By Sara Stokoe

Miri Yu, one on the darkest writers to break into the literary scene in years, has quickly become the center of an American controversy. In September of 2002, the Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling on freedom of expression, declared that Yu’s first work, “Ishi ni Oyogu Sakana” (Fish Swimming in Rock), would be banned from publishing in book form in the U.S..

An article on http://www.asahi.com, quoted Yu as stating that “Fish Swimming in Rock” is the story of “how to live difficult lives.” The fictional story includes a protagonist, who is modeled after Yu herself, and a character that is modeled after her now former friend, who bears the burden of a facial disfigurement.

This suddenly controversial work was originally published without any difficulties in the literary magazine Shinko, but when Yu attempted to publish in book form in the States, her friend sued, claiming that Yu’s characterization of her was without permission, thus bringing her extreme humiliation.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court has historically taken a strong position in favor of protecting freedom of speech, even in cases of alleged threats to national security such as Watergate, it was quite surprising to learn that the Court here agreed with the plaintiff. They justified their decision on the grounds that the fictional piece, which includes multiple passages describing the disfigurement, violates the privacy of the unknown woman.

This marks the first time in the history of the U.S. that the Supreme Court has banned a publication solely for the purpose of personal dignity. The judges agreed that the potential damage caused by publication would outweigh the loss to the author of banning the book.

Although the court concluded that fundamental guarantees to freedom of speech would not be impinged by this ruling, Yu has adamantly disagreed. The same article from http://www.asahi.com quotes Yu as stating that the decision would “sharply curtail freedom of expression.”

Despite this controversial ban, and Yu’s dark and twisted style, she is achieving great success! In Japan, the light style of fiction is much more popular because it offers the reader an escape from the harsh realities of the world. But Yu’s works are just the opposite, depicting violence, societal decay, and vast depths of despair. Yet her unorthodox style has led her to critical acclaim. In fact, her famous novel “Family Cinema” not only was made into a film, but it also won her the Akutagawa Prize, which is Japan’s most prestigious award for literature in 1997.

In 2002, Yu introduced her first maniacally dark work in English with a novel entitled “Gold Rush,” which was translated by Stephen Snyder. This was a monumental achievement, not only for Yu, but for Koreans in general, as this is the first novel by a now resident Korean writer to ever appear in English. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a trend in which we will see more Asian literary works available in English. (Yu is an ethnic Korean, but was born and raised in Japan.)

“Gold Rush,” which was inspired by the atrocious 1997 murder of an innocent Japanese schoolboy, whose bloody severed head was displayed in the front of a local junior high, is about a fourteen year old boy named Kazuki Yuminaga, son of a pachinko boss, who snorts cocaine, ditches school to wander the streets, and engages in violent sex crimes against young women. Finally, in a desperate, greed filled attempt to take over his father’s business, Kazuki cold-bloodedly murders his father, and hides the body in the basement of their home.

Kazuki soon realizes however that he is not the business-man his father was, and immediately several major deals fail. When Kazuki’s new pseudo-father, a ruthless gangster by the name of Kanamoto, and his lover, the housekeeper, learn of his horrific secret through his own guilt ridden confession, they urge him to turn himself in.

Kazuki attempts to establish a defacto family for himself, comprised of his brother, himself, and a childhood friend, but nothing can erase the gruesome crime he has committed from his consciousness, and guilt and rage overwhelm his soul.

The story comes to a close with the three “family” members posed for a photo in front of a cage at the zoo, after he has decided to turn himself in, which will release him from the symbolic cage of guilt and inner torment that has kept him a prisoner within himself for so long.

Robert J. Fouser of http://www.persimmon-mag.com stated in a review online that “Miri Yu has succeeded in revealing the intensity of desire and pain in a superficially placid Japan in a richly authentic voice…” Conversely, the publisher the novel stated that it “is a graphic, violent, controversial novel of the corruption of modern Japan and its youth.”

Links:
Miri Lu Biography