Happiness works here as a norm and the idea circulates that happiness is in reproducing the blood-related family, seen through the death of the transgender mother, and in the ambiguous relationship between Mikage and Yuichi. However, I will challenge this optimistic reading of a new family portrait, and argue that this novel reinforces the idea of heterosexism. Previous critics argue that the novel radically portrays new forms of family through the queer mother figure, as well as by exploring a family connection not through blood relations, but from eating food together as Chizuko Ueno called it in Midnight Call, 'shokuen-kazoku'.

The protagonist Mikage's pursuit of happiness always already lies in how she can be proximate to the idea of kinship, and this demonstrates the limitation of this novel to imagine woman's happiness outside of bloodlines. Looking at Kitchen in the social discourse of the 80s, I will discuss the contradictory connections between a women's workforce and domesticity in relation to their happiness. This paper explores and questions the pedagogy of 'happiness' in women's everyday life in Banana Yoshimoto's debut novel Kitchen (1987), in the context of neoliberalism. Looking at the social discourse of the 80s, I will discuss the contradictory connections between women's workforce and domesticity in relation to their happiness. This paper explores the pedagogy of 'happiness' in women's everyday life in Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen, in the context of neoliberalism.

Mikage kitchen