Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Norwegian Wood

The first time I read Norwegian Wood was about six years ago. I picked up the book because I was familiar with the title and read it as quick as I can just to gain some knowledge about it without deep thinking. And this time after the discussions and some close readings, I have had some more profound thoughts.

The first time I read it I never thought it is a love story, because the love presented in the book all seem some sort of “deformed”, as in not the common love we see in reality. And I felt that Murakami was trying to raise something other than the love theme. But this time as I read it, indeed I am feeling that Murakami is attempting to explore notions such as loneliness, the complexity of love etc. but on the other hand, it is no doubt a love story. To me, Naoko’s suicide derives from her possibly perpetual love towards Kizuki that eventually becomes masochistic. However, I do not consider this as mental illness, as I do not think this is something that can be easily healed or healed at all. It is a more complicated emotion that cannot be categorized or defined so arbitrarily, nor does the affection Naoko holds towards Toru, Nagazawa holds towards Hatsumi, and Midori and Toru hold for each other. In such sense, I feel that there may be some common notions that readers can all interpret in the same way, but most things in the book, only certain readers can resonate, but others may not understand at all.

After reading the fragments from Kokoro, I find the degree of complexity of emotions very similar between Naoko and sensei. And sensei has expounded in more details whereas Naoko did not do so, which makes the story more mysterious, more interpretable and richer in meanings.

Overall, I really liked the book in literature sense, not particularly the story. And I have a presentiment that it will get heavier as time passes. 

Alice


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