Child Abuse

The novel explores a complete dependence on adults makes children vulnerable to abuse, which can leave long-lasting psychological scars. Natsuki’s mother starts out as verbally abusive toward her. In the first chapter, she criticizes Natsuki to her aunts in a way that makes the aunts uncomfortable When they arrive home and begin to exist before the reader without any prying eyes, Natsuki’s mother’s verbal abuse grows even stronger: "Mom always told me off when she was irritable. She wasn't telling me off for my own good but because she needed a punching bag. By hitting me with her words not her hands, she regained her composure” (46). Natsuki realizes what her mother is doing, but she has no way to fight her or reason with her, and is instead left powerless against the abuse.

The novel goes to great lengths to explore the...