The Importance Of Death In Kitchen By Banana Yoshimoto

Death and life are intertwined, sharing the spectrum of reality in an ever evolving space of existence. Life cannot survive without presence of death as death cannot survive without the presence of life. They are essentially the fuel and fire of this universe. Death can put different aspects of our daily life into perspective for the those that continue to take breath. As we go through our days, we tend to take different prospects of life for granted and never understand the importance of these prospects until they are gone and no longer obtainable. Over time we begin to appreciate the features of life more as we come to understand the beauty of what encapsulates us and how death constantly looms over all individuals. In Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto, death is a motif that aids in telling a captivating story of two souls that come together to overcome the obstacles they face. Death can rip us apart to our very core but in a way it can also shape who are as people. In the novel, death is an entity that brought two people together and helped them grow as individuals. Main protagonist Mikage Sakurai, is a fresh-faced college student that firmly believes that the warmest and most inviting room in any home is the kitchen. She has recently lost her grandmother, …show more content…
Within this environment Mikage’s cold heart begins to thaw in the radiance of Yuichi and his mother/father Eriko. “I am here with this powerful mother, this boy with the gentle eyes.” (Yoshimoto 42). The warmth of a family can make anyone feel a sense of belonging and peace. Mikage eventually regains her footing and moves out to an apartment of her own. Then tragedy strikes as the vivacious light that is Eriko is extinguished. “Eriko died late in the autumn.” (Yoshimoto 44) This strikes a chord with readers as deaths reaps once more, this time also affecting Eriko’s son and Mikage’s love interest