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LITERATURE OF GOBAL EXPERIENCE, Link Title - Coggle Diagram
LITERATURE OF GOBAL EXPERIENCE
KAFKA ON THE SHORE
Fate and free will
: The novel explores whether individuals have control over their destinies or are bound by fate. ''Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart''. This reflects the characters' struggles with fate and whether they escape their past.
Kafka
runs away from home to escape his father's prophecy and finds mom and sister
Finds refuge in the library managed by Oshima and Miss Saeki
Experiences surreal events, including strange dreams and blackout periods where he may have committed a violent act.
Satoru Nakata
communicates with cats to help people find their lost pet
He discovers a supernatural force and embarks on a journey to "close the entrance stone"
Teams up with Hoshino, who becomes his loyal companion.
Miss Saeki
shares her tragic love story and its connection to the library
She gives Kafka a sense of belonging and helps him understand his role in the surreal events
Oshima
protects Kafka and helps him process his emotional and physical struggles by providing shelter and support. He provided him space to stay at the library, shielding him from the dangers of the outside world, both physical and emotional
Kafka undergoes a spiritual and emotional transformation as he confronts metaphysical forces and his own identity
Symbol
: A labyrinth, symbolizing the characters' journeys through mental and physical worlds
Swing time and the vegetarian explores women's struggles with societal expectations. Yeong-hye rebels against patriarchal norms in the vegetarian, while the narrator in swing time reflects on how race and class shape her opportunities as a woman.
GO, WENT, GONE
The novel focuses on lives of African refugees in Berlin, emphasizing their struggles, resilience, and the administrative structure that often dehumanize them. It addresses the global issues of displacement and forced migration
Symbol
: A clock (representing time and bureaucracy) intertwined with barbed wire
In the novel, refugees are alienated by bureaucratic systems that strip them of their humanity. Richard, the protagonist, also grapples with a sense of disconnection in his past retirement life
Richard develops friendships with individuals like Awad and Rashid, learning their stories and understanding their struggles
These relationships challenge Richard's initial detachment and provoke a moral awakening
Through Richard's experiences as a retired widower, the novel examines themes of isolation and the human need for purpose and connection
Both
The
vegetarian
and
Go, Went, Gone
novel emphasize the need for empathy and understanding in addressing human suffering
Richard's growing empathy for the refugees challenges his previous apathy, leading him to question his own privilege and role in systemic inequality
In The Vegetarian, the narrative shifts perspectives to reveal how Yeong-hye's suffering impacts those around her, though their responses often lack genuine empathy
THE VEGETARIAN
Theme: Repression and Trauma: Her husband narrates: "She was utterly unremarkable in every way'' highlighting the dehumanization Yeong-hye experiences her rebellion against societal expectations.
Yeong-hye shocks her family by refusing to eat meat after a disturbing dream
She faces physical abuse from her father during gathering
Withdraws from reality, spiraling into a psychological breakdown
Becomes the subject of her brother in-law's obsession, leading to an art project that exploits her body
Ends up institutionalized after rejecting societal norms entirely
Mr. Cheong fails to understand Yeong-hye's decision and grows increasingly frustrated with her
Publicly humiliates her by exposing her eating habits at a family meal
Yeong-hye's descent into madness reflects a psychological transformation as she rejects societal violence and embraces nature's purity
Yeong-hye undergoes a physical and mental transformation as she rejects her former self, culminating in her complete detachment from reality
In-hye tries to care for Yeong-hye despite her own struggles, including the collapse of her marriage
Reflects on the shared trauma and pressure that shaped both their lives
Both The Vegetarian and Go, Went, Gone critique systems of power whether Institutional system, patriarchal, or cultural that attempts to control individuals
In Go, Went, Gone, the power of immigration laws, limiting their freedom and agency
In The Vegetarian, patriarchal and familial power structures seek to control Yeong-hye's body and choices
Symbol
: A sprouting tree, representing growth, transformation, and destruction
SWING TIME
The narrator's friendship with Tracey and her experiences in West Africa shape her evolving understanding of herself and her role in the world
The narrator
grows up in a working-class London neighborhood and bonds with Tracey over their shared love of dance
*Loses her friendship with Tracey due to jealousy and diverging life path
Works for Aimee, a global pop star, and travels to West Africa, where she questions cultural appropriation and power dynamics
Reflects on her complicated relationship with her mother, who is dedicated to social activism
Tracey
pursues her dream of becoming a dancer but struggles with personal and professional setbacks
Clashes with the narrator as their childhood friendship deteriorates
Faces consequences for her reckless actions as an adult
Aimee
exploits her privilege by funding a school in West Africa, raising questions about the ethics of her actions
The narrator and Tracey both carry the weight of their upbringing in a working-class neighborhood, which influences their adult lives and fractured friendship
The narrator in Swing Time undergoes a quieter transformation as she reflects on her identity, relationships, and moral compass
The narrator reflects on her dual life, torn between her roots and her current role working for Aimee, questioning who she truly is
Symbol
: A pair of ballet shoes or a musical staff, representing the characters' bond and dreams
DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONE :
"Animal has a soul, but you will never hear about it from the mouths of priest'' This reflects the protagonist's challenge to anthropocentric views, advocating for the ethical treatment of animals and critiquing humanity's exploitation of nature
Janina's grief over the death of her dogs fuels her obsession with justice and her acts of rebellion
Drive your plow over the bones of the dead critiques humanity's exploitation of nature and challenges traditional hierarchies
Symbol
: Animal footprints in snow, hinting at the protagonist's connection with the natural world
Kafka and Janine are outsiders in their communities and question and societal norms. Kafka searches for his identity and truth, while Janina challenges traditional beliefs about morality and the treatment of animals.
