Look at all the Eastern writers who've written great Western literature. Kazuo Ishiguro. You'd never guess that The Remains of the Day or Never Let Me Go were written by a Japanese guy. But I can't think of anyone who's ever done the reverse-- any Westerner who's written great Eastern literature. Well, maybe if we count Lawrence Durrell - does the Alexandria Quartet qualify as Eastern literature? There is a very simple test, said Vikram. Is it about bored, tired people having sex? Yes, said the convert, surprised. Then it's western.
Many Eastern writers, like Kazuo Ishiguro, have successfully contributed to Western literature, with works such as The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go. It is uncommon, however, to see Western authors produce prominent Eastern literature, with few exceptions like Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet, which some consider fitting that category. The distinction often hinges on themes and cultural focus.
Vikram suggests a simple test to identify Eastern literature: if it deals with bored, tired people having sex, it’s Western. This implies that Western literature tends to prioritize different themes than Eastern literature, making such categorization straightforward based on content. There is a very simple test, said Vikram. Is it about bored, tired people having sex? Yes, said the convert, surprised. Then it's western.
