Norwegian Wood and Murakami's made up places

Back to Japan to talk about Haruki Murakami, a phenomenally talented and internationally successful author of strange fiction. You've probably read Norwegian Wood, a novel I would summarily describe as Catcher in the Rye but not rubbish, if not go and do so then come back.

In all his books Murakami's exploration of natural places is incredibly evocative and physical, but they're also dreamlike as though, in these unstable places, something crazy could be chucked at your face any minute without warning.

Norwegian Wood represented Murakami's foray into the world of the 'normal', there's no magic realism and a very strong feeling of autobiography about it, but while it's probably his most well known novel it isn't the one I'm most interested in for this discussion; it will be taking a back seat. I just used as a ploy it to get you reading, muahahah!... please don't go.

Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World

This is probably my most favoritest of his books, conjures up a fantastical world where the protagonist in the weirder of the two described worlds (nameless as is everyone else in this land) makes his way through locations drawn in this cool map.

A massive imposing gate keeper keeps the protagonists shadow in a basement (he can't leave without his shadow) while he is tended to by a girl with no soul, looks inside unicorn skulls in a library and slowly goes blind.

It does make more sense than this when you read it (just). But the aspect I want to focus on is the oppressive terror you feel from the surrounding woods. Even when you look at the map you think 'sod trying to get through the woods, there's defo wolves in there'.

Two of his other books I know of Wild Sheep Chase and Kafka on the Shore reach their climax in the wilderness (in one instance literally, teehee).

Wild Sheep Chase

In this novel a bloke from the city travels with his girlfriend (with the most exquisite ears in the world (...you have to read the book to find out)) into the mountains of Hokkaido in search of a lost associate. There is a nice bit of history as they go north through Japan and you find out about small farming communities of the past struggling to make it through winter in incredibly isolated towns unable to fight back the elements to eke out anything more than a rudimental existence. They can't even grow rice, but have to live on millet, a fate worse than death for an Asian palate.

This sets the tone of moving further into territory not suitable for people.

In the end our protagonist is left alone in a salubrious but eerie lodge working his way through the available literature until, after falling asleep on the sofa, in the dead of night and the freezing cold he is visited by the ghost of his friend. This isn't scary really, but creepy in a more gripping an insidious way.

Kafka on the Shore

Here the 15 year old protagonist adopts the name 'Kafka' (Czech for crow don't you know) in order to run away from home. Through the generosity of a new friend he is allowed to live in a cabin in the woods but is warned not to venture into the forest as a number of people have got lost in there never to be found. The constant presence of the dangerous woods is very unnerving especially if the reader knows about Murakami's ability to go gory and brutal.

Needless to say he does venture in and all kinds of crazy shit happens. But even before he enters the deep woods, the cabin is so isolated the sense of vulnerability is almost overwhelming. It's only tempered by the fact that its beautiful there.

Just to touch on Norwegian Wood, the isolated retreat for the mentally ill is where (spoiler coming) the main female character ends her life. The forest is a popular suicide spot, but to steer away from total morbidity, this might be because of its beauty rather than it making people feel rubbish.

Beautiful, mysterious and isolating generally sums up Murakami's presentation of the wilderness. While I love finding out about nature the mythical, unsettling quality of it is also of great appeal to me.

I also love weird things like Murakami because they make my head explode....... elephants