Naomi As Horror
Roberts 1
Katlin Roberts
Elesheva Perelman
JAPN 160
6 October, 2014
Approaching the Inevitable: The Personal Horror of
Naomi
Horror as a genre allows the us to come as close as we can to the obscene, traumatic, and disturbing from the comfort of our own home. It is the distance between fiction and reality that makes horror enjoyable; we can engage in its tropes as needed and typically walk away from the experience unscathed. Junichiro Tanizaki’s
Naomi
ignores the “rules” of horror and brings us incredibly close to our own horrific behaviors. The horror of Naomi and Joji is that they are acting based on their own self interests and in that way are ultimately, relatable.
Teenagers are infamous for taking advantage of those around them, Naomi is no different. By spoiling Naomi, Joji encourages her behavior, “You’re a diamond that I found and polished. I’ll buy anything that’ll make you beautiful. I’ll give you my whole salary (36).” Joji willingly agrees to giving Naomi anything her heart desires. Naomi is a fifteen year old waitress who grew up in poverty and is suddenly living with a man who is willing to give her anything she wants. Joji’s willingness to do anything for Naomi is his initial mistake. The second mistake
Joji makes is his desire to possess Naomi. Joji is attempting to exert his influence over her, “I would keep her like a little bird… and the enormous atelier was her cage (21).” In order to keep birds, their wings must be clipped. Joji cannot “keep” Naomi unless he destroys some part of her.
Joji does not love Naomi, he only wants her in order to fulfill his own selfish desires, “I’d
Roberts 2
brought her up myself, that I myself had made her into the woman she was, and that only I knew every part of her body (161). Joji’s relationship with Naomi is about complete and total control.
While Naomi’s actions are selfish, they are largely in response to Joji’s effort to exert control over her. Joji even calls
Katlin Roberts
Elesheva Perelman
JAPN 160
6 October, 2014
Approaching the Inevitable: The Personal Horror of
Naomi
Horror as a genre allows the us to come as close as we can to the obscene, traumatic, and disturbing from the comfort of our own home. It is the distance between fiction and reality that makes horror enjoyable; we can engage in its tropes as needed and typically walk away from the experience unscathed. Junichiro Tanizaki’s
Naomi
ignores the “rules” of horror and brings us incredibly close to our own horrific behaviors. The horror of Naomi and Joji is that they are acting based on their own self interests and in that way are ultimately, relatable.
Teenagers are infamous for taking advantage of those around them, Naomi is no different. By spoiling Naomi, Joji encourages her behavior, “You’re a diamond that I found and polished. I’ll buy anything that’ll make you beautiful. I’ll give you my whole salary (36).” Joji willingly agrees to giving Naomi anything her heart desires. Naomi is a fifteen year old waitress who grew up in poverty and is suddenly living with a man who is willing to give her anything she wants. Joji’s willingness to do anything for Naomi is his initial mistake. The second mistake
Joji makes is his desire to possess Naomi. Joji is attempting to exert his influence over her, “I would keep her like a little bird… and the enormous atelier was her cage (21).” In order to keep birds, their wings must be clipped. Joji cannot “keep” Naomi unless he destroys some part of her.
Joji does not love Naomi, he only wants her in order to fulfill his own selfish desires, “I’d
Roberts 2
brought her up myself, that I myself had made her into the woman she was, and that only I knew every part of her body (161). Joji’s relationship with Naomi is about complete and total control.
While Naomi’s actions are selfish, they are largely in response to Joji’s effort to exert control over her. Joji even calls