Ufo In Kushiro Summary

Your Self-worth is Always Existent

Everyone goes through life with some sort of consistency. How this consistency affects people’s identities is dependant on what transpires in their daily lives as well as if spontaneity is mixed in. after the quake is a collection of short stories written by Haruki Murakami. “ufo in kushiro” and “super-frog saves tokyo” are two short stories that explore the correlation between daily life consistency and self-worth. Komura, the protagonist of “ufo in kushiro”, travels from Tokyo to Kushiro where he is set up by a colleague to encounter two ladies named Keiko and Shimao. Katagiri is the protagonist of “super-frog saves tokyo” and he grapples with some of the same psychological problems that Murakami grapples

Komura utilizes his talk with Simao in the same way in which Katagiri utilizes what the illusion of Frog repeatedly tells him. Katagiri expresses to Simao, “‘Now I feel as if I’ve come a very long way’”(23). Simao’s responds to Katagiri, “‘But really, you’re just at the beginning’”(23). Komura finally realizes that his self-worth does need affirmation after she makes a joke about him having nothing inside him. He comes to this realization after her joke that actually makes him feel emotion, because he now registers that he desires to have internal substance and self-worth. On the contrary, he is just at the beginning of something else because he doesn’t quite know yet how he is going to establish his self-worth and what his new identity will be comprised of however his journey has served as the basis for his reminder. Seeking affirmation, Katagiri says “‘I live a horrible life. All I do is eat, sleep, and shit. I don't know why I'm even living. Why should a person like me have to be the one to save Tokyo?’”(104). Frog then reminds him that he is actually quite special as he says “‘Because, Mr. Katagiri, Tokyo can only be saved by a person like you’”(104). Katagiri confides in Frog expressing his insecurities regarding his purpose in life. This interaction specifically alludes to the importance of maintaining self-worth. Katagiri questions the reason for him to even be living because he feels an absence of worth as a person. Frog then reminds Katagiri of all of his great qualities which reassures himself that he matters even if others don’t ever give him validity. Both characters require outside help in order for them to realize that they can reestablish the self worth that they lost in the thick of their daily lives. They independently follow a routine that is not fulfilling for their