Book Review: Birthday Girl
This is my first tryst with Haruki Murakami. My brother is an avid Japanese reader. You might want to read my review of Pico Iyer’s Autumn Light.
This booklet was a quick read, as my brother’s family had digested the short story in 15 minutes, particularly my niece.
What we wish for:
The first thing that struck me about the story was how relatable it felt. The 20-year-old protagonist has just gone through a fight and a breakup with her boyfriend. She had hoped he would be there to celebrate with her, but life has its twists and turns. Now, she finds herself alone, feeling philosophical and downcast. I can’t remember how many friends I thought would be there for important milestones, only to have them disappear overnight. I wish I had them around on such an important day.
Secondly, the story demonstrates how an ordinary life can quickly turn extraordinary. The lead-up to the birthday is characterized by a surprisingly small crowd due to the rain, which adds to the sense of normalcy for the day. However, this quieter atmosphere provides the birthday girl with more time to reflect on her life. Sometimes, even important days can feel dull and uneventful, making us wish for a different kind of celebration.
Two unexpected events occur quite casually. First, a fellow part-time waitress falls ill with diarrhea and a high fever, forcing the birthday girl to come into the restaurant despite having the night off. Meanwhile, the manager, who is typically in good health, also falls sick just before it’s his turn to serve the master at 8 PM. These casual yet significant twists put the birthday girl in situations that ultimately lead to her fateful encounter with the master, another main character in the story. Life often places us in unintentional circumstances, yet we find ourselves face-to-face with strangers and surprises.
Once again, the master casually inquires about the birthday, leading to a conversation about the topic and eventually asking for the girl’s wish. The atmosphere in the room is everyday, normal, and casual. However, there is a striking contrast between the powerful, empathetic old man and the young, uncertain birthday girl. The master embodies someone she never intended to meet, yet he ends up celebrating her birthday. How many of us wish to have at least one person around to celebrate our birthdays or share our success or self-worth with?
What we wish for: loved ones around for birthdays.
What we get: a dull day with mundane twists and surprises — strangers appear for a reason.
The Wish:
The cover page features a shooting star amidst a starry night sky, with the title displayed below the image.
One cannot reveal the contents of their wish, right? The narrative does not disclose the wish, nor does the subsequent conversation that occurs later between the protagonist and her friend.
The master is surprised and points to one thing- what the birthday girl did not ask —a wish to be prettier, smarter, or rich. Her wish was unusual for an ordinary, young girl like her.
She responds that she does not know how wishes come true and questions whether she is ready to handle the consequences of those wishes. The depth of her response touches on the essence of our desires.
Her answer highlights the importance of the mundane aspects and disappointments in her life. She admits that she does not fully understand how life operates. While her wish is not materialistic, and her response does not delve deeply into philosophical inquiries. She tells the friend, the first-person character that time is on her side and it plays a significant role, but she still needs to see how everything will work out in the end. Although her wish is evident, it remains unfulfilled, and I won’t reveal what it is; I have only attempted to convey what it is not.
So I take you one step closer to the answer… like Murakami, I will leave it to you to figure out what her wish is.
In a sense, I wish…
Murakami’s writing style is simple and relatable. Despite this simplicity, he effectively highlights the complexities and disparities between human desires and the realities of their lives. Our desires change over time — what we want can vary greatly. However, what we truly need is often straightforward: it’s about having someone who acknowledges our worth on the most significant day of our lives. For the birthday girl, that means celebrating and making a wish. While the underlying layers of this story are not difficult to understand, they deserve careful digestion.
~Ashok Subramanian © 2024
