All guests of the European Literature Days from 2009 to 2014.

[ book tip by Europäische Literaturtage ] Okaasan – the book’s title is Japanese and means ‘mother’. The mother’s death is the story’s central theme. The story of how the daughter comes to terms with her loss virtually turns this narrative into a novel. Flašar adopts a tremendously conciliatory and discreet tone to describe the thoughts, concerns, fears and questions, which do not torment the first person narrator, yet preoccupy her, allowing her to mature and learn. Rage and anger from the past resurface. Questions are answered – some directly, others indirectly. Some demonstrate that there can be many different answers. Flašar’s language and the content of her story present her characters in a decidedly gentle, respectful manner. This narrative never verges on generalization, even though it deals with the basic themes of humanity – a mother’s love and death. People are portrayed with great attention to detail and concern for their identity. There is no novel-length explanation of the family’s story as migrants, but it is easy to see and appreciate how difficult it was leaving the homeland and how the feeling of being uprooted also applies for the second generation. Here, the text’s structure closely corresponds to the first person narrator’s identity: the Japanese connection is a discreet background, which can neither be reinforced nor overlooked, but can be accepted as it is, for the context conditions and lends coherence to the story’s content.

Love, as shown by the mother’s love and closeness or distances – both intentional and unintentional – to the mother are discussed in a wonderfully effortless way throughout this narrative. The first person narrator’s thoughts in any case appear highly contemplative. The first part of the narrative is reinforced by the comments and views or experiences of her friends. Throughout her lifetime, the mother adopted a victim’s position of suffering. However, the narrator finds a way to accept and understand this as her mother’s outlook, albeit without following her example. Ultimately, the narrator accepts the role reversal of mother and child in a conciliatory fashion.
She recognizes the need to take over responsibility for her life. In the ashram she decides to travel to India. Initially, the second part of the story seems alienating both in terms of structure and content. Leaving home once again changes the protagonist’s viewpoint. Through encounters, on the one hand, with eastern philosophies and ways of life, and on the other hand, with different people in and around the ashram, the first person narrator draws a line under other elements of her past.

To read about the experience of splitting up and reconciliation almost has a soothing effect. The second part of “Okasaan” reads like an epilogue to the first part, or like a new start or the beginning of a new story. This part is also lacking in platitudes that is thanks to the highly intelligent, sensitive and authentic tone of the narrative voice.

Kathrin Kuna

[ Favourite quote ] Etwas, dessen Verlust von niemandem ausgeglichen werden konnte, weil es sich in Wahrheit um keinen Verlust, sondern um das bloße Begleichen einer offenen Rechnung handelte. Seine Endgültigkeit war tatsächlich von der Art, wie man einen Punkt zwischen zwei Sätze tippt. Es geht weiter. Wenngleich mit einem Bruch. Die Atempause, die ihn markiert, ist die Lücke, in der zwei Menschen voneinander Abschied nehmen. Sie ist winzigklein und man könnte sie leicht übersehen.

[ book info ] Flašar, Milena Michiko: Okaasan – Meine unbekannte Mutter. (original language: Deutsch) Residenz Verlag, St. Pölten / Salzburg, 2010 . ISBN: 9783701715336.