Critical Analysis of Sumire as a Foucauldian Confessional Modern Individual - Essay Example

Critical Analysis of Sumire as a Foucauldian Confessional Modern Individual Introduction In the novel, “Sputnik Sweetheart” Haruki Murakami’s protagonist Sumire essentially represents the nascent self, of modern individual, which undergoes continuous struggle to decipher the truth about existence in sheer solitude of modern individuality, and to reaffirm his or her identity. Indeed Foucauldian concepts of ‘sexuality’ and ‘confession’ can, greatly, assist any attempt to delve deep into Sumire’s psychology and sexual behavior. Foucault believes that sexuality holds the truth of one’s identity in secret, as he says “sex is what holds [truth about body] in darkness….Whenever it is a question of knowing who we are, it is this logic that henceforth serves as our master key….Sex, the explanation for everything.” (Foucault 78) He further asserts that modern individuals continually reaffirm their identity through any form of confession about their sexuality. In the subconscious level of mind, Murakami’s protagonist Sumire transgresses the society-permitted demarcation line of sexuality. Consciously she does not seem to be aware of her sexual transgression. She feels overwhelming attraction for Miu, the 38 years old, self-affirmed woman. Yet she cannot decide whether she is a gay or not. Rather she appears to be continually in search of her identity as well as a confessional authority before whom she confesses about her sexuality. Sumire’s Unsuccessful Writing Attempt as An Act of Self-exploration Sumire’s confessional struggle is vividly evident in her effort to write about anything, though she cannot do it successfully. According to Foucault, writing a diary, an autobiography or any other literary form can serve as a self-confessional authority. Referring to writing as a form of Foucauldian confession, Peter Fletcher comments, “There is another form of confession that is contemplated by Foucault: the writing of and about the self. This writing often addressed the nuances of life, mood…the experience of oneself was intensified and widened by virtue of this act of writing” (2). Sumire’s failure to write an effective piece ultimately originates from her failure to decipher herself that would possibly contribute to the formation of her identity. She fails to write because she cannot encode her being under the authority of language. K, the narrator of the novel, describes this dilemma of Sumire as following: “She had so many things she had to write, so many stories to tell. If she could only find the right outlet, heated thoughts and ideas would gush out like lava.” (Murakami 12) The narrator informs the readers that Sumire does not suffer from ‘writers’ block’. Rather she writes a lot, though she cannot produce any “inventive works the likes of which the world has never seen.” (Murakami 12) In the very first place, Sumire desires to produce a work of individual essence, the one that should reflect simply her being stripped naked off the masks of social norms and rituals. The narrator says that it “never happened that way” (Murakami 12). Indeed it is because she does not find writing as an assistive confessional authority that could help her to “decide on the big picture–what was necessary and what wasn’t” (Murakami 12). Sumire’s Lack of Trust in Patriarchy and Faith in Femininity as Confessional Authority Again her light behavior and verbosity, to a great extent, reveal her angst about what lies hidden in her. She can talk nonstop with her acquaintances; but in front of unfamiliar people, she proves to an introvert: as the narrator of the novel describes Sumire’s behavioral traits in the following manner: “Start her talking and she’d go on non-stop but if she was with someone she didn’t get a long with-most people in the world in other words- she barely opened her mouth” (Murakami 3). Such conglomeration of polar behaviors such extroversion in the presence of one’s acquaintances and introversions in front of others ultimately proves that she suffers from the want of an reliable authority whom she can trust with her secrets. She cannot even grow a confiding relationship with K whom she loves only as a friend, not as a lover or husband in the conventional sense of a sex-partner within the legal boundary of social control. Instead Sumire turns to Miu as an individual who aligns with her sex and as a person who rather mirrors the image of the identity that she has groped for so long. She feels drawn towards Miu since she finds her the best of a self-acclaimed confessional female authority. Character of Miu as the Confessional Authority of Sumire Sumire’s disinterestedness in K’s sexual approach essentially puts her at a height from where she can refuse the male dominated society-prescribed formula for sexual saturation. Instead of K’s patriarchal solution for Sumire’s identity conundrum, Miu’s presence in the novel is that of an assistive confessional authority that is, though not sacramental, secular. Sumire turns to the assistance of Miu’s confiding authority in order to decipher her being and to give voice to what lies in her existence. With Miu’s assistance, Sumire completes the “infinite task of extracting from the depths of oneself, in between the words, a truth which the very form of the confession holds out like a shimmering mirage” (Foucault, 1978, p. 59). Though not on the surface level, Miu’s companionship assists Sumire to explore herself until her mysterious missing. Integrity of Miu’s companionship lies in the fact that she is aware of the deficiency of her own self and admits it clearly before Sumire: “I’m sure you don’t know this…..The person here now isn’t the real me. Fourteen years ago I became half the person I used to be. I wish I could have met you when I was whole -that would have been wonderful. But it’s pointless to think about that now.” (Murakami 51) Such enigmatic eloquence of the deficiency of Miu’s being necessarily guides Sumire regarding what to explore within one’s self. Miu hints that Sumire now can seek for, in order to be the whole, what she had 14 years ago. By mentioning the missing part of her self, Miu subconsciously incites Sumire to extract meaning from nothing. Referring to Miu’s confessional presence in Sumire’s life, Sam Ruddock notes: Miu herself is not ‘whole’ and thus cannot give herself to Sumire. Sumire also talks about her missing ‘twin’ like Miu she herself feels separated from the world in which she lives but she hopes to find that missing half in Miu. When she doesn’t she more or less goes in search of a way to merge the two Miu’s together so the whole Miu can love her and thus relieve her own loneliness. (Ruddock 1) Conclusion Sumire effectively represents the dilemma of modern individuality: on one hand, the individual struggles hard to form an individual identity coming out of the darkness of existence; on the other hand, he or she suffers from the increasing solitude that is finally contributed by his or her effort to decipher the existential being. Being in touch with the Foucauldian confessional authority of Miu, Sumire is rather incited to explore the missing part of her self. In the end of the novel, Sumire’s mysterious missing from the scene and her sudden return hint her success in self-exploration. Indeed Murakami’s protagonist’s unsuccessful attempt to write and meanwhile her successful confiding relationship with Miu are the signs of a modern female’s struggle to exist and to affirm her non-existence. Works Cited Fletcher, Peter. “Foucault on Confession”, March 19, 2012 available at http://peterfletcher.com.au/2010/08/10/foucault-on-confession/ Foucault, Michael. The history of sexuality Volume 1: An Introduction. New York: Vintage Books. 1978 Murakami, Haruki. Sputnik Sweetheart. London: The Harvill Press, 2001 Ruddock, Sam. “Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami (Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge)”, March 19, 2012 available at http://www.thelitbitch.com/?p=1248 Read More