Book Review: Heaven by, Mieko Kawakami
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- In today's video I'll be reviewing Heaven by, Mieko Kawakami.
Heaven Written Review:
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I've been looking forward to this discussion for a while! I feel now like I better understand the significance of the narrator's conversation with Momose after watching. And I also appreciate your reflections of how you see Japanese culture and society as differing from what I'm used to in the US -- when I read Kawakami this is a whole dimension of the work that I can barely grasp or appreciate.
For me, Heaven was excellent and more memorable than Breasts and Eggs, which was a decent book in its own right but felt more meandering than the powerful, concise story of Heaven. I think I might appreciate Breasts and Eggs more though if I had more context on how it reflects modern Japanese society.
Also, something about this book's cover art is just so mesmerizing.
I feel like Japanese lit in particular can be obscure if you aren't used it it. It's very distinct. Yes, I love this cover!
You touched on something that I think is important for humanity to see with clear eyes when you spoke about being responsible for your actions and taking responsibility for how you make another person feel. This is the prime concern with Stoic Philosophy, which is knowing what is in your control and what isn't, but to know this, we need to know the answer to a question that doesn't reveal itself in intellectual form (or any other form for that matter), and that question is *Who am I?*
We think we know, but the thinking part is actually the reason we don't know. We equate ourselves to the story we carry within our consciousness, but consciousness itself is not limited to thought and so cannot be understood by thought. So, having NOT read the book, you can take these words for what they are worth to you, but it sounds like the main character who undergoes bullying sees himself as a victim of bullying, and rather than pushing against that notion, he accepts it because it is what he knows about himself. It is better to think you know who you are (a victim) than to not know who you are, and so obeying the bully is easier to do because even though it hurts, at least he knows who he is... or thinks he does.
Now let's say that the main character said, enough of this bullying, I'm going to fight back. And he does. This seems a much better place to be in because now you are the victor, and being a victor is much more comfortable than being a victim. It also feels more powerful. But the rub is you always have to defend yourself against those who would make you a victim, and life becomes a constant state of trying to fight back against others. This is not peaceful living either, but it's better than being a victim and at least *I know who I am* or think that I do. But is this who we are? Does this answer the question?
In the Bible there is a term that is referred to as The Peace That Passeth All Understanding. That Peace is expressed through words, but not necessarily born of them, and it's in that Peace that we know who we are, but as long as there is a story that obscures that peace by speaking over it, and asserting itself, it cannot be known deeply. It is felt, not thought, and if a person cannot see beyond their emotional disturbances, cannot stop blaming others for what they feel and why they feel them, then they will be lost in that perpetual state of hell or discontent.
So yes, you are right that you are responsible for how you treat others, however, you are not responsible for whether or not the other person takes responsibility for their own space because you do not have control over that. And if somebody tries to make you think you are and makes themselves into a victim, the only thing you can do to make them feel better is to agree. Until it happens again. And again. Because this is their identity.
I am not suggesting that our actions should be to dismiss their feelings, but to become very still and curious, and be aware and humble to what we don't know, and includes the question, *who am I* followed by *is this true?* And then proceed by not definitively knowing, but navigating through the Heart.
This is simple. It requires very little thought. But because we are prone to going to thought through years and years of habit reinforcement, it is not easy. So we fall on our faces again and again, but hopefully we fail better and better, and we learn to align with that part of us that says yes to it all, and lets go of the story that we think we are. It becomes about letting go of our limited stories so that we can be ok with the not knowing. Consciousness, in the way I am using the word, doesn't refer to an idea, but the space in which the idea happens, and that is where you answer your question. Even the thought, *I am Consciousness* is not purely Consciousness, however, it can lead you closer to it.
I hope this wasn't too long of a way to express what I'm pointing at, but just that little part of your review that touches on responsibility is key to knowing how to live in harmony with one another. It is so simple, but it isn't easy, and there is no one way to approach it.
real shit
Thanks for sharing all of this! You make a LOT of good points. Oh for sure, we can't make anyone do anything. That's on them.