Both
Kafka on the shore
and
Drive your plow over the bone
blend reality with surreal or metaphysical events. Kafka's journey is tied to supernatural occurrences, while Janine uses astrology to interpret her world
Across these stories, the characters confront their pasts in order to move forward, but this process is often painful and transformative
Both Kafka and swing time features self-discovery journeys of young characters. Kafka's quest for identity parallel the narrator's search for purpose and understanding of her roots in swing time,
The protagonists have complicated relationships with parental figures ( Kafka with his father and the narrator with her mother ), These relationships shape their choices and identity crises
Both Yeong-hye and the narrator feel increasingly alienated. Yeong-hye due to her choices, and the narrator as she grows distant from Tracey and her own identity
Both drive your plow over the bone and the vegetarian challenges humanity's treatment of animals. Janina fights against hunting and violence toward animals, while Yeong-hye's vegetarianism is an act of rebellion against violence and cruelty
Both Janina and Yeong-hye are misunderstood by society and seen as mentally unstable due to their unconventional beliefs.
These stories question humanity's exploitation of nature, presenting alternative ways of thinking that challenge anthropocentric worldviews
Each story explores how transformation is both liberating and destructive, forcing the characters to redefine themselves in the face of external pressures
All the novels explores what it means to be human in often alienating and oppressive world
Through their protagonists' journeys they challenge societal norms, question humanity's relationship with nature, and highlight's relationship with nature, and highlight the enduring struggle for identity and meaning
Together, these texts form a tape stories about individuals navigating oppressive systems, grappling with personal identity, and seeking meaning in a world that often marginalizes them
Their journeys intersect through their shared struggles shared struggles with alienation, defiance and transformation
Each story, while unique, contributes to a broader narrative about humanity's enduring quest for freedom and understanding amidst societal and internal chaos.
Whether through Kafka's surreal quest, Janina's moral rebellion, the narrator's introspection, or Yeong-hye's silent defiance, each narrative offers a unique perspective on resistance, connection, and transformation
By exploring themes of alienation, identity, power, empathy, and transformation, these novels collectively challenges readers to reflect on the human condition and the systems that shape our lives
Each novel explores how identity is fluid, shaped by internal conflicts and external pressures
Kafka on the shore: Kafka wrestles with his identity as he tries to escape his father's curse, while Nakata's memory loss redefines his sense of self
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead: Janina's worldview challenges traditional ideas of identity and morality, transforming her into an agent of justice
Go, Went, Gone: Richard's engagement with refugees transforms his identity and worldview, forcing him to confront privilege and complacency
The Vegetarian: Yeong-hye's transformation, both physical and psychological, raises questions about bodily autonomy and societal expectations
Swing Time: The narrator navigates questions of race, class and ambition as she transforms through her experience in London and West Africa
Yeong-hye's husband's actions deepen Yeong-hye's alienation and contribute to her psychological collapse, show casting how others impose their desire on her
Yeong-hye and Jeong(brother-in-law)
*Jeong becomes obsessed with Yeong-hye and exploits her for artistic project
This dynamic exposes themes of objectification and the limits of personal boundaries
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