Kitchen Essay Questions

How do the characters of this world relate to religion and spirituality?

Yoshimoto is writing this novel in 1987, and it is clearly representative of a more secular era. The story alludes to gods several times, but they do not offer any succor or relief. When Chika is bemoaning Eriko's death, she says, "Why do things like this have to happen? I can't believe in the gods" (86). Mikage says frankly, "For having been granted such a warm bed after finding myself in the direst straits, I thanked the gods—whether they existed or not—with all my heart" (22). Though the rituals and cultural elements of religion may still permeate contemporary Japan, the characters do not rely on the gods for help—a fact that is both daunting and empowering.

What is the narrative impact of Eriko being a trans woman?

Eriko could have simply been a mother who was born female and thus more traditional, but Yoshimoto decided to make Eriko a trans woman instead. This contributes to the narrative's message regarding families, and how, in contemporary Japan, "family" doesn't always refer to the people you are connected to by blood. Critic John Whittier Treat explains, "The complement to the mythical or lost family is the unconventional—the so-called 'dysfunctional'—family, of which there is a plenitude in Yoshimoto Banana. In Mikage’s 'family' of Yuichi and Eriko, Mikage can be neither 'sister' nor 'daughter.' The family is 'assembled' just as Mikage is 'found.' Blood ties and genealogy are less important than circumstance and simple human affinity."

Analyze the relationship between Mikage and Yuichi. In particular, what draws Mikage to Yuichi?

Mikage dated a charismatic, energetic young man before her grandmother's death, but his "robustness" made her feel bad about herself. Now more attuned to her own needs, she realizes that Yuichi's aloofness, generosity, and cerebral nature suit her much better. He offers a home and a family when she does not have one, and he accepts her grief over her grandmother. He supports her cooking interest and never tries to make her into something she is not. After he suffers his own loss, Mikage is drawn to him because she knows exactly how he feels and what he needs. The two of them have forged a connection in a world in which such connections are tenuous, and that is not something they can ignore.

What are Mikage's strategies for coping with death?

Mikage isn't perfect, and she doesn't bounce back immediately after a death. However, she does have a pragmatic and mature approach to dealing with her grief, one that allows her to go on living. She recognizes that it is appealing to wallow in despair but that life is worth living; this lesson is mirrored in Eriko's words on the subject. She doesn't ignore the memories that come to her but instead allows them to fill her and keep the person alive for her. She keeps mementos of the person—e.g., Eriko's red sweater—and gives herself time to move out of the space she once lived in with the person—e.g., her grandmother. She permits herself to live a slower life and then allows herself a kind of vacation to help her stay refreshed. And she shares what she knows about the beauty and ephemerality of life with others—e.g., Yuichi—who are suffering, in order to comfort them and hopefully assist them in a similar quest of mourning in a way that still allows one to live their life.

Why and how does Mikage value kitchens?

Mikage loves kitchens because to her they are places of warmth, comfort, and security. They embody community and service, for most people in a kitchen are preparing food for their loved ones and then enjoying it with them. Kitchens are repositories of memory due to the preeminence of smells and familiar sounds, and thus they are often associated with people whom we care about. The meals made in these kitchens are ways to celebrate a success, to honor a holiday, or simply to alleviate a bad day. All of these situations are ones Mikage involves herself in, and she decides to make the kitchen a space in which her whole career is set.