Everyday Language in Written Form

Recently read the book コンビニ人間 (Convenience Store Woman) by 村田沙耶香 (Sayaka Murata) based on the recommendation of a dear friend (who has become a main source of entertainment recommendations, along with my beloved Broseph.) Read it first as an English translation. Read it again in the original Japanese. Utterly incredible piece of literature. More on that later.

After grad school ended, reading habits evaporated like Everclear forgotten overnight in an uncovered shot glass (trust me on that one.) Heaviest reading became extended dialog boxes in RPGs for a while. Same lack of appetite for language study. Studied superficial details of numerous languages over the years, and have seriously studied nine languages including my mother tongue. Formally studied (in a classroom) English, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish. Informally studied (for the lulz) Modern Greek, Modern Hebrew, and Russian. Of all these languages, can only hold an ordinary conversation in English and Japanese. Could do self-introductions and possibly conduct simple exchanges in German, French, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. Can ask for cheese and grapefruit juice in Hebrew (not terribly useful, but sounds cool as hell said aloud.) In Greek, can say “it’s all Greek to me” (meta comedy gold, right there.) 

As previously mentioned, reread コンビニ人間 in the original Japanese. Making it the first, full novel I’ve ever read in another language. After over a decade in Japan, and twenty years of Japanese study: finally read a whole goddamn book that was not 漫画 (a graphic novel). Previously tried to read 坊ちゃん and 銀河鉄道の夜. Both written in the Japanese equivalent of Victorian English. A well-intentioned but truly terrible idea. Didn’t finish either one.

But コンビニ人間? Done and done. Reading the English translation took a single morning. Anyone near me while reading it probably heard an audible ‘gulp’ at the finish. Could not put it down. However, reading the original Japanese took about a month. A humbling experience, by comparison. Even though the novel is just everyday language in written form, still took time. Had to repeatedly look up phrases used in daily conversations because the written form didn’t register immediately, even in context. Had to look up 挨拶 (greeting) three separate times. Know the phrase, but forgot the characters used to write it. The experience felt like running in sand against the wind. Same path, same purpose, but each step drawing far more time and energy than usual.

But the book itself? Spoiler alert: it fucking rocks. The story follows 古倉恵子 (Keiko Furukura) through her life working at a convenience store. Based upon details of life and her childhood, she is probably what has been referred to in pop psychology as an “everyday psychopath.” Devoid of true empathy, only able to blend in by mimicking others, but not an actual danger to others, Ms. Furukura finds her place in the world working at a convenience store where there exists a manual on how to function. In a genius bit of writing: Ms. Furukura is the most rational character in the whole book. Everyone else is bothered to distraction about the idea of “normalcy” and whatever that compels them to do. The novel deals extensively with themes of fitting in and pressure from family and friends to conform. A recurring idea in the book is how if you don’t seem to fit in, others who do “fit in” feel fully entitled to question you and interfere in your life. In Ms. Furukura’s case, this is compounded by the gross misogyny in Japanese society. Why does she continue to work at the convenience store? why is she single? why doesn’t she have a full-time job? why isn’t she thinking about children? etcetera ad infinitum. A woman who doesn’t want children is, of course, open to criticism even from random strangers in my own culture. In Japan, however, it’s even worse. Such a critical life choice should be exactly nobody’s business but one’s own. Furthermore, as someone who presents as male, exactly nobody has ever asked me about this or challenged my choice one way or the other if it came up in conversation. So there’s that. But that’s another story,

In any event, heartily recommend the book. Also, started paying more attention to all the workers at convenience stores. Lots and lots of unknown or untold stories there.