Reviews and Comments Questions Resources

A Snake Stepped On

Hiromi Kawakami

The Significance of Snakes
nlara@middlebury.edu
Hiromi Kawakami’s “A Snake Stepped On” is the last short story in a collection of three short stories published in A Record of a Night too Brief. The story recounts the tale of a woman named Hiwako Sanada who works for a married couple (Mr. Kosuga and Nishiko) selling beads. On her way to work, ... read more

Hiromi Kawakami’s “A Snake Stepped On” is the last short story in a collection of three short stories published in A Record of a Night too Brief. The story recounts the tale of a woman named Hiwako Sanada who works for a married couple (Mr. Kosuga and Nishiko) selling beads. On her way to work, she steps on a snake which then turns into a human. When Hiwako arrives at her home, the human-snake awaits for her with a dinner ready. Throughout the story we see how the snake shifts from human to snake and vice versa and the purpose for living in the apartment. The story combines aspects of folklore and everyday life

Hiromi Kawakami does a great job in adding elements of old legends such as one where a woman falls in love with a priest, chases the priest, turns into a serpent, and gets to the temple to burn the monk. Furthermore, the story references Noh Plays which are classical Japanese dramas performed with masks and by men. The symbolic usage of the snake might have a different meaning than it does today. In Japanese culture snakes are sacred and could signify fertility which is fitting given that only the women would have snakes in their lives. When Hiwako Sanada doesn’t give in to the desires of the snake it mirrors how women rebel against societal norms in the sense that the character is unmarried and working to sustain only herself. 

I relate to the protagonist in the sense that my main priority as a woman is not to get married and have children. For generations, society has told women that they should be content with marrying and having children and living the ideal white picket fence fantasy. Although this may be the goal for some this is not my goal. I want to work to sustain myself just like Sanada who does not give in to the snake’s desires. 

I would recommend this story to people who want to read something fictional with a sense of reality. This story is not everyone’s cup of tea but nonetheless it is still a good read. I really enjoyed the quirks of this short story and rate it 4.5/5 stars. The only reason it does not get the 5 stars is because the symbolism of the snake was hard to catch on to.

Total Votes : 0 Vote Up Edit Reply

jayhoc@middlebury.edu
Like others, I was interested in the symbolism of snakes and wondered if traditional Japanese folk tales had similar stories of snakes becoming humans? Furthermore, the role of food in this story was interesting as it is once again a way of nourishment and makes the narrator also feel closer to the snake. I understand what the priest's wife's snake is supposed to be, but what is Hiwako's snake? They mention it's not the same, but I still am not sure what it is supposed to be.
Edit Reply
alinas@middlebury.edu
I'm curious about the connection between women and snakes. In western culture, snakes are symbols of trickery and evil so a connection between women and snakes would suggest that women are evil or deceitful. What is the symbolism of snakes in Japanese culture and what does it suggest about women?
Edit Reply
cetrillard@middlebury.edu
5/4: I was curious about the criticism of absent husbands in this text and whether the author intended her text to assume a feminist or traditional perspective. The criticism of the husband could indicate both sides.
Edit Reply
gdevries@middlebury.edu
5/2: When Nishiko's snake is crushed, she returns to work and no longer exhibits snake-like tendencies. Does this suggest that she has finally won the "fight" against her snake that the narrator experiences at the end of the story? And what does this "fight" represent if reading from a feminist perspective?
Edit Reply
nlara@middlebury.edu
  1. What might the snake transforming into a person and vice versa signify or represent? 
Edit Reply
sgregory@middlebury.edu
I am interested to learn about the intertwine between the religious elements in the story and the symbolism of the Snake. Is the snake representing some sort of evil? Furthermore it seems that Nishiko overcame the snake - that is, by not joining the snake world- however the snake still had a hold on her even after its death, so is there really anyway for the snake to be defeated or is it inevitable that if you have snake you follow the same hopeless fate?
 
