The Japanese Lover

Irina quickly becomes a favorite among the residents at Lark House. What about her makes her popular, and what does she use to explain her success in her role? Why is Irina a perfect character to become Alma’s assistant and friend, and how does Irina’s past influence her relationship with Alma?

Alma’s history involves narrowly escaping the Nazi invasion of Poland, while Ichimei’s involves being in a concentration camp in America. How do these events compare? How does Ichimei’s experience contrast with Alma’s, and how do their shared conflicts with racial and ethnic discrimination shape their relationship?

Early in the novel, Allende reveals that Nathaniel is both Alma’s cousin and her husband. Knowing this before hearing about Ichimei and Alma’s relationship, how does Alma’s semi-incestuous marriage set up different ideas of love and friendship? What evidence in the text can support the idea that one person might have many loves?

Both Ichimei and Nathaniel are targeted by bullies at their respective schools. How are their experiences different? How does Alma’s encounter with antisemitism compare to Nathaniel’s struggle with his sexual identity, and how do the experiences of Alma and Nathaniel, both of whom are wealthy and white, compare with those of Ichimei’s childhood? What are the intersections of these three characters’ experiences, and what do they tell the reader about the intersections of discrimination and privilege?

How does Irina’s childhood trauma shape her adult life? How does the threat of violence factor into Irina’s life, and why does her trauma serve as a social as well as psychological impediment to her relationship with Seth? How do these obstacles in their relationship contribute to the theme of love despite discrimination developed through Alma, Ichimei, Nathaniel, and Lenny?

What role does art play in the novel? How do Ichi’s paintings and drawings inform his character, and how do they compare with Alma’s art and design? Why might an artistic inclination be combined with the passion and love these two characters share? What role does art play in the lives of the characters to engage in it?

How does Megumi’s marriage to Boyd complicate the portrayal of Alma’s decision to keep her relationship with Ichimei a lifelong secret? What differences can be found between Boyd and Megumi’s relationship and Alma and Ichi’s, and how do these differences illustrate the nuances of intersectional identity Allende explores in the novel?

Secrets are a critical component of the lives of Allende’s characters. Make a list of the secrets the characters keep from one another. How many of these secrets involve sexuality? How many are kept because of social norms? Are there any secrets that should be kept secret? What are the consequences of revealing them? Ultimately, does the novel suggest that all secrets should be revealed? Why or why not?