A Contextual Analysis on Murakami Haruki’s “Birthday Girl”

Murakami Haruki stands as a prominent figure in the realm of Japanese literature and contemporary fiction, enjoying widespread acclaim and international recognition. His literary works, transcending language barriers, have captivated readers worldwide. This article undertakes a comprehensive examination of one of his short stories, “Birthday Girl”. The primary objective herein is to clarify the contextual facets of this short story, with particular emphasis on contextual details and their interpretive potential, which will equip readers with a heightened comprehension and deeper appreciation of this literary work. The term “context” here is an umbrella term that encompasses the biography and intention of the author, as well as the social, historical and cultural dimensions that serve as the backdrop against which the narrative unfolds.

Birthday anniversary is an important theme within the narrative of this short story. While birthday celebrations hold a prominent place in contemporary Japanese culture, particularly among the younger generations, it’s essential to acknowledge that the tradition of celebrating one’s birthday did not historically feature prominently in Japanese customs. This can be attributed to the deeply ingrained Japanese cultural concept of “Wa” (和), which underscores the importance of harmony and group cohesion over individualism. Davies and Ikeno (9-10) further explain on this cultural aspect by contextualizing it within Japan’s geographical and topographical characteristics. As an island nation, Japan is physically separated from the Asian continent and characterized by its mountainous terrain, which limits inhabitable land. These geographical factors have historically necessitated close-knit communities that prioritize collective welfare over individual pursuits. Consequently, the celebration of one’s birthday initially represented a foreign concept that primarily gained prominence following the massive influx of western cultures after the Second World War and gradually took root in modern Japanese society.

🔻Here is the context analysis translated into Japanese.

村上春樹『バースデイ・ガール』の文脈分析

The significance of the 20th birthday to the female protagonist in Murakami Haruki’s “Birthday Girl” is paramount, so much so that it has given the short story its title. Within the context of Japanese society, the celebration of one’s 20th birthday carries profound cultural significance. It marks the formal transition into adulthood, a legal status established in the Civil Code since 1876 and remained unchanged for over the following 140 years. Notably, the 20th milestone birthday entails the acquisition of certain legal privileges, including the right to purchase alcohol and cigarettes (Buckley 3). Every year, on the second Monday of January, Japan observes “Coming-of-Age Day” as a national holiday, dedicated to welcoming the country’s youth into adulthood. This event entails special ceremonies held nationwide for all individuals who have recently turned 20 or will do so in the near future. The celebration of this day is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture and is considered one of the most memorable and significant events in a person’s life. Despite Japan’s decision to lower the legal age of adulthood to 18 years old, effective April 1, 2022, the importance of the 20th milestone birthday is evident in the continued observance of Coming-of-Age Day at the 20th birthday by local governments across the country. This practice underscores the enduring cultural significance attached to this pivotal birthday. Therefore, when the narrative in “Birthday Girl” mentions the protagonist’s reluctance to endure the rigors of working in a restaurant on her twentieth birthday, exemplified by the statement, “being screamed at by an angry chef while lugging pumpkin gnocchi and seafood fritto misto to customers’ tables was no way to spend one’s twentieth birthday” (19), it resonates with the profound cultural importance of this age milestone in Japanese society.

The narrative unfolds within a well-established Italian restaurant situated in the Roppongi district, renowned as one of Tokyo’s most affluent and upscale areas with opulent nightlife, extravagant shopping establishments, and exclusive dining venues. Given the restaurant’s distinguished reputation, refined ambiance, and its ability to attract an older clientele comprising renowned figures from the stage and literary circles in the Roppongi area, it is evident that this establishment qualifies as a high-end fine dining restaurant. This characterization of the restaurant also serves to substantiate the meticulous attention to detail paid to the attire of the floor manager, as described in the text: “a black suit, white shirt, and bow tie – not a clip-on bow tie, but the real thing, tied by hand” (20). The deliberate choice of this setting by the author intelligently underscores the prevailing emotions of loneliness and apathy experienced by the female protagonist who has to engage in part-time job on the precious occasion of her 20th birthday, an event traditionally deserving of being the center of attention. In this context, her role within the restaurant on this significant day is relegated to that of insignificance, thereby stressing her feelings of displacement and isolation.

🔻Here is the context analysis translated into Japanese.

