Klara and the Sun explores the (seemingly) mutualistic relationship between a devotee and deity - Klara reverently imagines the Sun as busy and tired, ultimately convincing herself that in order to attract his attention, she must reciprocate by performing a favor for him. I sought to explore this power dynamic further through a watercolor illustration, titled Klara, the Sun, and the Cootings Machine. The line that initially inspired my artwork was: "The Cootings Machine had been making its awful Pollution, obliging even the Sun to retreat for a time, and it had been during the fresh new era after the dreadful machine had gone away that the Sun, relieved and full of happiness, had given his special help" (Ishiguro, 156). The text suggests that, in contrast to many real and fictional religions (such as Caliban’s worship of Setebos), Klara has the ability - by destroying the Cootings Machine - to genuinely improve the Sun’s conditions. She is not confined to merely asking, and in exchange, providing unconditional devotion and sacrifices; their relationship bears a semblance of equality. Thus, my artwork initially started to reflect the collaborative partnership between the two characters by depicting the Sun not in the background but rather in the foreground, alongside Klara, whose head is almost equal in size to the Sun, in stark contrast to the typical imagery of a small devotee kneeling before a celestial figure,
However, the presence of the Cootings Machine added complexity to this notion, as the quote above emphasized its power over the Sun. I sought to convey this by placing the Cootings Machine above the Sun and closer to the viewer, but I wanted to simultaneously acknowledge Klara's ability to stop it, bringing her still closer to the viewer. As a result of this tension between the Sun being a figure Klara looks up to and a powerless being which requires Klara assuming the role of its helper, a subtle shift in perspective emerged along the diagonal.
Although I had a vivid image of Klara within my head, I was surprised to find that her physical appearance was not thoroughly defined. Josie, when searching for Klara in the shop, described her as "really cute, and really smart... she was so smart" (Ishiguro, 38-39). Drawing on these descriptions, I incorporated stereotypical cues to indicate intelligence, such as minuscule furrowed brows, a slight squint, and a focused gaze. To portray cuteness, I exaggerated the proportions of Klara's head, creating a sense of baby-like innocence, while elongating her neck as if exuding swan-like grace. Josie further described her as having “short hair”, being “almost French?”, and having “the kindest eyes”, which I tried to replicate with features such as abundant eyelashes and blue irises, symbolically representing innocence and kindness (Ishiguro, 38-39). I sought to stay as true to the text as possible but had to make a vast majority of decisions based on cultural and social biases related to concepts like "kindness" and "cuteness" and unconsciously had a Klara that resembles Japanese origin, inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro's nationality. It's possible that these qualities were lost or interpreted differently by others viewing my illustration, as perceptions of kindness and cuteness can vary among individuals.
The Sun was mentioned over one hundred times throughout the text, but its descriptions were short and often focused on its patterns on the floorboard or how it resembled a pink dot over a hill. To guide my illustration, I focused on the Sun's first few descriptions as "on his journey, crossing between the building tops" (Ishiguro, 3-4). I imagined its yellowness as “nourishing” while using red-orange hues to signify its fiery reaction to the Cootings Machine (Ishiguro, 9).
When it came to depicting the Cootings Machine, I found the best characterization in the lines that described it as having “three short funnels protruding from its roof, and smoke began to come out of them. At first the smoke came in little white puffs, then grew darker, till it no longer rose as separate clouds but as one thick continuous one.” (Ishiguro, 56). I aimed for a literal representation, illustrating the three short funnels positioned close together with small white puffs of smoke emanating from them. Additionally, I reflected the "Cootings" label displayed prominently on its side.
While illustrating Klara, the Sun, and the Cootings Machine, I gained insight into the idea of Klara as an avatar, with her character serving as a representation of the reader's imagination. The absence of physical description enhanced her ability to embody anyone, including Josie, and perhaps would have had the effect of merely hindering the reader's connection with her. I decided to highlight the power dynamics in this illustration by focusing primarily on Klara's relationship with the Sun (instead of with Josie or Rick), and this shift in emphasis gave Klara more confidence, boldness, and strength. She became incredibly purposeful and ambitious, almost entirely shedding her usual meek and servant-like nature. But with this transformation, Klara lost some of her original essence. Her softness and gentleness seem to be diminished, and her emotional intelligence is less apparent. As a result, parts of her personality feel different from the original character.
Shafranovskaia, K. (2020, March 15). Beautiful young woman with short hair, watercolor painting stock illustration - illustration of paint, hand: 175256269. Dreamstime. https://www.dreamstime.com/beautiful-young-woman-short-hair-watercolor-painting-beautiful-young-woman-short-hair-fashion-illustration-watercolor-image175256269