8/6/2023 0 Comments Sweet bean paste book![]() As Jean-Paul Sartre wrote ‘ People who live in society have learned how to see themselves in mirrors as they appear to their friends.’ Like with Tokue, the negative perception of them from society can seep in and make a person feel they are just born bad. This probes the idea that so much of our self-worth is constructed from the distorted mirror image society reflects back at us. In short, Sentaro suffered because he was who he was.’ It was not failure to try and live an honest life – the result of leading an honest life was the wreckage of his days now. ‘ He did not know when or why his fall had begun, but he sensed the seeds of it had always been in him, ever since he was small. The book examines how we internalize failure, with Sentaro viewing himself as built to fail when many of his foiled attempts to better himself are unbalanced against him by systemic stigmas against his character. He is a classic ‘troubled’ character, having done prison time, is burdoned by debts, has mother issues and is troubled by alcoholism. Sentaro is no stranger to the cruelty of public opinion either. When word gets out, the shop loses business because of stigmas around people with leprosy, even though Tokue is asymptomatic. Even Sentaro first hides her in the kitchen, afraid the sight of her hands will drive away customers, and he is later told by the absentee-owner of the shop to fire her. It’s just as cruel as it always was,’ Sukegawa writes. Though she is no longer legally required to be removed from society, public perceptions are still harsh. In Japan, those with leprosy were isolated from society, unable to work or interact, until the ban was lifted in 1996. Unfortunately for Tokue, there is a large stigma around leprosy. ‘ Are you telling me to fire someone who’s not sick, just because she was in the past?’ As is Sentaro, the ex-con turned pancake maker who is reluctant to hire her fearing she will be too old and slow for the labor but changes his mind after tasting her sweet bean paste. It helps because much of this comes from Tokue, an elderly woman who’s hands have become gnarled due to Hansen’s disease, is so endearing a character. It is indeed rather sweet as confectionery but manages to never seem overly saccharine even as it delivers big sweeping messages on interconnectedness and people being our footholds to know we are part of a big, beautiful cosmic existence. This was a charming little novella and made for a nice final read for 2022, so thank you to Nenia for recommending it (read her wonderful review here). And that's how I was able to live out my life.’ ![]() I made sweet things for all those who lived with the sadness of loss. Durian Sukegawa delivers a lovely book that tackles a difficult piece of Japanese history surrounding the treatment of people with leprosy that becomes a moving statement not just about accepting and understanding one another and history, but also about embracing and including. While fairly simple itself, it is still effectively affecting and spirals through moments both heart-warming and heart-wrenching as the characters face the trials and tribulations of life with grace and remind us all to be open to love and acceptance. Short and with a simple but direct prose, wonderfully translated by Alison Watts, Sweet Bean Paste is a story as sweet as the title would imply, making for an idyllic little read. In Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa, an unlikely friendship between an formerly incarcerated confectionary shop worker, the 78 year old woman he hires and a troubled teen girl becomes an emotional investigation into stigmas around identity and health and demonstrates that the only thing shameful about them are the stigmas themselves. Social stigmas are an oppressive force, particularly in societies when one’s value is often determined by the profitability of one’s labor for others. ‘ We are born in order to see and listen to the world.’
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