When you hear the word ‘reading,’ readers who study English may imagine reading for study. This is, however, only partly correct; you can enjoy reading for fun. I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli movies. One day, when I was watching “When Marnie Was There,” which is one of my favorite movies, I came to want to read the original book of that movie in English. Therefore, I soon bought it online and began to read it little by little. I enjoyed the detail: the beautiful scenery of rural nature, the description of the main character, Anna’s changing of her delicate feelings… all differences from the adaptation. I don’t think I read it completely accurately, but I am glad to have the fun of understanding the story and I like this novel very much. Actually, I had a new discovery when I was reading. Here is a sentence from the novel: “‘No, of course she don’t!’ said Mrs Pegg.” (p. 16). If you have been taught grammar at school, you may wonder why ‘don’t’ is used in that sentence, instead of ‘doesn’t’. However, it is not a mistake. Although the expression is not the standard English, you can see expressions like this used in novels. This is very interesting because what we learned as being ungrammatical is used in books written in English! My experiences with the book are not for study, but for fun. You don’t have to worry about figuring something out completely, handing in some homework, or passing an examination. By reading books in English, you will always find something new, even things which you have never studied at school. Give it a try!
〈Reference〉 ・J. G. Robinson When Marnie Was There 2016, Kodansha English Library
