Sweet Bean Paste

Sweet Bean Paste illustrates how baseless prejudice, fueled by ignorance and fear, systematically isolates individuals. The novel critiques a society that prioritizes conformity over compassion, arguing that such prejudice robs marginalized people of their dignity and their rightful place in the community; it also ignores their potential as artisans, creators, and valuable support systems for those around them. Through the character of Tokue Yoshii, whose life is defined by the stigma of having had leprosy, Sukegawa reveals how irrational fear can dismantle lives and sever human connections.

The corrosive effect of prejudice is first seen in the shop owner’s reaction to Tokue. Unlike Sentaro, whose reaction to learning that Tokue lives in a sanatorium for former leprosy patients is to research the disease, understand that it has been cured, and become informed about its extremely low chance of transmission, the owner immediately succumbs to fear. Her knee-jerk response, rooted in historical misinformation rather than medical facts, immediately overrides any appreciation for Tokue’s skill or character. She insists that Tokue must be fired, warning Sentaro, “If she doesn’t [leave], this place will fold” (71). The owner’s subsequent use of alcohol disinfectant on her hands after visiting the shop further highlights the irrationality of her prejudice, as she treats Tokue not as a person but as a source of contamination.