Rabbits

The Rabbits are a pair of pets at the Home whose offspring becomes the focus of a disturbing episode in Kawashima’s childhood. One young rabbit is entrusted to Taku-chan, who appears deeply attached to it before abruptly killing it; the incident makes the animal’s vulnerability a measure of the unsettling gap between affection and cruelty.

At the Home

The Home acquires two pet rabbits, and one of their offspring is placed in the care of Taku-chan, a friend of Kawashima’s who is the same age. Taku-chan loves the young animal intensely, insisting on sleeping with it held in his arms. The closeness is concrete and habitual, making what follows a rupture rather than an extension of any openly hostile treatment.

The Killing

One day, in front of Kawashima and without any apparent reason, Taku-chan takes the rabbit by its still-undeveloped ears and slams it against the concrete floor. The animal survives the blow and tries to crawl away in spastic movements. Taku-chan then stomps on its head several times with his heel, killing it. He leaves the crushed body behind and goes to get another rabbit to replace it.

Narrative Significance

The episode sets Taku-chan’s earlier care for the rabbit against his unhesitating violence toward it. His apparent attachment does not protect the animal: the same boy who held it while sleeping kills it without explanation, then treats its replacement as sufficient. Because Kawashima witnesses the killing, the rabbit’s death also becomes part of his childhood experience of unpredictable harm. The animal is not given a perspective of its own in the account; its brief struggle to escape instead makes its physical vulnerability unmistakable.