06-22-2013, 10:48 AM | #31 |
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I should reread this; I read it years ago, and though I have reread most of Murakami's books I only read this one once.
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06-23-2013, 05:52 PM | #32 | |
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my thanks to all for the thoughtful comments
Quote:
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06-23-2013, 06:11 PM | #33 | |
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It irritates the Japanese literary establishment also.
From a NYT article on Murakami: Quote:
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06-23-2013, 07:53 PM | #34 |
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Interesting. Like Paola, I didn't notice it consciously, but I think it was bugging me sub-consciously. I can quite understand the pervasive nature of American culture in particular, which of course is here in Australia too. But apart from the Japanese names, there didn't seem to be anything purely Japanese in the stories - though of course it may be there and I just don't recognise it.
Historically the Japanese certainly seemed to throw out many of their traditional ways of life when they "westernised" themselves in a generation at the end of the 19th century, and that must have left a sort of spiritual hollowness, which Murakami is perhaps expressing in these stories and in his other books. |
06-24-2013, 04:26 AM | #35 |
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In all his books Murakami refers to Western music and other, especially from the American culture. Most often to music, I think.
And in some of his books, these references are important, a kind of keystone. For example his book 1Q84: this title is a reference to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. The letter Q and the Japanese number 9 are homophones (pronounced and spelled the same, but with a different meaning). Murakami was born in Japan during the post–World War II baby boom. Although born in Kyoto, he spent his youth in Shukugawa (Nishinomiya), Ashiya and Kobe. His father was the son of a Buddhist priest, and his mother the daughter of an Osaka merchant. Both taught Japanese literature. Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by Western culture, particularly Western music and literature. He grew up reading a wide range of works by American writers, such as Kurt Vonnegut, Richard Brautigan and Jack Kerouac . These Western influences distinguish Murakami from other Japanese writers. Murakami studied drama at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he met his wife, Yoko. His first job was at a record store, much like Toru Watanabe, the narrator of Norwegian Wood. Shortly before finishing his studies, Murakami opened a coffeehouse and jazz bar, the Peter Cat, in Kokubunji, Tokyo, which he ran with his wife from 1974 to 1981 - again, not unlike the protagonist in his later novel "South of the border, West of the sun." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruki_Murakami As a baby-boomer he will have grown up in a society where America influences were important. Perhaps somewhat comparable to the post-war European generation, where there was a lot of American cultural influence connected with the American involvement in the Second World War and the subsequent Marshall Plan and of course the Cold War. I think that the search for identity, for 'their' world, is a theme that is found not only in Murakami's work, but also in European literature. Last edited by desertblues; 06-24-2013 at 04:49 AM. |
06-24-2013, 08:44 AM | #36 |
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Thanks so much, desertblues - great post. Karma coming your way!
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06-24-2013, 02:32 PM | #37 |
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Great posts by BenG and desertblues. I guess that I have not attached importance to nor have I been bothered by the fact that the books that I have read by Murakami have contained so many American influences. In part because that reflected the reality of post-WWII Japan. That and I also have just looked on Murakami as a excellent author who just happens to be Japanese (ethnically and by origin), not a Japanese [constrained to write about Japan] author.
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