Our book group choice for June 2020 is Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. Keiko Furukura had always been considered a strange child, and her parents always worried how she would get on in the real world, so when she takes on a job in a convenience store while at university, they are delighted for her.
Keiko Furukura is a 36-year-old woman who has worked at the Smile Mart convenience store in Tokyo for 18 years. She is a model employee, always on time, efficient, and friendly to customers. She knows the store inside and out, and she takes great pride in her work.
But Keiko is not like other people. She has never had any friends, and she has never been interested in dating or getting married. She is content with her life at the convenience store, and she doesn’t see any reason to change.
However, Keiko’s family and friends are concerned about her. They think she is wasting her life, and they want her to find a more fulfilling career. They also worry that she is socially isolated, and they want her to make some friends.
Keiko is resistant to their suggestions. She doesn’t see anything wrong with her life, and she doesn’t want to change. But as the pressure from her family and friends mounts, she begins to question her own happiness. Is she really content with her life at the convenience store? Or is she missing out on something more?
Convenience Store Woman is a novel about the nature of happiness and fulfillment. It explores the question of whether it is possible to find happiness in a simple, routine life. The novel also examines the pressures of conformity and the importance of being true to oneself.
The main character of Convenience Store Woman is Keiko Furukura. Keiko is a social misfit who has never fit in anywhere. She is awkward, shy, and doesn’t understand the nuances of social interaction. But she is also kind, hardworking, and dedicated to her job.
The other major characters in the novel are Keiko’s family and friends. They are all concerned about Keiko, and they want her to find a more fulfilling life. But they also love her, and they accept her for who she is.
Convenience Store Woman is set in Tokyo, Japan. The novel takes place mostly in the Smile Mart convenience store, where Keiko works. The store is a small, dingy place, but it is Keiko’s home away from home. She knows the store inside and out, and she feels comfortable there.
Convenience Store Woman is written in a simple, straightforward style. The novel is narrated by Keiko, and her voice is clear and direct. The novel is not without humor, but it also deals with serious themes such as happiness, fulfillment, and the pressures of conformity.
Discussion Questions for Convenience Store Woman
- Describe Keiko Furukura. What are the various aspects of her behaviour that make her different?
- How would you describe the author’s attitude toward Keiko? Is it one of condescension, disapproval, acceptance, admiration? Or does Murato (who worked in convenience store) view her heroine in a neutral fashion?
- In what way does Keiko view Small Mart? How does her job there lend purpose to her life?
- What do you think of Keiko’s relationship with Shiraha?
Who’s using whom? - “Shiraha, we’re in the twenty-first century! Here in the convenience store we’re not men and women. We’re all store workers.” What do you think of that statement? What do you think she means by it?
- What in Japanese society is Convenience Store Woman taking aim at? Does the satire have relevance to our own culture?
- What did you think of the end of the book? Did it fit with her character?
- Did you enjoy it? Would you recommend it?
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