Problem
Are there "good" and "bad" characters in The Tale of Genji? What qualities do the characters in the story perceive as "good" or "bad," praiseworthy or detestable? What do you think the author's motivations are for portraying the characters in this way? Do you agree with the opinion of Waley (quoted in Tsunoda et al.) that Murasaki Shikibu was "stating her own views on the function of the novel" in the excerpted passage? Give examples from the text(s) to support your interpretation.