The Intriguing Novel "Strangeness of Beauty" by Minatoya
The intriguing novel "Strangeness of beauty" by Minatoya is written in diary format and is set in a Japanese setting between the years 1922 and 1939. During the time when militarization in Japan was constantly increasing, this book centers on three important characters, Etsuko, Chie, and Hanae. The author Minatoya's book is a fictional autobiography of Etsuko, who the actor views favorably because of the decisions she takes on a daily basis. This paper review will answer a few questions that arise in the reading of the book and will assist in understanding some of the approaches by the author, Minatoya. Additionally, the paper will help in bringing forth the intentions and aspirations of Minatoya in her book.
Etsuko's Struggle and Journey
Etsuko is caught between two countries where she feels a stranger in both. In Seattle, USA, she was an outsider due to her Japanese origin, and this worsened after the passing of her spouse, a fisherman who drowned together with his dreams of working with Boeing. During this period, Japanese were referred to as the "yellow peril" by the Americans which made Etsuko feel like an outsider. Etsuko's sister passes on, and she is left with her niece to raise as her own. However, Hanae becomes withdrawn, and Etsuko decides to take her back to Japan where she can grow in a relatively friendly environment. In this move, Etsuko will have to face the challenge of going back to her mother who rejected her and sent her away for adoption. From the above illustration, it is evident that Minatoya, the author is trying to bring the readers to feel the level of desperation and confusion due to the realities of life faced by Etsuko. Minatoya makes the readers feel the burden of fitting in the society as in the case of Etsuko; she was a "motherless mother to a motherless daughter." This burden was of enormous proportions considering Etsuko was trying to understand her mission in life during this period.
Etsuko's Representation of "the flowers among the thorns"
It is my opinion Etsuko personifies the title of the book in several important ways. Etsuko in this book is a representation of "the flowers among the thorns." In her case, Etsuko is the flower and the set up in the community in the face of the threat of war between Japan and China, as the depiction of thorns. Beauty in Etsuko's case is the role she plays as a woman in raising her niece despite the rejection and confusion that surrounds her. Additionally, through her narration, the book can bring out the beauty of the Japanese culture in particular for the Samurai families, the purpose of the art of cooking and importance of "kata," all this in a backdrop of a woman facing rejection.
The Relationship Between Etsuko, Chie, and Hanae as an Expression of Mother-Child Bonds
Etsuko's experiences in the book are an embodiment of Minatoya in her narration where she is trying to understand her purpose through the reflection of the "I-story" and its intent. It is identified through the manner in which Minatoya brings the characters in her book into life despite the flat dissociated introduction. In the development of the narration, it is the assumption, cultures fade progressively, and the outcomes are adopted into a more realistic human culture that the audience can relate. Through the narration of Minatoya, the relationship between Etsuko, Chie, and Hanae is the foundation in expressing the bonds that intertwine mothers and their children.