Alana,
Your review struck a dormant chord in me. I've always had a problem with bullies. I was the one who stood up for the fat kid on the playground, the kid with glasses or the one with curly hair. Willful cruelty and the indifference to others is a trespass against both civility and good manners. This is my mother's voice coming out. She taught me I can always be polite, and when someone disrespected me (in some cases others), I should walk away. If they didn't let me, then I could throw a punch, and she'd have my back. She did, as long as I tried to the right thing first. This is playground justice I'm speaking of here. Pick on me, fine. But go after the kid who can't or won't defend himself and we're gonna do battle. The character in this novel, in my mind, was the fat kid, the one with glasses or had the curly hair when I was nine years old. Grey morality is an excellent way to describe it. Very well done...Mark.
Same! I can't stand watching people just get picked on. I will say something!
It sounds an intriguing book, hope the weather improves for you and your sinuses.
Unfortunately, I didn't like this book at all; however, I'm glad you liked it and I did enjoy your review. I saw the themes, but I didn't like the execution. To be fair, the writing style of Japanese literature might not be to my taste as I had tried at least two more author and didn't enjoy the writing style. I still have loved all the way Kazuo Isiguro's Never Let Me Go, but not the execution and writing style in Klara and the Sun. I'm planning to read more of his books to see if I would like another one as much as I loved Never Let Me Go. Kazuo Isiguro might be the only one that I might enjoy. I will still try more Japanese works, but usually they are not my first peak. The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration (a Penguin Classic anthology) is fantastic, but it is not contemporary fiction.
I get that! I do find Japanese Lit can be hit or miss for a lot of people. Kawakami is veeeery Japanese in her writing.
Since you started this video with a prayer, I'll share the answer I've been hearing for a year now when I meditate. I started doing this mantra which has been nothing short of a blessing in my life. I met a priest who likes to control people through his church and that was the end of my Catholicism. The saddest thing is... most people don't even see how he controls them. Anyway... I started to see things as crooked- the way your camera was. As I did my mantra the only thing that I keep hearing is REMAIN STILL. Because the world is often crooked. We create crookedness sometimes without intending to and before it can be (very slowly) changed, it must first be accepted. I started to understand so many things as to why Buddhists always say, "Everything's as it should be" meaning, every state of life, every level of consciousness has its place. If you don't like it, you can move on up, but everything is necessary, even things we, humans, see as bad. It's still life. HEAVEN is a state only a few can maintain. And some people choose to give up Heaven to fight for something; they CHOOSE a lesser state b/c they care about an issue. The one thing that surprised me in life, the one thing that totally knocked my socks off was envy. How envious women (and men) are of beauty and shining light and the lengths they will go to to destroy it. Most of the time people who don't value their own life don't care if they waste it.
I was looking forward to hearing about this book! I loved Breast and Eggs and I look forward to reading this one too. I'm reading All the Lovers in the Night now and I'm eating it up!
I can't wait to read All the Lovers in the Night! Glad you're enjoying it!!
Haruki Murakami is currently my favorite Japanese author. I've read four of his novels (one was actually a manga). I am now reading "Kafka on the Shore" by him. I can't say if he will stay my favorite Japanese author for long because I am also reading "Butter" by Asako Yuzuki and it is so good! It kind of reminds me of Murakami's novel "Men Without Women" except it makes me extremely hungry from the detailed descriptions of food. 🤣 I do have "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro and "Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto sitting on my shelf. Hopefully I'll get to those soon. 😅
I really need to read some more Murakami!
It was once a popular interpretation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' that it becomes a tragedy when it is clear that the Prince is just not wired to obey the command of his father's ghost. Typically, a critic would cite to the famous 'to be or not to be' soliloquy as proof that Hamlet was too weak to act, even if his depression and suffering were as intense as he imagines them to be. Of course they had some difficulty integrating Act V into the theory, where, as Mel Gibson showed, he has grown into his role and become a man of action.
Ah, I need to reread Hamlet.
You should most definitely read The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russel. I think you would really enjoy it.
Thanks for the rec!
Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
have read few books by japanese authors though I loved the one called convenience store woman whose author's name I can't recall offhand. I did experience some bullying in school though I didn't deal with it the way I would have actually liked to for fear of my family being sued for every cent they owned. Luckily I'm not in junior high anymore so the results for any offender would be quite different if they tried anything like that today haha.⚛
There's definitely no one size fits all for dealign with bullies! Especially when we're younger and still trying to figure things out.
Yes, it's muggy where you are, but spare a thought for the Bedouin who live in the Sahara desert.
Abuse is bad, mmkay!? 😂
LOOOOOL!!😂