Ms Ice Sandwich: A Quixotic and Funny Tale About First Love
If you are looking for a short, sweet, and quirky novella that will make you laugh, cry, and think, you might want to check out Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami. This is a story about a young boy's innocent crush on a sandwich vendor who has an unusual appearance and a mysterious aura. It is also a story about family, friendship, grief, and growing up. In this article, we will give you a brief introduction to the novella, a summary of its plot, an analysis of its themes and style, and some information on where to find it in PDF format for free download.
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Introduction
What is Ms Ice Sandwich about?
Ms Ice Sandwich is a novella by Mieko Kawakami, a Japanese singer and writer who won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 2007 for her novel Breasts and Eggs. Ms Ice Sandwich was first published in Japan in 2013, and was translated into English by Louise Heal Kawai in 2017. It is part of the Japanese Novellas series by Pushkin Press, which showcases contemporary Japanese literature in short form.
The novella follows an unnamed narrator, a fourth-grade boy who lives with his mother and his dying grandmother. He is fascinated by a woman who works in the sandwich concession of his local supermarket. He calls her Ms Ice Sandwich because of her ice-blue eyelids, which he thinks are the result of cosmetic surgery. He goes to the supermarket almost every day just to see her face and buy an egg sandwich from her. He also draws pictures of her in his notebook and imagines talking to her. However, he never dares to speak to her or learn anything about her.
Meanwhile, his life is changing in various ways. His mother is always busy with her phone and her fortune-telling business. His grandmother is slowly fading away in her bed. His classmates are teasing him for being weird and different. And he meets a new friend, Tutti, a girl who has a scar on her face and a passion for dancing. Through these experiences, he learns about love, loss, and moving on.
Who is the author of Ms Ice Sandwich?
Mieko Kawakami was born in Osaka in 1976. She started her career as a singer-songwriter before turning to literature in 2006. She has written novels, short stories, essays, poems, and children's books. She is known for her distinctive voice, her exploration of female identity and sexuality, and her critique of social norms and expectations. She has won several awards for her writing, including the Akutagawa Prize, the Murasaki Shikibu Prize, the Tanizaki Prize, and the Women's Prize for Fiction (longlisted). Some of her works that have been translated into English are Breasts and Eggs, Heaven, The Cat in the Coffin, Dreams of Love, Etcetera, and Ms Ice Sandwich.
Why should you read Ms Ice Sandwich?
Ms Ice Sandwich is a p>Ms Ice Sandwich is a charming and touching novella that will appeal to anyone who has ever felt the pangs of first love, the sadness of losing someone, or the joy of finding a true friend. It is also a witty and humorous novella that will make you smile at the narrator's quirky observations, his vivid imagination, and his innocent curiosity. It is a novella that celebrates the beauty and diversity of human beings, regardless of their appearance, background, or personality. It is a novella that reminds us of the importance of being ourselves, expressing our feelings, and embracing change.
Summary of Ms Ice Sandwich
The narrator's obsession with Ms Ice Sandwich
The novella begins with the narrator describing his fascination with Ms Ice Sandwich, the woman who sells sandwiches at the supermarket. He thinks she is the most beautiful person in the world, even though she has strange ice-blue eyelids that make her look like an alien. He loves to watch her move, talk, and smile. He also loves to eat her egg sandwiches, which he thinks are the best in the world. He spends his allowance on buying sandwiches from her and saving the wrappers in his drawer. He also draws pictures of her in his notebook and dreams of talking to her.
However, he never actually speaks to her or learns anything about her. He is too shy and nervous to approach her or ask her questions. He also fears that she might reject him or laugh at him. He only observes her from a distance and listens to her voice. He also tries to avoid eye contact with her, because he thinks her eyes are too powerful and scary. He wonders what she thinks of him, if she notices him at all, or if she has a boyfriend or a husband.
The narrator's relationship with his mother and grandmother
The narrator lives with his mother and his grandmother in a small apartment. His father is not mentioned in the story, and it is implied that he is either dead or absent. His mother is a busy and distracted woman who runs a fortune-telling business on her phone. She often ignores or scolds her son for being weird or annoying. She also does not care much about her mother, who is bedridden and dying. She only visits her occasionally to feed her or change her diapers.
The narrator's grandmother is a silent and frail woman who lies in her bed all day. She used to be a lively and cheerful person who loved to tell stories and play games with her grandson. She also used to make delicious food for him and teach him how to cook. However, after suffering a stroke, she lost her ability to speak and move. She can only communicate with her eyes and her breathing. The narrator still loves her and visits her every day after school. He talks to her, reads to her, and holds her hand. He hopes that she can hear him and understand him.
