Characters
The main characters of the short story “A Family Supper” by Kazuo Ishiguro are the narrator, the narrator’s father, and the narrator’s sister, Kikuko. In the short story, several other characters who are mentioned are the narrator’s mother, Kikuko’s boyfriend, and Watanabe’s family.
The narrator
The narrator is also the protagonist of the short story. He is not depicted regarding outer characterisation; the only thing that we know about him is that he has been living in California for several years and that he has lost connection with his family during that time:
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Inner characterisation
When it comes to the narrator’s inner characterisation, everything we find out about him comes either from his dialogue with his father or sister or from the way he depicts them. For instance, we find out that he used to fear to upset his father when he was little:
“In fact, as I sat opposite him that afternoon, a boyhood memory came back to me of the time he had struck me several times around the head for 'chattering like an old woman'. Inevitably, our conversation since my arrival at the airport has been punctuated by long pauses.” (p. 198, ll. 30-33)
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The narrator’s father
The narrator’s father represents a symbol of Japanese culture and tradition, the main reason why he has a conflict of mentalities with his son.
Outer characterisation
Regarding outer characterisation, the father is described directly by the son:
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Inner characterisation
Regarding inner characterisation, much of the father is revealed through his dialogue with his son. First, the man reveals that he cherishes people “of principle and honour” (p. 198, l. 39), just like his former partner Watanabe. He is also a man who values tradition, this being revealed when he describes the way in which businesses have changed nowadays:
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Kikuko
Kikuko is the narrator’s sister. Her outer characterisation is very brief, and we know nothing else except that she is a student at a university in Osaka (p. 199, l. 21).
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Inner characterisation
Her inner characterisation is revealed when she talks with her brother in the veranda and the garden.
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The mother
Although she is an absent character, as she has died two years due to fish poisoning, the mother is very important because she symbolises the traditional world from which the two siblings tried to separate themselves.
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