The Multiple Role of the Mask in Kurahashi Yumiko’s Works. A Focus on "The Witch Mask" (1985)

In this paper, I analyze the peculiar use of the mask in relation to the face in the works of Kurahashi Yumiko 倉橋由美子. The mask in her literature functions as a metaphor for the construction of identity, and yet it is often distinct from the idea of the mask as concealment. Rather, the passage from mask to face and vice versa acquires multiple nuances as the mask adheres to the face both in a metaphorical sense and as an extra layer of skin. I will concentrate on one short story in particular, which stands out among Kurahashi’s works dealing with the mask: “The Witch Mask” (Kijo no men 鬼女の面, 1985). By reflecting on the extensive use of allusions, and by taking the concept of jouissance into consideration, I will explore how the notion of identity in “The Witch Mask” is investigated and what possibilities this transformation offers in terms of the narrative. In my reading, this work deepens Kurahashi’s meta-level reflection on the act of writing, suggesting new possibilities for understanding the construction of (gender) identity.