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The narrator's friendship with Tutti
One day, the narrator meets a new girl in his class named Tutti. She has a scar on her face from a dog bite, which makes her stand out from the other kids. She is also very outspoken and confident, unlike the narrator who is shy and quiet. She immediately takes an interest in him and invites him to hang out with her after school. She also asks him about his notebook and his drawings of Ms Ice Sandwich.
The narrator is surprised and embarrassed by Tutti's curiosity and friendliness. He does not know how to react to her or what to say to her. He also does not want to share his secret crush on Ms Ice Sandwich with anyone. However, he gradually warms up to Tutti and enjoys spending time with her. He finds out that she loves dancing and wants to be a dancer when she grows up. She also teaches him how to dance and encourages him to be more expressive and confident.
The narrator's farewell to Ms Ice Sandwich
One day, the narrator goes to the supermarket as usual to see Ms Ice Sandwich. However, he is shocked and devastated to find out that she is no longer working there. Instead, there is a new woman who sells sandwiches at the concession. The narrator asks her what happened to Ms Ice Sandwich, but she does not know anything about her or where she went.
The narrator feels like he has lost his reason for living. He does not know what to do with himself or how to cope with his grief. He stops going to school and stays in his room all day. He does not eat or sleep or talk to anyone. He only looks at his drawings of Ms Ice Sandwich and cries.
Meanwhile, his grandmother's condition worsens and she dies in her sleep. His mother informs him of the news and tells him to get ready for the funeral. The narrator does not seem p>The narrator does not seem to care or feel anything about his grandmother's death. He is too numb and depressed to attend the funeral or say goodbye to her. He only thinks about Ms Ice Sandwich and how he will never see her again.
However, Tutti comes to his rescue and tries to cheer him up. She visits him at his apartment and brings him food and flowers. She also shows him a video of her dancing performance, which she dedicated to him and Ms Ice Sandwich. She tells him that she understands his pain and that she is sorry for his loss. She also tells him that he should not give up on life or love, and that he should try to find Ms Ice Sandwich and tell her how he feels.
The narrator is touched and grateful for Tutti's kindness and support. He realizes that she is a true friend who cares about him and wants him to be happy. He also realizes that he has feelings for her, more than friendship. He decides to follow her advice and look for Ms Ice Sandwich. He also decides to go back to school and resume his normal life.
He goes to the supermarket again and asks around for Ms Ice Sandwich. He finally learns that she has moved to another city to work at a different store. He gets her address and phone number from one of her former coworkers. He then takes a train to the city where she lives and calls her from a payphone. He tells her who he is and how much he likes her. He asks her if he can see her and talk to her.
Ms Ice Sandwich is surprised and amused by the narrator's call. She remembers him as the boy who always bought egg sandwiches from her and never said a word. She agrees to meet him at a nearby park. She tells him that she is happy that he likes her, but that she does not feel the same way about him. She explains that she is not interested in romance or relationships, and that she only likes to work and make sandwiches. She also reveals that her ice-blue eyelids are not the result of surgery, but of a rare genetic condition that affects her vision.
The narrator is disappointed but not angry or hurt by Ms Ice Sandwich's rejection. He respects her choice and wishes her well. He thanks her for making him happy with her sandwiches and her smile. He also gives her his notebook with his drawings of her, as a gift and a souvenir. He then says goodbye to her and leaves.
Analysis of Ms Ice Sandwich
The themes of first love, loss, and moving on
One of the main themes of Ms Ice Sandwich is first love, or more precisely, first crush. The novella portrays the narrator's infatuation with Ms Ice Sandwich as a pure, innocent, and intense emotion that fills his life with joy and excitement. It also shows how his crush helps him cope with his loneliness, his family problems, and his social isolation. However, the novella also depicts the limitations and challenges of first love, such as the lack of communication, the unrealistic expectations, and the inevitable disappointment.
Another theme of the novella is loss, or more specifically, death. The novella depicts the narrator's grandmother's death as a sad, inevitable, and natural event that affects him deeply. It also shows how his mother's death affects him indirectly, by making him feel neglected and abandoned. However, the novella also depicts the coping mechanisms and support systems that help him deal with his grief, such as his friendship with Tutti, his memories of his grandmother, and his acceptance of reality.
