shawnsjapaneselitblog

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Reflecting on a year of Japanese Literature

Titles Read: Purple Haze Feedback by Kadano Kouhei, Underground by Haruki Murakami, and I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume

I’ve spent the past year reading books from Japan that span different eras, and genres. Truth be told, I’m not sure how much I learned about the culture. The books are all so different from one another, that I can’t really place anything down that I noticed in more than one of the books. I can say that at least, I’m now familiar with what would be considered the worst terrorist attack in Japanese history, the subway sarin attacks done by Aum Shinrikyo. Similarly, I started to get a feel for “classical” Japanese social culture on a very basic level, as that’s the main topic of I am a Cat. But beyond that, I don’t think the literature has really given me much new insight into Japanese culture. Which, I think, makes sense. Culture is such a broad concept, that even labeling it under one word feels disingenuous. A culture is made up of so much, and while literature is definitely a good starting point for learning culture, you need to know the food, the language, the politics, the pop culture, none of which was really tackled by the books I chose. Again, I am a Cat is a good example of getting close to this, but the book was written 100 years ago, so it works more as a retrospective than anything else. Regardless, it would be wrong to say I learned nothing culturally from these books, and it would also be wrong to say these books aren’t a good starting point for exploring the culture more.

Purple Haze Feedback was an interesting one to start off with. It’s a novelized “what-if” continuation of Vento Aureo, with Vento Aureo being the 5th part of a series called JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, written by Hirohiko Araki. Araki had actually officially given Purple Haze Feedback his approval, meaning it’s canonical to the story, despite being written by someone else. Likely because of this, I expected it to be just as action-filled as the series it’s based on. However, it turned out to be much more of a drama, which although unexpected, I quite enjoyed. It built upon the existing characters while introducing likeable new ones, and overall kept me engaged despite not being what I expected.

Underground was a book that I really started to like, but I guess you could say it overstayed its welcome. It’s a very serious book, it spends the majority of time interviewing survivors or those related to those involved in the Tokyo subway sarin attack. As insightful as this is, they had so many interviews, that it was at a point where I had read an interview every night for a couple months. It gets a little stale, and I wish they explained more why the attacks happened, who Aum was, or investigated how companies, transit, and other facets adapted, similar to how America changed post-9/11.

I am a Cat was a fun and refreshing read after something so grim. It has some dry humor to it, and whether that’s up to the writer, the age, or the fact it’s translated, I’m not sure, but I honestly enjoyed that about it. Overall, it was a fun read about a cat, her owners, and their friends, family, and neighbors. The abstracted perspective of the cat acts as a vehicle to analyze the weird behavior humans exhibit in day to day life, something we would never even think about, like blessing someone after sneezing. It was a fun read, and I’ll probably finish it after graduation on my own time, just because I genuinely enjoy it.

I think I learned a bit about my reading habits: There’s days where I want to read a bunch, and just as many where I don’t want to read at all. I kinda realized this even before this assignment, because I’ve bought so many books, started them, and never finished. Just looking over to my shelf now, there’s at least 4 books I still need to finish, and 9 books that I don’t think I’ve ever even opened. Likewise, there were nights where I wanted to read more than 10 pages, and (arguably more) nights where I wanted to read much less. Regardless, I managed to get through it all, and I think I got to read some books and get some insight into things I wouldn’t have looked at otherwise.

[shawnsjapaneselitblog]

"All baldness is caused by bacteria."

"Well, mine's not."

"Come, come, Ms. Sneaze, you're being obstinate. One cannot fly in the face of the Scientific facts."

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (170)

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To write down every event that takes place during a period of twenty-four hours, would, I think, occupy at least another twenty-four hours.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (153)

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Who's now hoping Coldmoon marries her? Only the other day you were dead against sucha disasterous match. Have you gone soft or something?

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (147)

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"Well, one gets on. Indeed, I'm now virtually obliged to sport things such as this..." Suzuki seems a little self-conscious about the vulgarly fashionable display of his watch chain.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (134)

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Week 16 blog

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume

Pages 101-131

358 words

Summary

Another week, and more of the same in our book. There really isn’t much to pin down; the book is written in such a way that each couple pages touch on a specific “day-in-the-life” of our protagonist, with the latest ongoings being our cat sneaking around the rich neighbor’s mansion. Each subsection is only denoted with a roman numeral, not referred to as a chapter or anything; I think the most appropriate term for them would be episodes. Each episode, much like a serialized TV show, has consistent characters, but a unique plot and setting.

Critical Analysis

In terms of theme, I think the idea I’m getting from the book so far is adaptation. More specifically, the theme is how peculiar humans can act towards certain things, refusing to adapt, or acting a certain way out of formality; from the perspective of a cat, all of this is superfluous. I think lines that’re from human characters, and not the cat, like “Marriage negotiations are not matters in which to meddle lightly. Surely even a dunderhead like Sneaze ought to have the common sense to know that.” (126) and “Let's all go and call him names as loud as we can from just outside his hedge.” (104) exaggerate human expressions like judgement, to give a perspective on how brash humans act from the cat’s perspective.

