Hanako Yamasaki
Comparative Literature & Philosophy
Philadelphia, Pa.
What was your favorite class and why?
My favorite course was Comparative Literature, Film, and Media, which I took during my sophomore fall. It was my first comparative literature course, and it greatly influenced the trajectory of my time at Cornell. Early into the course, I recall feeling enamored with comparative literature and deciding that I wanted to pursue it further.
What have you accomplished as a Cornell student that you are most proud of?
I am most proud of my role as chair of the Department of Comparative Literature’s Undergraduate Theory Colloquium. During my junior year, I had the pleasure of presenting alongside my peers, and for my senior year, I both presented and chaired. The department has been a crucial part of my time at Cornell, and the colloquium has allowed me to revise and expand my interests within comparative literature. For me, it was incredibly nerve-racking and rewarding to present with my peers.
How have your beliefs or perspectives changed since you first arrived at Cornell?
I remember being rather unimaginative and constrained before starting at Cornell. I thought that I knew exactly who I was and what I wanted to do in the world. As my time here has progressed, I have grown exceedingly aware of how erroneous my thoughts were. Being immersed within such a rich student body, I have found that my ideas are constantly in conversation with those of my peers, and I feel as though I am always in a process of learning more about myself and those around me. My experiences at Cornell have taught me that my path is not predetermined and that I am always in flux.
Who or what influenced your Cornell education the most?
My Cornell education has been most influenced by Professor Cathy Caruth. Literary Theory on the Edge, a required course for my comparative literature major, was my first course with Professor Caruth. Within the course we examined the works of thinkers such as Derrida, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Barbara Johnson, among others. Each week, Professor Caruth returned us detailed feedback on our weekly response papers, which I found greatly motivating. I enjoyed the course so much that I enrolled in Professor Caruth’s Trauma Across Borders course in the spring semester of my junior year, as well as Paul de Man in my senior fall. Professor Caruth is currently my honors thesis advisor. I have relished the challenge of Professor Caruth’s rigorous courses, and she has also been a guiding light throughout my time at Cornell. Professor Caruth has been central to my academic pursuits and my future trajectory.
Every year, our faculty nominate graduating Arts & Sciences students to be featured as part of our Extraordinary Journeys series.Read more about the Class of 2025.
