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'A Dog of Flanders' revisited. The second part of our very popular feature “A Dog of Flanders” published in December 2006.Commemorative bench Rubens' The Elevation of the Cross Didier Volckaert and An van Dienderen
I had a strange sense of déjà vu as I entered the cathedral of Antwerp. Although it was my first visit, the subtle gothic decorations on the walls and high ceilings seemed quite familiar. Standing speechless in front of Rubens’ paintings, I felt solemn and yet comfortable. Nello must have felt just the same, I imagined.
The climactic scene of the animation series “A Dog of Flanders” is almost like a common memory to all Japanese. No wonder many Japanese tourists weep for Nello as they think how he must have felt on that fateful Christmas Eve.
But I was surprised to learn that the Japanese are almost the only ones who get so emotional. Why do Belgians or Americans or British tourists not cry in the cathedral of Antwerp?
Some might say the Japanese are just too sentimental compared to all the realists in the world. But is that all?
“Well, we have learned there are more reasons to it,” say Didier Volckaert and An van Dienderen, a couple in Ghent who make critical documentary films on current social issues. Their sixth and latest collaborative film, “Tu ne verras pas Verapaz” (2002) revealed the hidden historical facts of Belgian colonisation in Guatemala.
The subject of their next documentary is the story of Nello and his faithful dog Patrasche, the main characters of “A Dog of Flanders”. An and Didier were curious to know how their homeland was pictured abroad, and the story just seemed to fit perfectly in their project.
They have already travelled to Japan and gathered material for their film. An kindly shares some of their findings: “As Belgians, this story reminds us of the poverty our forefathers suffered back in the 19th century. We simply cannot enjoy reading it,” she says.
“But a more important factor is the cultural difference in the acceptance of sad endings,” adds Didier. “Unlike the Japanese, we do not have the tradition of telling sad tales to our children.”
One may see an extreme but interesting example in how Americans have adapted the story. According to Didier and An’s research, there have been six different film versions of “A Dog of Flanders” in the U.S. since 1914, but none of them has a sad ending. American filmmakers always revise the tale into a “Happily-ever-after” story. Nello and Patrasche survive the cold winter night, Nello becomes a famous painter, marries his girlfriend Aloise…
It is a completely opposite approach from the Japanese animators who believed that the ending of the story was its most essential part and left it untouched.
“Americans think the original Patrasche story is just too harsh to confront children with,” Didier speculates.
Jan Corteel, a tourist officer in Antwerp and an expert on the story, also admits that there is a big perception gap. 
“In our Western countries, one loses when he or she dies. But Asian people don’t see death as a failure. Devoting all your life with a true heart to the pursuit of a goal makes you an everlasting hero. And that is exactly what Nello did.”
As Jan puts it, “nobility of failure” may be another key factor. In Japan, there are traditional stories in which “the loser” receives more sympathy from the public than “the winner.” The Japanese even have a word for this: “hangan-biiki” which means feeling sympathy for a tragic hero.
Why do Japanese tell sad stories to their children?
“It has to do with how you raise your children in your culture,” discloses Akira Takahashi, a professor of developmental psychology at Musashino University in Tokyo.
In Japan, a basic principle of moral education and parenting is the idea of empathy. Children are taught to first consider what other people think and then decide how to behave. Parents and teachers will say: “If you act like this, think about what your friends will feel” or “It might make your mom feel sad.”
“But in the United States and maybe most other countries, parents and teachers act as the ‘authority’ figures and simply tell children what is right or wrong. Moral principles are social rules which exist outside of human relations. In Japan, morality is considered as something that you nurture by yourself as you grow up. This is just the way it is, and we can’t say which way is right or better.”
Takahashi suggests that children tend to empathise more deeply with sad feelings. Therefore Japanese people appreciate sad endings because they can use them as a kind of tool to teach children how to care for others.
He researched child-raising manuals for American parents and could not find any sad stories in their lists of recommended books. “Children tales are supposed to give them dreams. Efforts should pay off at the end. Just like violent movies, sad stories are avoided in the U.S.”
Takahashi also found that the famous sad endings of Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” and “The Little Match Girl” have similarly been changed into happy ones in American versions.
What is Flanders?
Just as my quest is inseparable from the question: “Who is Japanese?”, the Patrasche story is also a way for Didier and An to explore the question “Who is Flemish?”
“The author of the book, Ouida, was British, and the book became popular in the U.S. and Japan. Everything comes from outside Flanders. We can see the Japanese animation series and exclaim: ‘This is not Flanders.’ But, then what is Flanders? We really don’t have the answer because we never asked ourselves this question,” An says.
The historical background of Flanders has made Flemish identity ambiguous. Since the 12th century the region fell under the rule of various neighbouring countries. Nowadays, an influx of foreign immigrants brings continuous social tension.
We will find out Didier and An’s answer when their film is released next year…
“So, did you like the story?” I asked Didier and An, who are both very fond of Japanese culture.
Didier, a fanatic of “manga” (Japanese comics), grinned: “I really like the way the Japanese animators arranged the original book, but I had to laugh when it snows in the film. It’s like Siberia!”
OK. Forget about the little details for now.
But, I insisted, after all their research and interviews, I suppose they now see the story’s universal message, the celebration of friendship and devotion? They are surely moved by the sad ending?
“Not really,” An honestly admitted. “It is just too sentimental for me and I cannot concentrate on reading it through.”
“I liked the ending,” said Didier, “I now see the point in the death of Nello and Patrasche. But, did I cry? No.”
So maybe Japanese people are a bit sentimental after all.
By Masaki Takakura
Masaki Takakura, a staff writer for Japanese national daily newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, is currently doing an internship programme at the European Journalism Centre's office in Brussels. His speciality is child welfare.
Published with the permission of Crossroads, a web magazine for expatriates in Maastricht, the Netherlands". (www.ejc.nl/crossroads).
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