In Japan, there are boys called “Botchan” or “Bonbon”, which mean a boy who is a son of a relatively wealthy family and is dependent on their parents. However, White suggests that “Botchan” doesn’t exactly mean “Bonbon” (Perfectly Japanese). In my opinion, “Botchan” is a little boy who is totally dependent on their parents and carefully taken care. For example, in my image, “Botchan” only wears clothes that their parents choose him to wear and do “Ojuken”, which means going to cram schools to pass the entrance exam for famous private schools. On the other hand, “Bonbon” is a boy older than “Botchan” who is only dependent on their parents in economical aspects. Therefore, according to White, “Botchan” have their own sense of liking, for instance, fashion (Perfectly Japanese). Nevertheless, “Botchan” usually doesn’t know what he wants to do or doesn’t have any purpose and goal in the future, and what he is mostly doing is just an imitation of their parents. I felt “Botchan” and “Bonbon” is a little bit different as White suggests and thought that comparing these two types of boys in Japan will lead to identify the role of children in Japanese family.
Historically, Japanese treat boys better than girls, however it is changing. This way of thinking came from the idea that woman will marry into another family in the future, and this is because man should be respectable to be responsible for the family. As a result, I consider that this is one of the reasons why the notions of “Botchan” and “Bonbon” still exist strongly in Japan. (270 words)
