The year of the Spaghetti & Shinagawa Monkey "free writing"

“The Year of the Spaghetti”

“Every time I sat down to a plate of spaghetti-especially on a rainy afternoon- I had the distinct feeling that somebody was about to knock on my door” (Murakami 179). He was afraid of her stopping by and disrupting his dinner? Was he isolating himself from everyone so he could enjoy his spaghetti alone where he feels safe?

“When the phone rang at three twenty I was sprawled out on the tatami, staring at the ceiling. A pool of winter sunlight had formed in the place where I lay. Like a dead fly I lay there, vacant, in a December 1971 spotlight” (Murakami 180). Was he ignoring the phone call, because he was nervous to talk to her?

“I sprinkled imaginary salt into the boiling water, gently lowered a handful of imaginary spaghetti into the imaginary pot, set the imaginary kitchen timer for twelve minutes. So, I can’t talk. The spaghetti will be ruined” (Murakami 182). Was the lie consuming his feelings about her? Was he afraid of getting involved with her because he had a feeling she was going to use him?

“Shinagawa Monkey”

“When she was the one who brought up her name, she never had trouble remembering it. As long as she knew in advance what was coming, she had no trouble with her memory. But when she was in a hurry, or someone suddenly asked her name, it was like a breaker had shut down and her mind was a complete blank” (Murakami 333). It’s possible she isn’t happy with her marriage, and her mental state is blocking her memory.

“As she responded to all these questions, Mizuki was struck by what an uninspired life she’d led. Nothing approaching the dramatic had ever touched her. If her life were a movie, it would be one of those low-budget environmental documentaries guaranteed to put you to sleep” (Murakami 341). Talking to the counselor, Is Mizuki finally breaking down emotional walls created as a child?

“But wasn’t this Miss Matsunaka trying to tell you something? Mrs. Sakaki asked. That’s why she came to your room, left her name tag with you. And talked about her jealousy” (Murakami 346). Is there something odd about how Mizuki is opening up to Mrs. Sakaki? Does Mizuki want to say something but is holding back?

"Thinking about spaghetti that boils eternally, but is never done is a sad sad thing." What if the spaghetti is representative of living with depression? Do you think the author disguised the feelings and actions most people present in a depressed state as a year of cooking spaghetti?

That's a great observation, He seemed depressed to me as well. Any hands-on activity can be a good antidote to brain overload, bringing your focus back to something physical and concrete. With the proper intention, meal preparation can become a truly meditative experience. And as we all know, mindfulness helps lower stress and calm the mind.

"A year ago, however, that name started to slip away from her." Did she feel displaced, or as if she didn't know herself anymore? Was there something physically wrong with her to make her forget? Why did she only forget her name consistently?

When we talk about anosognosia in mental illness, we mean that someone is unaware of their own mental health condition or that they can’t perceive their condition accurately. Anosognosia is a common symptom of certain mental illnesses, perhaps the most difficult to understand for those who have never experienced it.

I usually ate my spaghetti alone, but sometimes I am struck by the feeling that somebody might knock on my door and enter my apartment. This sensation is especially strong on rainy days. Do you think that the narrator was strange in some way? Why do you think she wanted to eat spaghetti by herself?

I don't think he wanted to eat alone, It feels as if the narrator wanted to help the reader feel as if during the rainy days, he felt lonely and really wanted a friends company. And being the story was placed in a setting of December, spaghetti would be a comforting meal cold rainy days. Maybe he associated the sizzling noises of cooking with the sounds from raindrops.