Scattered All Over The Earth by Yoko Tawada
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Scattered All Over The Earth is one of the coolest books I’ve read in a while. It’s unique and strange and full of deep reflections on language, community, and communication.
The novel follows Hiruko, whose home country of Japan has been lost to climate change. She has created her own language to communicate in the meantime, but is in search of someone from her home with whom she can communicate in her 'native' language. I say native in quotations here as the idea of native languages is torn apart in this novel.
It also follows Knut, a linguist with an overbearing mother and a need for adventure, who forms an instant connection to Hiruko and her quest. The two of them gather other international friends along the way and the novel dives into an exploration of what it means to speak, to connect, and to find home.
As a language teacher I was especially drawn in to the language element as the novel asks some big questions about the use of language, the need for language, and the connections that form between people and our words.
Tawada’s writing is gorgeous as she weaves multi-layered connections throughout her novel. As you read, it’s impossible not to feel constantly torn apart and put back together in new ways. It challenges your ideas of home, of communication, and relationships.
It's an incredible read with a unique story, well-developed characters and an overall eco-futuristic theme that leaves you wanting more.
Reading Journal Questions
Why do you think Tawada chose the word 'Earth' for the title, and not 'World.'? What does that imply? How does that tie us to the land?
How does language serve you in your own life?
How does the concept of an entire country disappearing make you feel?
How does the reversal of common stereotypes (of Asia and America for example, where America is full of sweatshops or the place where all 'non-desirable' immigrants get sent away) force you to reflect on the Earth as a whole?
