Erasing Regrets with "Orange"

Courtesy of image: Google

Orange is a short manga created by Takano Ichigo published in 2012. The story revolves around a group of friends who received a letter from their future selves, telling them to erase the regrets related with the death of their friend in common. Bittersweet; both the plot and the tone of the drawings used by the mangaka contributed to the beauty of the story.

My friend introduced me to Orange. She said that it was cool and all, and it was short, so it wouldn't take much of my time to finish it. It was indeed short, consisting of only 22 chapters (compare it with Naruto--about 700 chapters!), and indeed, it didn't take me more than half a day to devour it. What she didn't tell me was how sad this would be and how it would affect me in ways I had not expected.

Because the main characters were high school students, and the story started with this main female character who received letter from her future self--for God's sake--I thought, "Ah, this would be another typical shoujo manga." It would be sweet, and it would be full of love, vigorous. Very much like Proposal Daisakusen (dorama, 2007). However, soon it was proven otherwise, as the story took a rather dark twist with suicidal potential.

Well, I won't spoil the story. You really should read it for yourselves if you're a fellow masochistic, who likes to abuse your own feelings, because this book will bring you to tears. My friend actually has a great advice to read this: grab your blanket, cover yourself, and read it alone. Of course, do not read it at the office. Seriously, who is stupid enough to read a melancholic story at the office??? Where people could see them cry??? I was dumb.

Anyway, because it's me, what I want to share is the message I thought this manga tried to convey. After reading it, it occurred to me that probably this was about how to be more sensitive to people with depression. Those main characters were high school students; for sure their main concern was themselves. They were living the time of their life. Unfortunately, the fleeting happiness of high school turned into regrets for them in the future. They tried to erase those regrets, to save their friend, from the inevitable death. Hence, the letters.

The way they treat this certain friend changed after receiving the letters. They became more sensitive to his feelings, his action, his choices. . .and they became wary with how they behave around him because it could affect him ever so slightly. They encouraged and supported him. I believe this is important.

As a loud and straightforward person, I realized I may have overlooked someone's voice. I was not sure of what had happened to me, but somehow I turn out to be a person who expects other people to be as 'loud' as me; to be as straightforward and honest with their wants and needs. I don't think being myself is wrong, but I do believe I have to listen more. There's more than meets the eyes.

After all, even if you don't save someone from depression, at the very least you can make the day a happy day for people. You don't want to regret it sometimes in the future.

5/5 for Takano Ichigo for turning a 22 chapters ride into a simultaneously beautiful and meaningful reading!

Review: "Reluctant Fundamentalist" by Mohsin Hamid

 

Last year, I have written an amateurish review of the Reluctant Fundamentalist movie. It mesmerized me so much that I had wanted to read the book that inspired it until recently, I was able to get my hands on the book. 

As mesmerizing as the movie, the book was a strong voice of someone almost directly damaged by the 9/11 tragedy - that is, Changez's voice. The narration was so sophisticated - that of a well-educated man with high culture - and it made me rethink my first impression of the movie. For a moment, I almost thought the movie was a vulgar interpretation of the book. What I meant by vulgar was that the movie has failed to bring the rich and sophisticated voice Changez had. It turned him into another immigrant pursuing his American dream. The very culture Changez brought with him wasn't felt. But that's the thing with interpretation; it depends on each person. I just happen to have different interpretation with the director of the movie.

By mentioning that, I have shown you how I feel toward the book. It awed me. But then again, I'm a book-person, so you can tell I'm a bit biased (for someone who discussed adaptation theory in her thesis, I have to admit the sin of comparing the book and the movie to find the better one is unforgivable - but please do! This is, after all, my preference. I will not do such thing were I to compare them in analytical term).

On the other hand, I realized many interesting things in the book, such as the possibility that Erica was the symbol of America, and so Changez's relationship with Erica symbolized his relationship with America. When I watched the movie, I was quite confused to relate the two relationships. The book gave better illustrations. The simultaneous recollections of the relationship with Erica and America was clear when it was shown that Erica suffered from severe nostalgia regarding her relationship with Chris. What followed was an explanation of how America seemed to have gone back to its postwar condition with the patriotism and devotion after the 9/11. (Considering this, the way Erica used Changez as her model/art object in the movie might meant that that was how America treated the Pakistanis after the tragedy: as something distant, something observable, displayed in the name of preservation. Erica in the movie, after all, seemed to have wanted to preserve her relationship with Changez.)

Another thing I realized is the significance of beard (outer appearance) of a certain race. I have read an analysis on Reluctant Fundamentalist about how beard has something to do with forming your identity, not just a facial accessory. It's a blessing that the world today seemed to not consider outer appearance as a matter so huge. . . since things like prejudice and stereotyping are now our concern (or could it be that I'm naive? After all, I don't live in America.)

I will not go deeper into this; I'm sure someone has analyze it somewhere (or if no one has, I would explain it properly in my analysis later). All in all, the book is great and it affects me so much, both in the content and the writing style. As a person whose dream is to be a writer, Mohsin Hamid's writing style is one of those I wish to be able to use (another one is Hamka's). Who knows I might write a novel about Indonesia in such a sophisticated and rich tone?