Heightened vs Dulled Perceptions

Last class we briefly mentioned how the fear of imminent death can cause a heightened reality. In A Tale for the Time Being this idea plays a central part to both the characters experiences in the novel as well as the readers experience of the text. The moment Nao mentions that she is going to “drop out of time,” her readers reception of her words changes. Each situation she describes and each feeling she reveals become more emphasized with anticipation of her death (Ozeki 7). The effect of Nao’s imminent death is similar to the effect that we experience when we watch a horror movie. Scary films strategically set up scenes of death by making the audience aware that it is going to happen. The lights usually darken and suspense-building chords start playing to stir up the audience’s negative feelings. Right before the final moments the audience is expected to tense up anticipation and experience an intensified perception of the scene. Often times this intensified perception heightens the viewers senses and provokes them to pay attention to every detail.

Of course, Nao’s diary and A Tale for the Time Being were not intended to be scary texts, but they are still both soaked with the same anxiety that a scary movie is. As the novel unfolds, the reader hones into Nao’s descriptions, emotions, and feelings then subsequently allows their anxiety to amplify their perception of her story. Ruth exhibits this process as she reads and even expresses her anxiety for Nao’s well-being. She says “The girl is suicidal. So is her father. The whole diary is a cry for help. So, yes. Urgency. I’d say that about describes it” (Ozeki 312). As a reader, the criticalness of Nao’s situation intensifies the way she receives the text to the point that her emotions are significantly aroused.

It is worth noting that the readers experience is not just heightened, Noa’s individual experiences are also intensified when she is caught in a critical situation. For instance, when she attacked in the bathroom Nao notices every detail of the situation. She remembers how “the floor smelled of urine and bleach” and how “the tiles were cold on her bare bottom” (276). Every moment that Nao describes seems to be amplified until she goes into a Zazen-like state. When she summons her “supapawa” we see that reality can be dulled just as it can be heightened. Nao recounts that when she did this “the shadows were just mosquitos, buzzing in the distance and bothersome only if you let them be” (Ozeki 277). This moment of a calm, dulled perception is completely different from the intense perception Nao previously gave us, yet it is still the same situation of cruel torture. This complex scene of Nao’s experience reminds us that reality can be both heightened and dulled if we play with our perception of time enough.