Probing the Library #2: Ryo Urase (Part Two)

 Note: This post contains spoilers for What You Are Looking For Is in the Library! 

I honestly didn’t expect that I’d have to split this entry on Ryo Urase into two parts, but it is what it is. In part one we looked at Ryo’s work-related frustration from the lens of Herzberg’s two-factor hygiene and motivation theory. Here, I’ll mostly dive into the resolution of Ryo’s conflict and what it means.

Probing the Library #2: Ryo Urase (Part One)

Note: This post contains spoilers for What You Are Looking For Is in the Library!

In chapter two of What You Are Looking For is in the Library, we meet thirty-five year old Ryo Urase, an accounting staff in a furniture-manufacturing company. Ryo is frustrated with the monotony of his current job and dreams of one day opening his own antique shop. However, he’s constantly demotivated by his lack of resources to do so. Ryo wonders whether his dream will remain just that - a faraway, unattainable dream.

As I reread Ryo’s story, I find that we can understand it from the lens of Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation-hygiene. Please bear in mind that I am not a psychology student - I stumbled upon Herzberg’s theory while reading another (non-fiction, non-English) book. I thought it was insightful. In this part, I’ll look at Ryo’s dissatisfaction through the lens of Herzberg’s theory. Part two will discuss the solution Ryo eventually lands on.

Probing the Library #1: Tomoka Fujiki

Note: This post contains spoilers for What You Are Looking For Is in the Library!

Chapter one of Michiko Aoyama’s What You Are Looking For Is in the Library presents to us 21-year-old Tomoka Fujiki. She works in a place called Eden in a coral-pink uniform required for womenswear sales assistants. After six months she quickly finds herself dissatisfied with the job. However, she admits to not having any dreams or ambitions, and as a result ends up with no idea what to do.

There are many things we can discuss - but one I’d like to pick up here is the use of colors. I’m sure there is something the author is trying to say through the use of colors in this first chapter. I can’t really quite pin it down yet, but I’m just going to try. And it’s never a bad idea to jot down new ideas!

Quick Review: What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

(Not my picture!)

Note: This is a spoiler-free post!

Somewhere during my Japanese-book fever last year, I decided to read What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama. Judging from the title, I expected this book to single-mindedly revolve around, well, books and libraries - perhaps something like Sosuke Natsukawa’s The Cat Who Saved Books. But apparently I was in for a pleasant surprise. Little did I know that this book was going to become one of my favorite books!