October 31, 2016 - 12:06
Quote 1: “That’s what it felt like when I was growing up, like I was a random fruit in a field of genetically identical potatoes.” (4)
Yumi’s identity did not fit with the environment she grew up in, and because of this she always felt as though she was a mistake-an exotic fruit seed, not fit for the climate, dropped by accident in a field of identical, thriving potatoes. Like the fruit would not do well there and probably die, Yumi ended up running away from home, severing herself from the environment which was so toxic and confining to her.
Quote 2: "'Not for me," he said. 'For your mother. If I can't take care of her, they'll put her away. She won't have her garden. Her seeds. They're all she remembers, Yumi'" -Lloyd (104)
In her old age, Momoko's work with her seeds have become her entire identity. Without her garden work, if she were to be placed in a nursing home for her apparent Alzheimer's Disease, she would be stripped of all she knows. Lloyd knows how important it is to keep Momoko living in her house, because the one thing she always remembers and relies on to keep her mind active is there; her entire identity is on that property, in those seeds. Staying at home, despite her illness, would be the only way to hold on to the final remnants of her personality and passions, and keep her as comfortable and content as possible.
Quote 3: “When she had him along, the world looked different, and she liked the way she saw things she’d never noticed before. Some were just little things - the way bright candies were displayed down low, close to the ground, on eye level with a baby in a stroller, or the way that certain pebbles, or clods of dirt, or clumps of grass might look delicious to a baby, who was learning to taste the world. But she noticed other things, too – the way she herself felt acutely visible with the baby in her arms, and the way some people’s faces lit up when they saw a child. His warm weight was like living ballast, thrumming with energy, giving her substance.” (130)
Cass sees both her identity and the world around her change when she has Poo with her. Holding a child makes her feel more confident and seen, and the environment is more welcoming and appreciative of her being there. This shows how intertwined the concepts of identity and environment are, and how much they can change and shape a person at any given time.