There are so many themes to explore throughout this novel from women’s relationships to being mothers to women’s relationships to their bodies and beauty ideals to why humans are driven to have children at all. Kawakami writes about these issues in the context of Japanese culture, though much of it translates to other cultures and other women.
Choose a theme you relate to or that interests you.
Write an essay of 1000-1200 words. Use MLA format. Write an essay that explores a theme in the novel Breasts and Eggs. Remember that you will be writing to a reader who has likely not read this novel. So after your introductory paragraph (which should include the thesis statement as the last sentence of the first paragraph), you will also need to provide a summary of the novel that explains the theme you have identified.
Throughout the essay, show the reader examples of the theme with quotes from the novel and descriptions of characters. How does Kawakami explore this theme and what conclusions does she draw?
For example, you may explore the various girls/women who have very different relationships to the idea of motherhood. Natsuko (the novel’s main character and narrator) wants children but does not want a sexual relationship. Sengawa, Natsuko’s literary agent, discusses in Chapter 13 (pg 271) that she does not regret her decision not to have children. And Yuriko Zen, who owes her life to sperm donation, describes bringing children into the world as “an act of violence” (Kawakami 349).
Another possible essay topic is to explore the various attitudes towards women deciding to have children on their own outside of a relationship. Much of this is discussed in Chapter 14, giving Natsuko a lot of courage about the idea. But the moment goes from encouragement through Rika to skepticism through Sengawa to discouragement through Makiko. What does this chapter say about people’s attitudes towards women who want to have children outside of a relationship?
Another possible essay topic is to explore the novel’s questioning of people’s motives to have children. Why do people want children? (see Ch9, p179). Is there a thing as a right situation or a right family or real home? (see Ch12, p230) What happens when the family is not a good role model? (see ch12 p248). Who has the right to have a child? (see Ch13 p276). And why would someone want to donate sperm? (see ch15)
Whatever you choose, you are telling a reader what concepts you have taken from the novel and what conclusions you believe the author is drawing. Remember to use quotes from the text to support your conclusions. Use intext MLA citations after all direct quotes. And provide a Works Cited with the novel’s citation.
Kawakami, Mieko. Breasts and Eggs. Europa Editions, 2019.
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