An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro

After reading Never Let Me Go, I swore that I would read more of Ishiguro’s work. It was fate that I ran across An Artist of the Floating World at my library. The novel isn’t a particularly long one – coming in at a mere 206 pages. It was a breeze to get through.

I’m noticing that with Ishiguro’s narrators so far, the tone is very conversational. Throughout this book, the protagonist Masuji Ono, a retired artist, speaks intimately  to the reader

Throughout the book, Masuji Ono, the protagonist, speaks to the reader directly. Much like in real conversations, there are tangents and complete changes of topic. Masuji, a retired artist, often finds himself wanting to describe what happened with one of his daughters, but somehow takes us back to his days of art apprenticeship and the trials Japan faced during WWII.  The conversational tone added to how quickly the book passed, for me, because the stories were very interesting and it felt odd to have to put the book down during his conversational recollection.

I don’t really know how to tell you what the book is about. Masuju is trying to make sure his second daughter is able to marry. In Japan, there is a process prior to the marriage where both families investigate one another to make sure that they are pleased with the history of the family. They go as far as to hire investigators for this process. Masuji is particularly worried for his daughter because the year before, the suitor’s family backed out of the marriage without any good reason. His daughters hint that this may be because of Masuji’s past.

The book is very slow to reveal what it is that could potentially be spoiling his daughter’s chances at marriage – but the journey that leads you there is an altogether interesting one. Masuji’s opinions, which he heavily showcased in his paintings during WWII, are no longer held by society. They are in fact looked down upon by society. In Japan, people fault you for your past.

I enjoyed the parts of the book that directly related to his art. The stories of his daughters were secondary. As a young child, he enjoyed painting and knew he would not take on the family business like his father wanted. I felt sympathetic to Masuji’s character. I’m very familiar with what it is like to have your career belittled by others. The form of training that was offered in Japan for aspiring artists at that time is so interesting to me. When I was younger, I attended an art school over the summer where we were encouraged to create our unique style. In Japan, you gained respect by mimicking the style of an already famous artist.

This novel has a very under-stated message. It speaks of misunderstandings and the changing views of a society. Masuji Ono, represents the “older” generation of Japan, the old views of how things are. His daughter’s husbands represent the new generation, the generation of “change” which misunderstands the past. This short novel is able to give you a snapshot of post-war Japan in all its melancholy state through the eyes of a jaded retired artist.

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Filed under: Kazuo Ishiguro, Literature Reviews , An Artist of the Floating World, Art History Reading Challenge, Japanese Literature, Kazuo Ishiguro, Literature, Read in 2009

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Why I’ve never read Ishiguro before I cannot tell you. Never Let Me Go was the perfect book to start off the new year with. (And it is in fact the first book I’ve read in 2009!)

Before I begin, let me say that much like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge it by its genre label either. They call it science-fiction – but that is only half of the story and cuts the message of the book short.

Never Let Me Go focuses on three students who attended a very special boarding school in 1990’s England. The story is told by Kathy after her two friends from the boarding school Hailsham have once again become a part of her life. Throughout the book, she takes a look at the experiences that they shared and how they came to understand just how special they were and what that meant for their future.

Kathy is a wonderful narrator. She retells stories from her life at Hailsham as though you were her dearest friend. As the reader, you find out about thee self-imposed rules that they had as well as the “guardians” that tended to the students and prepared them for their future lives; things that were big secrets for the students at the time.

The novel is beautiful and has a subtle suspense about it. Ishiguro’s novel isn’t meant to focus on the plot. He slowly introduces the purpose of the “students” and Hailsham itself in such as way as to not draw attention to itself. It made this alternate world very real to me – it gave across the message that it was normal for them to have this purpose. The students were born and raised to donate their vital organs. However, they are very resigned to their own fate – never questioning it in the book – always knowing that someday it will come.

Though seemingly a simple and predictable book, it is complex and delicate. It brings up bigger questions about the what-if world. How would people be treated? How should they be treated? Are they really people? Does art really allude to a soul? He also does this by redefining traditional words – carer, donor, guardian – all take on a different meaning, a mysterious one. It seperates “them” from “us.”

It reminded me of Brave New World which is by far one of my favorite books. Huxley creates a world where test tube children with fixed purposes and functions to perform in a society are seemingly normal. Ishiguro accomplishes this as well though without the over exaggeration. Subtlety is key.

Ishiguro never brings up his own opinions on the world that he has created. He merely brings it up in a compelling way, making us stop to think about the deeper issues at hand. Ishiguro’s alternative world with its scientific breakthroughs presents problems that we ourselves may soon run into. Problems that in fact our society should already be thinking of. We’re not very far from making scientific advancements that allow the priviledged few to enhance their IQ or their strength.

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Filed under: Kazuo Ishiguro, Literature Reviews , Dystopia, Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go, Read in 2009