J's Musings

      Character Reflection

                                By Janhavi B.

Kazu Tokita is a character from one of my favourite books (before the coffee gets cold), who I easily resonate with. Her ways, looks and struggles all go deep down to the core.

She hails from Tokyo, Japan, and works as a waitress at her cousin brother’s café there. Her other job at the café is to serve the special coffee to the café ghost and to those who wish to go back in time. A woman written by a man has never been more realistic than her, Kawaguchi (the author) has done a formidable job in describing a modern-day woman with a lot of detail.

With her pale complexion, almond eyes and deadpan expression, Kazu is a girl next door with little to set her apart, unless you really try to get to know her. Luckily for me, I tried and have found many little things about her behavior rather formidable.

She is a very quiet and straightforward person, with little time for anything that does no good to her or bores her to death. A tight-lipped personality with cold eyes and a kind heart is rarely appreciated, but when you yourself are one it feels hard not to like others of your kind. Despite her cold personality, she has a rather sweet way with the people who visit her in the café, in a very subtle manner. Be it her relation with her brother or her sister in law, or the café regulars, she is very pleasant in her own quite way.

Kazu also has this undeniable sense of responsibility and calmness which is enough to drive anyone mad, unless they understand how important it is for her to be so with responsibilities like hers at hand.

If we are to mention how much I find her relatable, I may say that she is a more mature version of me, or the person I aim to develop into. I may say that, like her, I have a calm and quiet personality, who opens up in front of very limited people and that I prefer to keep things and emotions to myself. Things being, thoughts and opinions, that is unless they are asked for, then I do not hesitate in speaking my mind, I am not as straightforward as I would like to be, but I am working on it. Lastly, one very important thing is, like all the girls of the 21^st century, Kazu has a free spirit and does not hesitate to give people a piece of her mind.

On a closing note, I would suggest you read the book and look at all the characters, for all of them have something or the other to teach us as we proceed on our journey as a part of society and the world.

Love,

Janhavi B.