Clap

Clapping is a way of expressing emotions by using one's own body to create sound. When people want to express their admiration, they channel their emotions into their hands and clap, with energy and feeling, even if it means withstanding physical discomfort. But does that feeling ever reach the other person? In 'Clap,' the protagonist is the target of applause, and the story unfolds from the point of view of a person clapping. “Thread man”, the protagonist, lacks self-confidence, and feels so intently that he has no redeeming features that he has shrunk to a thread-like existence. One rainy day, the thread man is walking down an alley when an empty, rusty can falls in front of him. The can reverberates with a pleasant and amusing sound, and, taken in by it, he tries to recreate the sound himself by wearing the can on his foot and starting to dance. Of the many people who pass by the thread man, a girl notices him and stops to watch. She channels her appreciation of the sound into applause, which makes him happy, and in pursuit of more of this feeling, he becomes even more lost in the dance. Soon a crowd of people gather around the thread man, and the sound of applause grows ever louder, though with the increased volume comes increased pressure, which troubles the thread man. Even so, he continues to dance before the audience. Eventually, feeling cornered, he tries to escape from the applause and falls into darkness. It is when he is in this darkness that you first stand face-to-face with the thread man. Why did the thread man become scared of the sound of clapping and why could he no longer enjoy it? Why does he reject your applause, and why do your emotions not reach him? When your heartfelt applause reaches the thread man, the original meaning of clapping is restored, which signals the beginning of a beautiful sound.

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