Edit Reply
mmflores@middlebury.edu
I am curious if there is a religious connection to the snake. In religion, snakes are seen in a negative context but in a secular context, snakes are seen as a sign of growth through shedding their skin. Does this book highlight the snake in a religious or secular context?
Edit Reply
swittig@middlebury.edu
My question is based on the overall possible symbology of a snake. Given this is not a western piece, I don't think it is the same as they biblical refrence, but I wonder if either the lunar year or the Buddhist symbology is similar. I know typically snakes can mean betrayal, fertility, desire, or even death. It seems they are tied to desire in the story both with the physical contact and the food connections, but the description of a snake wife on page 147 seems to go against that notion, describing them as a more practical and diligent rather than emotional partner. Also the snake woman saying she is the man's mother, when his mother is still alive goes against the typical Buddhist cycle of rebirth where it is entirely possible to be reborn in the animal realm, but only after one has passed away.
Edit Reply
nquizon@middlebury.edu
How did the Christian connotations of the snake influence the animal's meaning in Japan, if at all?
Edit Reply
egavin@middlebury.edu
I am interested in the symbolism of snakes in the story. It is said in the story that snakes often pretend to be what they're not. Among other elements of the story, I am lead to believe that snakes serve a negative role in the story. Is this the case?
Edit Reply
rurbina@middlebury.edu
Daily Question 5/2: What was the end goal of the transformation of the snake. Does the snake have some symbolic meaning in Japanese culture that is being exemplified in the story?
Edit Reply
sabrinak@middlebury.edu
5/4: The ending felt abrupt. I enjoyed reading the story however, I felt there should be more. The husband just found out she is a bodybuilder, consoles her, then they go to the park?
Edit Reply
ttanchanco@middlebury.edu
Since there are many interpretations of snakes present, (fortune, fertility and sacred are some japanese interpretations, and cunning, deadly, and poisonous are western interpretations) I'm wondering if the presence of snakes in many people's families can be interpreted by the duality of humans to possess positive and negative attributes. How does this text read from a feminist perspective and what kinds of conclusions can we draw from the surrogate mother turning into a snake?
Edit Reply
ayepizmedina@middlebury.edu
 

Is there a connection between women and snakes that share symbolic meaning instead of just the snake having meaning. And if so how would that impact this being a feminist text or not?

Edit Reply

nlara@middlebury.edu

 

Annotated Bibliography

Larson, M W. “The Folkloric and the Fantastic: Hiromi Kawakami’s ‘Record of a Night Too Brief.” Los Angeles Review of Books, July 19, 2017.

https://www.lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-folkloric-and-the-fantastic-hiromi-kawakamis-record-of-a-night-too-brief/ 

“The Folkloric and the Fantastic: Hiromi Kawakami's ‘Record of a Night Too Brief’” is an article by M. W. Larson, which evaluates why Japanese literary works are not prominent outside of Japan. She analyzes certain short stories written by Hiromi Kawakami that surround a common theme of supernatural forces and magical animals. Larson states that “Japan’s thriving literary scene is largely invisible,” and is unsure as to why and shines light upon Hiromi Kawakami. She states that Kawakami’s short stories have been her most popular works and does short summaries on a couple of them. The intended audience of this article are people who love books and are interested in finding new authors because the article was published in the Los Angeles Review of Books (LARB). It aims to spread awareness on Japanese authors and highlights positive aspects of Kawakami’s works. Larson assesses “A Snake Stepped On” along with other short stories and gives her take on the story. She states that Kawakami draws on pre-modern aspects of life and uses her life experiences as inspiration to some of her short stories. Larson has a very strong argument because she comes up with several examples of common themes in several of Kawakami’s stories/books and Brings up stories such as “Missing,” and “A Snake Stepped On,” which are a part of Record of a Night Too Brief.

Flanagan, Damian. “'Record of a Night Too Brief': Hiromi Kawakami Uncoils Life's Mysteries with an Exploration of Dreams.” The Japan Times, May 27, 2017. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2017/05/27/books/book-reviews/record-night-brief-hiromi-kawakami-uncoils-lifes-mysteries-exploration-dreams/. 

