She discovers that this job comes with an employee manual and a uniform that gives her clarity on how to act in the context of the shop. Her family is thrilled when she gets a job working at a local convenience store while she is in university, because they see this as a sign of her progression. After several such instances, in which her actions always elicit shock and displeasure from her parents and teachers, Keiko learns to keep quiet and to mimic the actions, mannerisms, and speech patterns of others in order to appear “normal.”Īfter being taken to therapists and being constantly told she must be cured, Keiko grows up believing that she is an outsider. For example, she views a dead pet bird as possible food, she ends a fight between two boys by nearly killing one of them, and succeeds in quieting a hysterical teacher by pulling her pants down in front of her class. She reacts to situations with removed logic rather than by following social norms or by feeling human empathy. But her family and teachers notice that from a young age, Keiko is not like other children. Her parents were kind and she was close with her younger sister, Mami. Keiko Furukuru grew up in suburban Japan with a regular, loving family. The novel then goes back in time to provide the backstory of this convenience store worker. She is skilled at her job and knows exactly what to do at all instances by instinct. Sayaka Murata’s short novel opens in the setting of a convenience store, where a diligent employee works in perfect harmony with the customer’s needs. The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Murata, Sayaka.
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