First Published on December 24, 2017---here it is again, as we are just done with awarding the NOBEL PRIZE. I am still amazed that I live in this country, that awards one of the most prestigious awards of our planet!!
Kazuo Ishiguro: Giving his Nobel Prize Speech
I took this picture with my phone. Please notice the (click to enlarge) the fine bubbles rising up in the glass. It was those bubbles that had any movement in this shot at the moment I took it, and so, a silent moment with only the bubbles talking and climbing up, captured.
What? It was a Japanese who wrote the novel that this movie is based on? I had said in surprise after watching 'The Remains of the Day.'
Still have not read the book, but the movie made such an impact. Three scenes that I remember poignantly are, the aged butler serving his masters with such precision that he dare not remove a drop of sweat from his nose, and another one, where the butler assures the character played by Emma Thompson, after she states that she is afraid of leaving the manor because she sees only loneliness out in the world, 'We care for you very much.' It was poignant because he is not the man to express emotions, and even in this case, while he should have jumped and hugged her, he just assures her, as if a board member telling a staff member, 'we care' but all the staff hears is 'we care, because we need you.'. While in that scene both the Butler and the woman know that there is a deep connection, neither is allowed, due to the rigid times, environment and culture that they are a part of, to express freely.
The last one is the last scene of the movie, almost wordless, where finally the butler shows some light through his cracked shell that he wears all the time. Through his eyes a and concerns the eyes drip, almost without his permission, he shows 'some emotion' at seeing the woman he has loved for a while, but never has felt that he has the right to love.
A Japanese wrote that book. Yeah, but this one is no ordinary Japanese, he grew up in England. But still. That is what writers do. They slip into situations, imagine and allow us to feel what others feel. And make us a bit more human.
I have never read his work and wish to now, but that movie, that I saw more than two decades ago, is still fresh in my mind.
So when it was announced that he got a Nobel prize, my two responses were, Happy for him, and I must read his books.
Nobel Prize Committee announcing Ishiguro's win!
Nobel price winners 2019
In June of 2016 I was in Japan the second time and decided to read a Japanese author, as I travelled through a country that I admire. I chose Murakami. Norwegian Woods! It was much publicised, the movie came out a few years ago, and I heard that Murakami waited a while before giving rights for the movie.
From the get go, I had a sinking feeling when reading that book. It was about mental health, and yet, there was very little humanity that I felt in the characters. They were self-absorbed, possibly due to mental illness, but even the sane ones were. Parents of the children who had mental illness were far in the background. There was in my opinion, much weirdness in the stories of these people. All through that trip, while I did get involved in the book and wanted to know what happened to the characters, I also felt a sense of gloom. Even though I was in a country that understood very well the intersection of humanity and divinity. While people laugh and put down Japan and Japanese values as too rigid and ignoring the self, I think what they do not realize is that---all of that is Japan's way of making human life as close to perfection as possible. Yes, people break, but things like honor, commitment and valour, that make the world worthy to live in and fight for, are definitely something to live upto. And then there is a value of balance.
That balance and self-restriction or discipline was missing in Murakami's book. I kept thinking of Ishiguro and saying to myself that I have to read him to balance this.
A friend said, that Murakami was just responding to the Japanese repression. I disagree. Murakami is very clear about western influences on his writing. And I do not consider Japanese culture as 'repression' as the outsiders talk about it. It is one of self-respect, and grit. Dying was nobler than living in shame.
There is a saying we have in hindi that comes from RamCharitramanas (Ramayana as it is called colloquially)--प्राण जाये पर वचन न जाई--'Praan Jayi Par Vachan Na Jayi' --I will die before I go back on my word! As I tell my students, giving word was like a certificate of honesty. Like shaking hands in the west. Long before we created documents and signature as proof.
And writers bring that character to life. I had so enjoyed Remains of the Day. The movie and a few scenes had stayed with me for a long time.
Pico Iyer, a noted travel writer, who has lived-in Japan for many years had this to say about the choice of Nobel Committee (click to enlarge).
So, when I was working in my office late that day, trying to finish some grading, and a link got forwarded to me about Ishiguro's speech, I logged on. As I continued to grade, I kept stopping to listen to him. And then in the middle of it all, I realized that I had to record this for myself. So, I recorded it on my phone. I have listened to it many times since. Even though it was recorded mid-way and has many of whisperings as I make notes on the papers that I am grading, rustling of the sheets as I am assembling my work.
The recording feels like I have woven Ishiguro's voice with my own life and poetry.
I would like to provide that link at some point, but for now, I will provide the link to the entire speech at Nobel, so you all can listen. And here is the Nobel lecture that I am talking about. I am just in awe of the fact that I am in the country that awards these prizes and that I can actually understand some of Swedish that they speak. Grateful!!
PS: This is 300th post in eight years since the blog was started. I wanted to mark it!! This blog despite my emotional ups and downs has been maintained at 15-30 minute marks of writing. Like teaching, it remains my salvation. There must be almost two books in here.
PS: Edit, update: There are close to 368 posts on the blog. As always have about 120 drafts, --and I hope to work on at least some of them this year!!
Which makes me think again of what people have told me for the last two and a half decade, (and recently a very dear friend/student told me....that I should write. If any of what I write touches your heart and makes you think, I am grateful to Ma Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge and Speech)--who flows through me, does not let me rest until I write it all down. I bow to her and hope that she will guide me in my future projects.
Leave a note, if you wish, but I know you all are there. A few loyal ones.
PS: I did not know where to place this but wanted to share regardless, so here is a related story, as I was editing this post, and this time added a few more words and perspectives (I use reposting as a way to edit and add and embellish what i have already written)--I tried to see how Google translate with translate this deep meaningful phrase like प्राण जाये पर वचन न जाई----I will die before I go back on my word! --And guess what did google translate provide? 'Go die!!' ah, technology, technology, technology, remember technology is helpful, but the user has to use his/her own brain!! Technology has no brain of itself....shhhh...our little secret, don't let the computers hear.....
Hope to hear from you all!!
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