The Beautiful and Damned: Flimsy Foundation

 Note: This post contains spoilers for The Beautiful and Damned!

Previously in part one, we have seen the role distance plays in Anthony and Gloria’s relationship. Although all seems to be well at the beginning, their relationship then begins to deteriorate. In this post, I’ll explore why their marriage collapses in relation to what I’ve discussed in the first post: distance, beauty, and desirability. (There are, of course, other causes and points of view.)

The Beautiful and Damned: Deceptive Distance

Note: This post contains spoilers for The Beautiful and Damned!

The two Fitzgerald books I’ve read are in no way easy reads, and I’m not going to claim I understand the entirety of Fitzgerald’s writing. Nevertheless, let me try to present one particular thing that stood out to me: distance. Distance thematically permeated the life of Fitzgerald’s couples - Anthony and Gloria from The Beautiful and Damned; Gatsby and Daisy from The Great Gatsby. This time, I’ll discuss my understanding of the former pair. 

(I’ll discuss the latter pair in another post, if I ever get down to writing it :) )

In Anthony and Gloria’s relationship, distance triggers an initial period of passionate love - that is, during their courtship and early marriage. This is largely because of what distance did to them. Distance (rather deceptively) bestows beauty and desirability.

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.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Returning to the Present

Note: This post contains spoilers for Before the Coffee Gets Cold!

Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a 2015 novel by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. Originally written in Japanese, the novel mainly tells the story of four different people. Each of them travels through time for different reasons thanks to the unique time-traveling service provided by café Funiculi Funicula. Kawaguchi has since produced sequels with the same time-travel premise.

Tracking T&T: Brief Thoughts on By The Pricking of My Thumbs

Note: This post contains spoilers for By The Pricking of My Thumbs!

Just some brief thoughts I had about three things in the story: the story's loose ends, Sir Philip, and the inscription on the tombstone Tuppence found.

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!

Tracking T&T: Why the Name “Tuppence”?

 Note: This post contains spoilers for The Secret Adversary!

During my reread of The Secret Adversary, I was once again made aware of the fact that we never know why Miss Prudence Cowley is called “Tuppence”. In the opening chapter of The Secret Adversary, Christie herself seems to tell us that she would not be giving us explanation:

…Miss Prudence Cowley, known to her intimate friends for some mysterious reason as ‘Tuppence.”

Christie may offer no answers, but I am here to offer a fun speculation.