Writing a novel lets me intentionally dream while I'm still awake. I
can continue yesterday's dream today, something you can't
normally do in everyday life. It's also a way of descending deep
into my own consciousness. So, while I see it as dreamlike, it's
not fantasy. For me the dreamlike is very real.”
Such is the feeling one gets while reading ‘kafka on the shore’ by
Murakami. The whole novel feels like a piece of the authors soul,
laid bare before the readers in the form of a book.
Kafka on the shore is nothing like a standard fantasy novel. What
truly sets it apart is the heavy imagery and symbolism associated
with each and every dialogue of each and every character in the
book. What I found particularly engaging were the musical,
philosophical and literary references which murakami has
utilized in order to give the readers a glimpse into the
consciousness of the characters. Such as oshima referencing
Schuberts sonatas. Hoshino visiting the empty café and being
captivated by the ‘Archduke trio’. Kafka taking a liking towards
Natsumi sosekis works. As well as the song ‘kafka on the shore’
composed by miss saeki.
All of these references reveal such aspects of the characters’
personality which they themselves are not aware of. Murakami
gives readers an understanding of not only their conscious mind
but also the workings of their deep subconscious.
Through such references and an agonizing build up of the
indirectly intertwining fates of Satoru Nakata and Kafka Tamura,
Murakami has narrated a story that captivates the readers
beyond belief. Through the characters, he takes the readers on a
journey that explores themes such as existentialism,
selfintrospection and realism.
There are a lot many references in this book that have the ability
to make a person speechless. Sadly, I cannot mention all. Ones I cannot help but elaborate on are:-
1) Murakami’s portrayal of kafkas struggle to remain within the realm of reality, no matter how miserable it made him. Kafka is abandoned by his mother at a young age leaving him alone with his neglectful father. This incident has a deep traumatic impact on him, which is only fueled by the Oedipal curse looming over his head. After struggling to
comprehend his fate, existence and his own mind, at the end he makes peace with his trauma and chooses to live in the real world. I feel like the title ‘Kafka on the Shore’ is a direct reference to the border between what kafka perceives his life to be versus what it really is. Kafka, for a long-time lives on the border of reality and dreams, until he makes the choice to recover from his trauma.
2) Murakamis interpretation of what a labyrinth is. Murakami
has portrayed labyrinths to be a prototype part of ones inner self. He tells the readers that one’s surroundings represent the labyrinth inside themselves. What surrounds you is what is inside you. Perhaps murakami is trying to tell the readers that they are but a product of their surroundings.
I went into this book completely blind, andnow I realize that doing so is the best choice. This book should be read, free of judgement and prejudice, with an open mind.
Every page fueled my intrigue and compelled me to keep reading until I found the
answer to kafka’s and mr. nakatas questions. ‘Kafka on the Shore’ is no doubt one of Murakami’s best works and obviously, a
must-read for the avid readers.
-Yashodhara Dravid
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