The Last Samurai

1) Japan. The end of XIX  century,  Capt. Nathan  Algren(main character), an American  military officer  hired by  the Emperor of Japan  to train  the country's  first army  of the rising sun  to contemporary art  of warfare. The Emperor  is trying to  eradicate the  ancient  Imperial  warrior  class  of samurai, in preparation for  a more  pro-Western  government policies  supporting  foreign trade. Meanwhile,  as a result of  collisions with the  samurai,  Algren  finds himself in the center of  the confrontation  of two worlds and  civilizations,  where  the only way to  survive  is  guided by  its own  concept  of honor. ) Nathan Algren: What do you want? Katsumoto: To know my enemy. Nathan Algren: I've seen what you do to your enemies. Katsumoto: Warriors in your country do not kill? Nathan Algren: They don't cut the heads off defeated, kneeling men. Katsumoto: General Hasegawa asked me to help him e nd his life. A samurai cannot stand the shame of defeat. I was honored to cut off his head. Katsumoto: And who was your general? Nathan Algren: Don't you have a rebellion to lead? Katsumoto: People in your country do not like conversation? Nathan Algren: He was a  lieutenant colonel.His name was  Custer. Katsumoto: I know this name. He killed many warriors. Nathan Algren: Oh, yes. Many warriors. Katsumoto: So he was a good general. Nathan Algren: No. He wasn't a good general. He was arrogant and foolhardy. And he got massacred because he took a single battalion against two thousand angry Indians. Katsumoto: Two thousand Indians? How many men for Custer? Nathan Algren: Two hundred and eleven. Katsumoto: I like this General Custer. Nathan Algren: He was a murderer who fell in love with his own legend. And his troopers died for it.Katsumoto: I think this is a very good death. Nathan Algren: Well, maybe you can have one just like it someday. 3) Differences  between the two culture s  of these countries  are very strong  as we  can see in  the dialogue, Nathan Algren  protagonist  does not understand  what Katsumoto,  the rebel leader  says,  but  only in  the beginning and  at the end of  the film  author  quite  clearly shows  how Englishman understood the ancient culture of  Japan. In this film  the best  scenes  is a  heroic  death,  let's say,  three hundred  Japanese who encountered  by continuous  fire from the  guns and  howitzers.Here  we are talking about  personal  valor and military honor,  above all,  including –  devotion to  their ruler  or  lord. The human  personality, which remains independent and free, even in  the moment of death,  when  made   a conscious choice  between  fame and infamy,  is  the main measure of  value. And this,  director  showed  the viewers by  eyes  of the protagonist,  a foreigner. The fact that he   has mastered the  culture which he didn’t know at all   and  in the end  decided to be  for it. 4) Finally, I want to say that the main principle of survival in the harsh environment of foreign life is adaptation.And I chose this film because there are clearly shown and gradually as the main character throughout the film get used to the Japanese environment. The protagonist, taken prisoner by samurai, gradually turns into a samurai. Contemplation of people indifferent to his own death, talks with rebel leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), stating that the person who saw the perfect shape of a flower, has lived a life not in vain, a clear rhythm and strict rest of life around make from American captain a new man.He understands why his former enemies’ absolute hero – not the one who kept the army and strategic positions, but the one who led a detachment of 211 troops against the two thousandth. And he understands why Katsumoto smiles happily when he hear d that all 300 soldiers were killed Spartan  at Thermopylae; he understands why widow of killed by him Samurai nursed him after being wounded – killed for a fair fight can not be an enemy. And, realizing this, Olgren wears the captain samurai armor, stands in order of their recent opponents and comes with a sword against guns and howitzers.Predetermined outcome of the battle, but it absolutely does not matter: death – only worthy end of life as a single ceremony of honor. Therefore, before the final battle, the protagonist offers a simple truth, which requires a long way to me: fate can not be change or submit- the fate amenable to recognition only. University of International Business and Economics The Last Samurai Intercultural communication Student: Farrukh Khamraev ID: IUP2010070 Date: November 29,2011 Beijing, 2011