Personal Response

Though the book is definitely a commentary, and the cat protagonist is definitely a vehicle to get fly-on-the-wall perspectives of human socialization, it’s also comedic. It is a translation of a 115-year-old book, so the comedy might be a bit “dry”, but I think the comedic effects of the dumbed-down socialites still work really well. For instance, I think the delivery of “"And the concluding line?" "I've not yet got to that."” (111) carries the sort of dry humor I see a lot when, for example, watching British television. Maybe picking it out on its own doesn’t carry the same weight, but a lot of quips like that can be found throughout that can get a slight laugh out of at least myself, and make the book that much more enjoyable.

[shawnsjapaneselitblog]

How extremely irritating. Marriage negotiations are not matters in which to meddle lightly. Surely even a dunderhead like Sneaze ought to have the common sense to know that.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (126)

[shawnsjapaneselitblog]

"I've made a start. The first line goes to a Conker Festival and takes place in this face.'" "And then?" "'At which one offers sacred wine.'" "And the concluding line?" "I've not yet got to that."

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (111)

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Let's all go and call him names as loud as we can from just outside his hedge.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (104)

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Week 15 blog

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume

Pages 51-100

359 words

Summary

This week was more of the same, though this time around I’m not complaining. It’s not exactly easy to summarize, as it’s mainly just humor, but there’s been some character building around who lives with our protagonist, the family of her owner, and so forth. Our protagonist also continues to show off just how snarky and full of herself she is, which is a really fun character trait. Maybe nothing of notoriety happened, per se, but it’s nothing like Undergound where it just felt like more and more of the same.

Critical Analysis

Since we’re still early on in the book, we’re still getting to learn the cat and her owner, as well as extended characters. One of my favorite character-building moments was when the owner sat with her cat and simply said “It would be good if human beings were as quiet as this cat.” (79) While it’s usually our protagonist who pokes fun at humans, it was notable when the human herself made a remark that was, for lack of a better term, “pro-cat”. Nevertheless, our protagonist is no less snobby than usual, saying on page 51 “That maid is all too easily influenced, and she says “madam” far too often.”. I think the pettiness of the cat really plays into the self-centered attitude cats seem to give off.

Personal Response

Like I said, there’s not much to summarize, or to write about. It’s like trying to summarize a stand-up show you watched; it doesn’t translate like that, you just want to see it firsthand. Regardless, even if it’s not easy to write about, I can say it’s a joy to read still, and I’ve been looking forward to flipping a couple of pages of this book every night, whereas Underground I would dread and put off touching for as late as possible. I hope the book can keep this momentum, because it’s very long and I feel it’ll take me to the end of the year, but as long as it keeps doing what it’s doing, I think I’ll really enjoy this book start-to-end.

[shawnsjapaneselitblog]

Last night a tiny whore of sixteen summers Declared she had no parents. Like a plover on a reefy coast, She wept on waking in the early morning. Her parents, sailors both, lie at the bottom of the sea.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (97)

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Well, I am surprised. No wonder you so ardently defended Beauchamp. But it's positively shameful that a citizen of Tokyo should never have visited the Sengaku Temple.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (85)

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It would be good if human beings were as quiet as this cat.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (79)

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As I have never caught a rat, that O-san person once proposed that I should be expelled; but my master knows that I'm no ordinary common or garden cat, and that is why I continue to lead an idol existence in this house.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (69)

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That maid is all too easily influenced, and she says "madam" far too often.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (51)

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Week 14 blog

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume

Pages 1-50

335 words

Summary

Finally moved on from Underground, I’m now reading Soseki Natsume’s I am a Cat. This fiction comedy focuses on the life of a housecat in 1920s Japan. The story is told from the cat’s perspective, who talks down to their owner, but ultimately succumbs to their temptation of snacks, petting, and the like. It’s a fresh and lighthearted departure that was much needed after finishing the heavy, serious, and frankly at times boring Underground, by Haruki Murakami. This new book is rather long, but from the impressions I have so far, that should be no problem at all.

Critical Analysis

Throughout what I’ve read so far, we are given the perspective of a cat, who simultaneously finds themselves superior than, and absolutely stumped by humans. Quotes like “There is nothing more difficult than understanding human mentality” (26) and “‘The thirteenth shoguns widowed wife’s private-secretary’s younger sister’s…’ ‘Ah! but please, not quite so fast.’” (34) show our protagonist confused by humans, yet at the same time, they say things like “The plain fact is that humans, one and all, are merely thieves at heart” (13) and “He gently strokes my head. I calmly let him go on stroking me, justifying my compliance…” (42). Obviously, our cat friend wants to feel superior than their owner, in the smug attitude many cats seem to carry, yet can’t help but be overwhelmed by them at the same time.

Personal Response

From what I’ve read so far, I’m really enjoying it. The character building of the cat and her owners make a dynamic that works immediately and has ton of potential (which I imagine will be taken advantage of thoroughly, going off the length of the book). Despite the large page count, I’m really looking forward to this book. Where Underground only had so much to cover, I am a Cat has way more potential, and I see this book doing much better at staying interesting and new.

[shawnsjapaneselitblog]

[...] He gently strokes my head. I calmly let him go on stroking me, justifying my compliance with the reflection that so small a weakness is permissible when there are those in the world who admit to thinking themselves under loving observation by persons who merely happen to be cross-eyed.

I am a Cat by Soseki Natsume (42)