村上春樹『バースデイ・ガール』の文脈分析

The content of the birthday wish made by the female protagonist in the short story remains intentionally veiled, contributing to a layer of ambiguity that invites readers to engage in their own interpretative endeavors. While the author refrains from explicitly disclosing the wish, subtle hints are provided throughout the narrative. These hints suggest that the wish is both atypical for a typical 20-year-old and possesses an intangible quality not contingent upon material wealth. Furthermore, the wish is characterized by its protracted gestation period, emphasizing the dimension of time as a crucial factor in its eventual realization. This ambiguity serves a multifaceted purpose within the narrative, intrinsically linked to the author’s personal beliefs and the intended impact of the short story.
Murakami Haruki’s thoughtful cultivation of ambiguity in the context of the protagonist’s birthday wish resonates with his broader philosophical outlook, as articulated in an interview conducted shortly after the publication of “Kafka on the Shore”. In the interview, Murakami provides a profound metaphorical depiction of human consciousness, conceptualizing it as a two-story house.
“On the first-floor people gather together to take their meals, watch television, and talk. The second floor contains private chambers, bedrooms where people go to read books, listen to music by themselves, and so on. Then there is a basement; this is a special place, and there are a number of things stored here. We don’t use this room much in our daily life, but sometimes we come in, vaguely hang around the place. Then, my thought is that underneath that basement room is yet another basement room. This one has a very special door, very difficult to figure out, and normally you can’t get in there – some people never get in at all” (qtd. in Strecher).

The deliberate ambiguity surrounding the birthday wish in “Birthday Girl” functions as the elusive key that unlocks this metaphorical door, affording readers an opportunity to explore their own “secret basement” of suppressed desires or enduring regrets. The hint – something intangible without a price tag – prompt readers to embark on a journey of introspection, unearthing the unfulfilled desires and irreparable regret from their own “secret basement.” In this manner, the author employs the mysterious birthday wish as a thematic device that transcends the boundaries of the narrative itself, infusing the short story with personal resonance and rendering it meaningful to each reader’s unique introspective experience.

🔻Here is the context analysis translated into Japanese.

村上春樹『バースデイ・ガール』の文脈分析

The author artfully contrasts the present state of the female protagonist with her former self at the age of 20, creating a vivid contrast between these two temporal points. Initially, she occupies the role of a private part-time waitress, grappling with the aftermath of a failed romantic relationship with her boyfriend. In stark contrast, her current existence reflects a marked improvement, characterized by a fulfilling life that encompasses marriage to a certified public accountant (CPA), the joys of motherhood with two children—a son and a daughter, the companionship of an Irish setter, the privilege of driving an Audi, regular tennis matches with girlfriends twice a week, and the luxury of personal time for introspection and conversation with the narrator. Although the exact setting of the conversation between the unnamed narrator and the female protagonist is not explicitly disclosed in the short story, the portrayal of her present-day circumstances strongly suggests her capacity to dine in a Roppongi restaurant without any financial constraint. When being asked about the potential regrets pertaining to her past birthday wish, “the desiccated shadow of a smile flickered at the corners of her mouth, suggesting a kind of hushed sense of resignation” (31). This nuanced response serves as an indicator of emotional suppression, a phenomenon that resonates with Donahue’s observations regarding the Japanese society that suppression of feelings is common. Culturally, strong emotions are usually restricted from public view in the Japanese society (153). This practice is intrinsically tied to the concept of harmony, wherein individuals often subdue their genuine feelings and thoughts to maintain group harmony.

The passage of numerous years since the inception of her birthday wish signifies a considerable temporal span since she last ventured into the recesses of her “secret basement.” It is within this metaphorical basement that a repository of unfulfilled desires and lingering regrets, habitually relegated to the depths of her consciousness, lay buried. The woman’s “hushed sense of resignation” thus acquires a profound resonance, reflecting the accumulation of suppressed emotions and unresolved longings that have become increasingly weighty with the passage of time.

References

Murakami, Haruki. “Birthday Girl.” Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman: Twenty-Four Stories. Trans. Jay Rubin. New York: Vintage International, 2007. Print.
Davies, Roger J, and Osamu Ikeno, eds. The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Japanese Culture. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2002. Print.
Buckley, Sandra. “Adult’s Day.” Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture. Ed. Sandra Buckley. London; New York: Routledge, 2002. 3. Print.
Donahue, Ray T. Japanese Culture and Communication: Critical Cultural Analysis. Lanham; New York; Oxford: America UP, 1998. Print.
Stretcher, Matthew Carl. The Forbidden Worlds of Haruki Murakami. Minneapolis; London: Minnesota UP, 2014. Print.