The Invisible Japanese Gentlemen

1
The Invisible Japanese Gentlemen

• Graham Greene

2
Pre-Reading Discussion

• Do you have the experience of looking at
  something but not seeing it? What might affect
  peoples seeing power?
• What do you make of the title? In what way can
  people be invisible?

3
P1 a long shot

• How did the author describe the Japanese
  gentlemen? List all the details that he had
  noticed.
• Do you think a group of Japanese people dining in
  a British restaurant is likely to arouse much
  curiosity? How do you interpret the girls
  indifference?

4
P2 a close shot

• What do you know about the girl from the authors
  description?
• What does the incongruity of her appearance and
  way of speaking tell?
• Can you speculate on the background of the girl?

5
P3-5 her companion

• How did the author describe the man? Did he give
  him as much attention as he gave the girl?
• Why did the author revert to the Japanese
  gentlemen while he was observing the girl and her
  partner?
• Can you speculate on the background of the man?

6
P6-25 a rising star and her dumb partner

• Why was the author shocked when he found the girl
  was of his own profession? What qualities do you
  think are necessary for a writer? Did the girl
  have them?
• How well did the couple get along? Did their
  relationship promise a happy marriage?
• In what way did the new title differ from the
  previous one? What did this change mean?

7
P26-27 insight of a hardened writer

• Why was the author pessimistic about the girls
  career? Why did he feel it a humiliating thought?
• What insight did the author provide about the
  nature of a writers profession? What did the
  girl expect of her career? Why was she approved
  by her publisher but disapproved by the author?

8
P28-54 ambition and conceit

• What kind of story do you think will be produced
  in a popular resort like St. Tropez? Why did the
  girl choose there as the venue for her next book?
• Who seemed to have the upper hand in the
  relationship? What do you think would happen to
  the couple after this date?

9
P55-57 what a future!

• Why did the author think both of them had made a
  wrong decision about their profession? What
  advice would he offer them? Does his advice sound
  sensible?
• What function did the Japanese gentlemen serve in
  the whole conversation?

10
Conclusion

• Power of observation relativity and selective
  perception
• Men and women apparent harmony and deep
  incongruity dominance and submission
• The profession of a writer sand and gold
• Euro-centrism
• Cultural differences in the conversational style.