A Rabbit’s Eyes by Kenjiro Haitani, translated by Paul Sminkey

Sometimes it’s hard to see beauty when it’s covered in dirt.

I’ve always had trouble judging something that was orignally written in a different language. Should I attribute the blame for awkward phrases upon the author or the translator? Or for that matter, what about beautiful passages; are they the author or the translator?

A Rabbit’s Eyes apparently rocked Japan when it was originally released in 1974. The novel by Kenjiro Haitani sold millions of copies and opened a debate about the state of education amongst Japanese citizens. In 2005, Vertical released the novel in the States, freshly translated by Paul Sminkey.

It describes the events at Himematsu Elementary, a school located near a garbage disposal plant, which produces a great deal of pollution and is also home to several families who work at the plant. The children of these families attend the elementary school, and because of their dirtiness and their lower-class upbringing, there is a certain amount of discrimination in play at the school, even from the teachers.

The focal character of the story is Ms. Kotani, a relatively new teacher, who has a lot of heart and wants desperately to find a way to teach every kid in her class. Each page brings a new heartbreak or a new smile to your face as Ms. Kotani goes through great pains to provide an education for kids other teachers might have overlooked. I can’t count the number of times that this book made me want to cry, but its depiction of the human struggle and the importance of the educator in a child’s life rings true.

I should mention that A Rabbit’s Eyes is meant to be an all ages book. Much of the writing caters to a reader who may not be familiar with complex phrasing, though it doesn’t shy away from big words. I can’t claim to know whether it is this fact or whether the blame falls on the translators head, but the book certainly contains a number of clichés and awkward turns of phrase. But there’s an important thing to keep in mind.

It doesn’t matter.This book wasn’t meant for the elite, nor was it meant to sit on the bookshelf next to Catcher in the Rye. A Rabbit’s Eyes is a call to arms for a nation that had become goals oriented in its approach to education. It’s interesting that our view of the Japanese educational system is so different from the picture painted by this novel. Kenjiro Haitani, the author of the novel, was apparently himself a teacher for years before the release of the novel, and formed a nursery school some time after. This personal insight into the nature of the system is very valuable.

I found the novel to be very moving and engaging, and despite any awkwardness in dialogue and language, I would highly recommend it to just about anyone. Unfortunately it looks like the book may be going out of print, so until Vertical issues a second print, track down whatever copies you can, because it’s worth a read, and I promise whenever you’re finished you’ll think of a dozen people who should borrow it from you.



My favorite part: Chapters 11 through 15 deal with the student Minako. I’m pretty sure every single page within this section had something on it that made me want to cry, but in a good way. Certainly the most memorable part of the novel.