Murakami uses metaphors, magical realism, and symbolism to show how identity is shaped by

the people and things around us

● Miss Saeki’s identity is stuck in the past as she is no longer making connections to the

people and things around her, and is instead stuck in her memories

○ “I haven’t had any friends either, for quite some time,” Miss Saeki said. “Other

than in memories.” (389)

○ “My life ended at age twenty. Since then it’s been merely a series of endless

reminiscences, a dark, winding corridor leading nowhere.” (392)

○ “Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s

part of what it means to be alive” (463)

○ What I saw here in this room the night before was definitely Miss Saeki at age

fifteen. (223)

○ In the middle of the room, where time seems to have drifted to a halt (220) -

boyfriend stuff

● Kafka goes on a journey throughout the book to find his identity, and to do so he must

learn to connect with others

○ “I’m totally lost, my identity dying.” (387)

○ “I think of Miss Saeki, of Sakura, of Oshima. But I’m light-years away from

them.” (387)

○ “It isn’t like you’ll cut something out of yourself and throw it away,” she says.

“We don’t throw it away – we accept it, inside us.” (437)

○ “It’s like when you’re in the forest, you become a seamless part of the

forest…When you’re with me, you become a part of me.” (437)

 ○ “I don’t know who to count on other than myself. For me, the idea of a life I left is

meaningless” (440)

○ Mother, you say. I forgive you. And with those words, audibly, the frozen

part of your heart crumbles. (442)

○ Returns back to people

● Nakata has a weaker identity because he struggles to make connections to others

○ “...people build up meaning between themselves and the things around them.”

(189)

○ “There’s always going to be a connection between you, Mr. Nakata, and the things

you deal with.” (189)

○ “Things change every day…And you’re not the same person you were, either.”

(191)

○ “Besides cats, I’ve never had what you would call a friend in my life.” (389)

○ “Actually, I don’t have any memories either.” (389)