Social Norms in Convenience Store Woman

Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata, is a short novel about a store clerk named Keiko Furukura. Keiko is a bit of a strange woman—she struggles to understand social norms and doesn’t understand why people behave the way they do. Because there is no “store manual” to the world, in her life outside the convenience store she is constantly faced with judgment. She is consistently pressured by friends and family to quit and find a husband, as she is well into her thirties and only works part time at a convenience store in Tokyo. Keiko meets an outcasted man, Shiraha, in a similar situation, and she decides to quit and move in with him so that the societal pressure on her eases. She later realizes that she was much happier as a salesclerk and decides to go back to her previous life, despite the objections of those around her.

This book conveys a message about cultural and societal normalities, and how differently people are treated when they don’t follow these norms. Before I started the novel, I had expected this to be a simple story of embracing individualism and nonconformity. However, while I was reading, I was surprised to find myself being represented in both Keiko and the people criticizing her. Like many people, I have felt left out or estranged in the past—like Keiko is. Yet I also found myself uncomfortable by many of the things Keiko would say or do. Sayaka Murata intentionally develops this uneasy tone, which forces the reader to face their own biases. After finishing the book, I feel like I was left more empathetic and more understanding of people like Keiko who may struggle to understand societal norms. The New Yorker describes this book as “A celebration of nonconformity that is both joyous and unsettling,” and I can’t think of a better way to describe the experience of reading the novel.

Every country has “normal” ways of living and societal rules that people are expected to follow. Keiko, who is living in Japan, is pressured by all her friends and family to quit her job and start a family. When she expressed that she had no desire for this, people were shocked and even appalled at this sentiment. She didn’t make this choice as a form of rebellion, she simply had no attraction to men and saw no purpose in having kids. According to “Negotiating What's ‘Natural’: Persistent Domestic Gender Role Inequality in Japan,” by Scott North, the majority of domestic work still falls on women, and it is not as common to see women having lifelong careers compared to men. This cultural norm explains why people in Keiko’s life were putting so much pressure on her to settle down and start a family, despite her lack of interest. Another article, titled “Conformity and Anticonformity in Japan,” by Robert Frager, suggests that Japan is more influenced by social pressures compared to many other countries, and that a large sense of identity is derived from groups. This is why Keiko succumbs to the pressures around her, in order to fit in better with the people around her and put the shaming to rest.

I find the concept of conformity in Japan very interesting, because while people in the United States do conform to a certain extent, I feel there is less expectation compared to Japan. According to the above articles, conformity seems to be integrated into many aspects of the culture—from the treatment of elders, to the boarding of a subway, even the way you express opinions. The U.S. often prioritizes individualism and personal expression over conformity. I wouldn’t say that there is a lack of conformity here, just that it is seen in different ways. There is an unspoken way to act at specific places and times, but it seems to be more relaxed. Gender roles and expectations also seem to take different forms. In Japan, it appears that gender roles are a bit stricter. Women have more domestic expectations, and there are fewer women in lifelong careers. While many people in the U.S. have this view, it is beginning to become more outdated as women take on more influential positions in the workforce.

Admittedly, I have never been to Japan, so I cannot say with certainty the effects of strict conformity and gender expectations. However, I think these concepts were the motivation for Murata to write this novel. There is a clear message in her novel about a potential effect of such strict expectations—otherness. Both Keiko and Shiraha are treated like outliers from their communities due to gender expectations. Convenience Store Woman seems to be an encouragement to resist societal norms if they don’t make you happy. This message and application transcends borders and is also very applicable in the U.S. Many people here are othered and treated differently, due to race, gender, sexual orientation, and a plethora of other factors. While the conformity culture in Japan may lead to the negative treatment of others, there are many issues here that have that very same effect. Learning about different cultures is important because it allows you to notice the similarities and differences in the ways you live. Recognizing these similarities and differences is the first step to appreciating and understanding others.

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