Browse Exhibits (2 total)

Natsume Sōseki’s I am a Cat and Kim Bo-Young’s “Last of the Wolves” both depict a particular interspecies relationship – that between a pet and an owner. Sōseki adopts the perspective of a cat in a world dominated by humans, while Kim follows the journey of a human in a world where creatures known as “dragons” have domesticated humans in much the same way as humans domesticated dogs. Both stories depict the struggles of a self-aware and intelligent pet trying to make themselves heard (and understood) among creatures that speak a different language and hold different goals. While communication is difficult though, that’s not to say it is impossible – in fact, both stories also include instances of the dominant species expressing curiosity and a desire to understand more about the other.