Use Of Plants In Kitchen By Yoshimoto's 'Kitchen'

Yoshimoto uses plants in Kitchen to symbolise growth, which is primarily demonstrated through the character Mikage. Plants are used to present the idea that inner growth is an ongoing process, requiring consistent attention. Yoshimoto highlights the difficulties in achieving inner growth and presents it as a challenging process. Throughout, it is made explicitly clear that one is unable to develop without the assistance of others.

After the death of her Grandmother, Mikage is exposed to a new way of life when introduced to the unconventional Tanabe family. Yoshimoto uses plants to highlight how despite one’s surroundings, it's possible to emerge beyond the boundaries, allowing further growth. This possesses an underlying link to how without
Prior to this, Mikage lacked these essential platforms when Yoshimoto describes how, before the Tabanbes, she was very regimented by spending ‘every night in a kitchen’. The determiner ‘every’ reflects the former repetition in her life and the lack of experimentation, which is vital in evolving as a person. However, once submerged into the enriching environment of the Tanabe apartment for the first time, Mikage is amazed at the ‘jungle of plants growing in bowls, planters, and all kinds of pots’. Yoshimoto’s use of three emphasises the various places a plant can live, symbolising the diverse ways we can live our lives. There is contrast between the confinement within the pots, and the jungle which is free. The metaphor of a ‘jungle’ presents Mikage’s growth in a positive light due to vibrant and hopeful connotations, showing the possibility of pushing the boundaries, and growing beyond what was originally thought possible. This metaphor also connotes a dense cluster of trees, foreshadowing Mikage and Yuichi’s relationship which is
The verb ‘tangled’ suggests something which is closely intertwined and difficult to break free from, which links to how roots, once broken, leave the plant in a state where no additional growth can occur. This relates to how despite Mikage’s attempts to move forward independently, she is still very closely linked to Yuichi, suggesting that without him, Mikage would struggle to grow. This shows how humans are similar to plants in that we require love and care in order to survive - another basal requirement for growth. Mikage notes the vases ‘full of spring blooms everywhere’; Yoshimoto uses the plants to mirror Mikage’s blooming. She is exposed to a different way of living which contrasts her previous feelings of isolation and loneliness. Connotations behind ‘spring’ are optimistic, which is supported by the idea that like during spring where vegetation starts to appear, opportunities for