Temporal Gaps and Quiet Bonds: “Ma” and the Making of Intimacy in Strange Weather in Tokyo

Abstract

This thesis transverses the artistry and narrative functions of silence in Hiromi Kawakami’s Strange Weather in Tokyo. Hiromi Kawakami is a Japanese author where he implores minimalistic narrative style. He does not use the traditional conversational intimacy; he enhances the unspoken dialogue into something more meaningful and shows its deep hidden emotional intimacies. This paper applies the Japanese concept of Ma and Ernest Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory to argue that silence is not an empty thing but a conscious thing that shows the ‘slow intimacy’ between the protagonists, Tsukiko and Sensei. Through the rituals of Izakaya, the representation of Sensei’s briefcase and the consumption of alcohol acts as a supportive language. By analyzing these immersed narratives, the paper concludes that Kawakami’s work serves as a mediator of urban alienation and the transience of time, proving that silence is the sincerest medium for bridging generational and emotional divides.