilliance lies in showing Westernization's ripple effects. It's not just about Toshi—his mother's generation resists while his peers enthusiastically assimilate. The American military bases serve as physical manifestations of this cultural imposition, their presence both protective and predatory.

Yet there's nuance. Through Toshi's photography career, we see Japan repackaging its culture for Western consumption—temples become photo ops, traditions become souvenirs. This commodification raises uncomfortable questions about cultural exchange versus exploitation. The novel suggests true influence should flow both ways, but power imbalances often make it a one-way street.