Department of English

This thesis analyzes the translated version of a fictional psychological thriller, Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino, that takes place in contemporary Japan, revolving around the lives of three girls attending the same elite high school. With the use of close reading interpretations of passages written in first person narration from the characters, the paper argues how the author intentionally uses differing narratives to curate a cohesive story of how three women independently navigate a society that sanctions gender norms and punishes those who deviate from traditional roles. Based on the real life murder case of Yasuko Watanabe, known for her dualistic identity as a career woman by day and prostitute by night, the reader’s experience of Grotesque emulates the real life controversy that sparked in reaction to Watanabe’s murder as civilians struggled to figure out the circumstances that led her to her decisions. However, by curating three vastly different psychological narratives that tell a different story about the same events, Kiruno renders it virtually impossible for the reader to obtain a factual reality and thus an objective understanding of who the characters truly are. As a result, she provides her protagonists with individual autonomy through their ability to write their own narratives. Analysis of the characters also include the use of attachment theory in order to infer and explain defense mechanisms that construct their internal working models, ultimately altering how they behave and perceive reality, demonstrated by the narrative structure and plot. By the end of the novel, each protagonist is able to obtain an emotional resolution within themselves by either defying and/or appealing gender norms using the psychological tools they are equipped with.