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Kikuko is the narrator’s bubbly and energetic younger sister, who returns to her childhood home from university in Osaka for the family supper. Though she is obedient to her father, her behavior at the house demonstrates that she has an inclination toward independence and is beginning to shake off the traditional gender role that her father wants her to fulfill. In her first private conversation with her brother, she smokes and hides her cigarette, and reveals that she is interested in hitchhiking in America with her boyfriend Suichi. She also tells her brother that their father did not tell him the complete story about Watanabe’s suicide, explaining that Watanabe not only killed himself, but also violently murdered his wife and two children. In this way, Kikuko serves as a contrast to the narrator’s neutrality when it comes to confronting the tragedy of recent events. Without her intervention, the narrator might not have initiated the vulnerable conversation about life, death, and work with his father that occurs toward the end of the story. The siblings’ father says that he would like Kikuko to move home, but she does not seem to intend to do so.
Kikuko Quotes in A Family Supper
The A Family Supper quotes below are all either spoken by Kikuko or refer to Kikuko. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
A Family Supper
Quotes
Despite our difference in years, my sister and I had always been close. Seeing me again seemed to make her excessively excited and for a while she did nothing but giggle nervously. But she calmed down somewhat when my father started to question her about Osaka and her university. She answered him with short formal replies. She in turn asked me a few questions, but she seemed inhibited by the fear that her questions might lead to awkward topics. After a while, the conversation had become even sparser than prior to Kikuko’s arrival.
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“Those two beautiful little girls. He turned on the gas while they were all asleep. Then he cut his stomach with a meat knife.”
“Yes, Father was just telling me how Watanabe was a man of principle.”
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“Father’s become quite a chef since he’s had to manage on his own,” Kikuko said with a laugh. He turned and looked at my sister coldly.
“Hardly a skill I’m proud of,” he said. “Kikuko, come here and help.” For some moments my sister did not move. Then she stepped forward and took an apron hanging from a drawer.
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The three of us ate on in silence. Several minutes went by.
“Some more?”
“Is there enough?”
“There’s plenty for all of us.” My father lifted the lid and once more steam rose up. We all reached forward and helped ourselves.
“Here,” I said to my father, “you have this last piece.”
“Thank you.”
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“Kikuko is due to complete her studies next spring,” he said.
“Perhaps she will want to come home then. She’s a good girl.”
“Perhaps she will.”
“Things will improve then.”
“Yes, I’m sure they will.”
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Kikuko Quotes in A Family Supper
The A Family Supper quotes below are all either spoken by Kikuko or refer to Kikuko. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
A Family Supper
Quotes
Despite our difference in years, my sister and I had always been close. Seeing me again seemed to make her excessively excited and for a while she did nothing but giggle nervously. But she calmed down somewhat when my father started to question her about Osaka and her university. She answered him with short formal replies. She in turn asked me a few questions, but she seemed inhibited by the fear that her questions might lead to awkward topics. After a while, the conversation had become even sparser than prior to Kikuko’s arrival.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Those two beautiful little girls. He turned on the gas while they were all asleep. Then he cut his stomach with a meat knife.”
“Yes, Father was just telling me how Watanabe was a man of principle.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Father’s become quite a chef since he’s had to manage on his own,” Kikuko said with a laugh. He turned and looked at my sister coldly.
“Hardly a skill I’m proud of,” he said. “Kikuko, come here and help.” For some moments my sister did not move. Then she stepped forward and took an apron hanging from a drawer.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The three of us ate on in silence. Several minutes went by.
“Some more?”
“Is there enough?”
“There’s plenty for all of us.” My father lifted the lid and once more steam rose up. We all reached forward and helped ourselves.
“Here,” I said to my father, “you have this last piece.”
“Thank you.”
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Kikuko is due to complete her studies next spring,” he said.
“Perhaps she will want to come home then. She’s a good girl.”
“Perhaps she will.”
“Things will improve then.”
“Yes, I’m sure they will.”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