A third theme of the novella is moving on, or more precisely, growth. The novella depicts the narrator's journey from being a passive, shy, and naive boy to being an active, confident, and mature young man. It also shows how he learns from his experiences, both positive and negative, and how he changes his attitude, behavior, and perspective. However, the novella also depicts the difficulties and uncertainties that come with moving on, such as the fear of change, the regret of leaving behind, and the hope of finding new happiness.
The style and tone of the novella
The style of Ms Ice Sandwich is simple, direct, and conversational. The novella is written in first-person point of view from the narrator's perspective. The language is informal, colloquial, and sometimes childish. The sentences are short, clear, and straightforward. The paragraphs are brief p>The paragraphs are brief and focused, without unnecessary details or digressions. The novella uses a lot of dialogue, both real and imagined, to convey the characters' personalities, emotions, and interactions. The novella also uses some illustrations, drawn by the narrator, to complement the text and show his artistic talent.
The tone of Ms Ice Sandwich is humorous, whimsical, and poignant. The novella uses a lot of irony, sarcasm, and exaggeration to create a comic effect and to contrast the narrator's fantasy and reality. The novella also uses a lot of metaphors, similes, and imagery to create a vivid and colorful impression of the characters and the settings. The novella also uses a lot of emotion, sentimentality, and nostalgia to create a touching and moving effect and to express the narrator's feelings and thoughts.
The symbolism and imagery of the novella
The novella uses some symbols and images to convey deeper meanings and messages. For example, Ms Ice Sandwich's ice-blue eyelids symbolize her uniqueness, her mystery, and her coldness. They also symbolize the narrator's attraction, his curiosity, and his fear. Another example is Tutti's scar on her face, which symbolizes her trauma, her courage, and her confidence. It also symbolizes the narrator's empathy, his admiration, and his affection.
Another example is the egg sandwich that the narrator buys from Ms Ice Sandwich every day. It symbolizes his love, his obsession, and his loyalty. It also symbolizes his comfort, his satisfaction, and his happiness. Another example is the notebook that the narrator draws in and gives to Ms Ice Sandwich at the end. It symbolizes his creativity, his expression, and his gift. It also symbolizes his memory, his farewell, and his growth.
Conclusion
What are the main takeaways from Ms Ice Sandwich?
The main takeaways from Ms Ice Sandwich are that first love is a beautiful and powerful experience that can change one's life in many ways; that loss is a painful and inevitable part of life that one has to face and overcome; that moving on is a difficult but necessary process that involves accepting reality and finding new happiness; and that friendship is a precious and supportive bond that can help one through hard times.
How does Ms Ice Sandwich compare to other works by Mieko Kawakami?
Ms Ice Sandwich is similar to other works by Mieko Kawakami in terms of its style, tone, and themes. It is written in a simple, direct, and conversational style that reflects the narrator's voice and perspective. It has a humorous, whimsical, and poignant tone that balances comedy and tragedy. It explores themes such as female identity and sexuality, social norms and expectations, family relationships, grief and coping, love and friendship.
However, Ms Ice Sandwich is different from other works by Mieko Kawakami in terms of its genre, length, and focus. It is a novella rather than a novel or a short story collection. It is shorter than most of her other works (only 96 pages). It focuses on a male protagonist rather than a female protagonist.
Where can you find Ms Ice Sandwich in PDF format for free download?
If you want to read Ms Ice Sandwich in PDF format for free download, p>If you want to read Ms Ice Sandwich in PDF format for free download, you can try some of the following websites that offer the book in digital form. However, please note that these websites may not be legal or authorized, and that you may be violating the author's or the publisher's rights by downloading the book without paying for it. Therefore, we recommend that you buy the book from a legitimate source, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local bookstore, to support the author and the publisher.
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FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Ms Ice Sandwich:
What is the genre of Ms Ice Sandwich?
Ms Ice Sandwich is a novella that belongs to the genre of contemporary fiction. It is also a coming-of-age story that deals with themes such as first love, loss, and moving on.
Who is Ms Ice Sandwich?
Ms Ice Sandwich is a woman who works in the sandwich concession of a supermarket. She has ice-blue eyelids that make her look like an alien. She is the object of the narrator's crush and obsession.
Who is Tutti?
Tutti is a girl who becomes friends with the narrator. She has a scar on her face from a dog bite. She loves dancing and wants to be a dancer when she grows up.
What is the narrator's name?
The narrator's name is never revealed in the novella. He is only referred to as "I" or "the boy". He is a fourth-grade student who lives with his mother and his grandmother.
How does the novella end?
The novella ends with the narrator saying goodbye to Ms Ice Sandwich after finding her in another city and confessing his feelings to her. He then returns to his normal life and resumes his friendship with Tutti.
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