‘On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl

One Beautiful April Morning’ by

Haruki Murakami
 What happens in the story?
• By chance, a boy passes and recognises his
100% perfect girl and in his hesitation loses
her in the crowd.

• What type of relationship? Romantic, wistful,

fated.

• Themes: romantic dream, destiny, fairy tale.

 Language:

• Short sentences – ‘Her clothes are nothing special’, ‘It’s

weird’. Personal conversational tone ‘Tell you the truth’,
suggesting confiding in someone. Internal monologue.
• Similes: ‘my mouth is as dry as a desert’, ‘like an antique
clock’, ‘their heads were as empty as the young D.H.
Laurence’s piggy bank’ – unrelated images suggest the
randomness of fate.
• Metaphor: ‘cold, indifferent waves of fate’.
• Conventions of fairy tales: ‘Once upon a time’, ‘One day’
• Repetition of’ 100% perfect girl – sounds like an advertising
slogan
 Structure:
• Two halves – first person narrative followed by
third person. The first part is in the present
tense and reads like a monologue – the
second is in the past tense and reads like a
fairy story.
 Tone:
• Light and whimsical, almost dream-like, telling
a story, detached from reality.
 Context:
• Murakami is a Japanese writer and translator,
heavily influenced by Western culture,
particularly the works of American writers. 100 %
Perfect Girl was first published in a collection of
short stories called ‘The Elephant Vanishes.’ The
stories blend normality with surrealism (bizarre
and unreal qualities) and focus on painful issues
involving loss and loneliness. 100 % Perfect Girl
was read on the Public Radio International Show -
This American life.
 Links with other Anthology short
stories:
• Romantic relationships ( ‘Something old,
Something New)
• First person narrative (‘My Polish Teacher’s
Tie’, ‘When the Wasps Drowned’)
• Dream like quality, dreams ( ‘When the Wasps
drowned)
• Loss (‘Compass and Torch’, ‘Anil’)