A Tale for the Time Being

A Tale for the Time Being is a novel written by Ruth Ozeki. It tells the story of a woman named Ruth who reads and finds the diary of a young girl named Nao Yatsutani. It is written in alternating chapters, starting with Nao’s intricate diary entries and the Ruth’s responses to the diary entries. This structure shapes the book and how it is read. This back and forth between Nao and Ruth create an interesting dialogue between the two characters. This relationship between Ruth and Nao ties into the theme of the relativity of time. Although Nao’s predicament happened months before Ruth even finds the diary, it feels like the events of their lives are happening simultaneously. They are two different people in two different worlds, yet they have a bond together. Throughout the course of the book, Nao and Ruth grow to genuinely care for one another. Nao is grateful for this anonymous reader who she can open up to and share her struggles with, and Ruth cares for this troubled teenage girl. Their bond is extenuated through the unique structure of the book. The structure of the book is also a unique draw-in. The story of Nao is extremely interesting and draws the reader in. As Ruth reads along with you, her reactions parallel your own. This allows a relationship between you and Ruth along with the connection you feel with Nao’s intimate diary entries. Ozeki’s masterful use of structure creates an intimate relationship between Ruth and Nao, and Ruth, Nao and the reader.