“'Record of a Night Too Brief': Hiromi Kawakami Uncoils Life's Mysteries with an Exploration of Dreams” is an article written by Damian Flanagan that examines the aspects that influenced Hiromi Kawakami’s writing style. Flanagan claims that “Alice In Wonderland” influenced the dream like themes in writings and how prominent it was in society. Flananagan then summarizes the plot of “A Snake Stepped On” and states that it is “the best story in the collection. The intended audience of this article are people who love books and are interested in finding new Japanese authors because the article was published in The Japan Times. Therefore, this source is very reliable and trustworthy. This article also connects Kawakami’s work with magical realism and folklore themes which in theory would allow readers to enjoy the hybrid aspect of her writing. The review is pretty straightforward and easy to follow. It dives deep into themes mentioned before and also relates those themes to find parallels within other works such as “Alice in Wonderland.”

Antoniou, Stavros A., et al. “The Rod and the Serpent: History’s Ultimate Healing Symbol.” World Journal of Surgery, vol. 35, no. 1, 2010, pp. 217–21. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-010-0686-y. 

“The Rod and the Serpent: History’s Ultimate Healing Symbol '' is an article that seeks to interpret the different meanings of snakes and its symbolic representation of healing and its relation to health care. In our modern day society snakes have a more negative connotation and are usually associated with fear and angst. Snakes have “duality” because of all the different myths that have played a part in its recognition of immortality. In Ancient Greece snakes were regarded as symbols of healing. Furthermore, because snakes were also mentioned in the Bible, snakes began to be associated with the devil and cruelty. The author also claims that the snakes’ character and symbolic meaning was influenced by Ancient Greeks, the Romans, and finally the physicians of the first centuries. During the Renaissance period in Europe the double snake symbol was said to be a medical emblem. The duality of the snake can be seen all throughout history which makes sense as to why in literature snakes can mean all sorts of different things. They can symbolize anything from healing symbols, to the devil, and evil. The author does a great job at connecting overarching meanings and also dissects how the meaning of snakes could have evolved throughout time. The article is very well articulated and showcases how the medical field came to utilize the snake. This relates to Kawakami’s short story because it gives a different perspective as to what a serpent might mean in literature. 

Stein, Murray, et al. “Jungian Psychology in Japan: Between Mythological World and Contemporary Consciousness.” Cultures and Identities in Transition: Jungian Perspectives, Routledge, 2010, pp. 199–207. 

This book chapter “Jungian Psychology in Japan: Between Mythological World and Contemporary Consciousness,” talks about psychotherapy that can be traced to shamanism and ancient healing techniques. The patients and therapist both have to know the symbolic meaning of things and snakes come up as an example. The author claims that this type of therapy is very popular in Japan and that there is a common belief that everything contains a soul including nature. The idea of modern consciousness differs in Japan from Western civilizations because it cannot completely mirror what is in the west. Similarly, to how the symbolic meanings of the same object can change depending on the culture. The author claims, “the contradiction between the mythological and the modern is extremely sharp in Japan.” This highlights why Japanese literature may have mythological and real life aspects embedded into stories. This article relates to “A Snake Stepped On” because it gives an explanation as to why certain aspects of the short story would contain a human turning into a snake. Overall, this article is easy to follow and although published in 2010 it has a lot of revelation information on Jungian therapy and how it relates to the conscious mind and mythological world. 

Puente-Aguilera, Ana Deyanira. Translation Hiromi Kawakami’s “Tread on a Snake.” May 2014. The University of Texas at Austin, Master of Arts dissertation. https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/handle/2152/26219/PUENTE-AGUILERA-MASTERSREPORT-2014.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 

 

The dissertation thesis by Ana Deyanira Puente-Aguilar talks about how Hiromi Kawakami’s short story relates to the ancient Dōjōji Engi story because of the similar connections and the symbolic meaning of snakes. Puente-Aguilera also includes the commentary that the judges for the 115th Akutagawa Prize submitted as to why “Tread on a Snake” won the prize. Puente-Aguilar translates the story and discusses how the themes of alienation and dissociation relate to Japanese literature. She also states that the translation of the short story was key to try and preserve the original story and somehow try and keep the same tone/meaning. Translating the short story into English was very risky and difficult because some key scenes were hard to translate in the sense that the meaning would change slightly. As with translating any work of literature, nothing is perfect, but the story is still very well written. This dissertation has a very compelling outlook on the story and adding the opinions of the judges for the contest allows the readers to understand why this story was so successful.

 

Edit