“The Second Bakery Attack” is probably one of my favorite of Murakami’s short stories I’ve read. It’s very absurd in its subject matter, but I felt drawn to, and even inspired by, the spontaneity and boldness of the finale. To me, it felt encouraging to do something extremely drastic to signify some kind of change in your life and to prevent you from getting stuck in a loop of repetition or stagnancy. I also see food as a medium that one seeks closure through; Boku seeks closure to his prior hunger that never was assuaged, while in Carver’s “A Small Good Thing,” the birthday cake offers the couple a kind of closure as well. The medium of food is also a shared medium and/or experience, and I believe this greatly affects the experience of the reader in making them more empathetic towards the narrative. In both these stories, it’s apparent how much food is able to play a role in humanizing each character’s experience, providing another layer to their narrative. I think that is why these readings appealed to me so much. Referencing culturally significant foods, like McDonalds or even a birthday cake, resonates more deeply with the audience, as they are more easily related to the narrative. The birthday cake scene in Carver’s story was especially felt for me; birthday cakes hold such an important place in my heart and carry many happy memories, and so I can’t imagine the pain or grief felt during that final scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment