老後 was another story showing how little control women have over their own lives during the Showa period.
あるフィルムの背景
Updates
The third short story, 孤独なカラス, was again not easy to digest, it also contains animal abuse. It shows the tragedy that can result when children who clearly exhibit signs of psychological problems and unusual behaviour are left alone and neglected.
I finished 蝮の家, the second short story, it was such a delightful read! One house, two points of view, three actors, and a lot of loathing, contempt, greed, calculations and over-confidence, and as the title suggests, venom. I feel like I’ve read a similar story, but I can’t remember from which author. I found the end very foreseeable, but it was such a great short story still, I enjoyed reading it a lot.
The first short story was not an easy read, it’s about rape and how isolated the victim could be at a time where women were easily blamed for what happened. From the ruthless police officer who interrogates her to her own father blaming her, Natsue is surrounded by people pointing at her, and the aftermath of the rape are as damaging than the act itself.
The short story not only exposes how society completely dismisses Natsue as a person to ensure a bright future to the two perpetrators, but it also mainly centred on Natsue herself, how she’s forced to go on with her life without any help or support. The story is not about vengeance, but really about trauma.
Post
Ah yes… I remember most of the books I read via the MWJ Award didn’t give pronunciation for names… and it’s also the case for あるフィルムの背景 even though it’s a new edition. So annoying…
I can’t be bothered, I’ll do a character list but pronunciation might be wrong, or I’ll just drop the lists all together, they’re short stories anyway, so probably won’t be needed.
Characters
-
夏江 Other なつえ Natsue17, working at a local credit union while going to school.
-
小田切照子 Other おだぎりてるこ Odagiri TerukoMiddle school classmate of Natsue who moved to Tokyo to attend a dressmaking school, then abandoned her studies to work in a kissaten in Kabukicho,
-
高島吉彦 Other たかしまよしひこ Takashima YoshihikoHigh school baseball player from a wealthy family who was one grade above Natsue in middle school.
-
瀬田 Other せた SetaA third-year student at the same high school. Natsued didn’t know him before.
-
米造 Other よねぞう YonezoNatsue’s father, works at Maruwa Construction.
-
小沢 Other おざわ OzawaYoung cook and colleague of Natsue.
-
牧野 Other まきの MakinoBus driver and colleague of Natsue.