What it means to be “Normal” in society.

Alana Santiago 

Convenience Store Woman by Sakaya Murata touches on topics such as autism, conformity, role of women, and fulfilment. Conformity is the theme I’d like to focus on owing to the fact that it is a common theme amongst the characters of Convenience Store Woman. The novel portrays the pressure to conform with social expectations, particularly within a Japanese culture. 

The main character of the novel and our protagonist, Keiko faces pressure from family and friends to lead a “normal” life. A normal life for her kin entails marriage, having children, and pursuing a traditional career. Keiko’s failure to conform to these expectations leads her to feeling like an outcast. 

 Keiko strives to adhere to the established routines and expectations of her job, using it as a means to fit in and meet societal norms. Her dedication to her work and her role within the store is her way of conforming.

Keiko works at the convenience store as a way to mimic what she perceives as a normal life. For 18 years, she has spent her days neatly stocking the product on the shelves, listening to the foot traffic of the store during the lunch rush and hearing the echo of the bell atop the door. She uses the stores’ rigid structure to set her own behavior.

 Keiko’s surroundings have an effect on her disposition as new colleagues and managers come in and out through the years. She imitates her colleagues’ speech patterns, tweaking her voice ever so slightly; she finds it easier to fit in this way, but when she meets up with old friends, former store workers, they mention that she’s changed, new and different. 

As Keiko’s non-conformity becomes increasingly evident, it creates tension with those around her who expect her to conform to traditional roles. This conflict is essential to the novel, highlighting the struggle to balance personal identity and societal expectations. The issue of conforming isn’t new to Keiko, even as a young child she learned how to blend in with her peers.

The novel Convenience Store Woman ultimately questions the price of conformity and sacrifices one might make to fit into society’s predefined roles. It challenges the notion that there is only one “right” way to live and raises important questions about individuality and authenticity in a world that values conventionality and conformity.