Sunday, March 8, 2009
week 2--setting
Murakami set this book in Japan during the 1970s. Before this assignment, however, I hadn’t given much thought to the setting. Since it hasn’t played a big role in the plot, it just seems like it’s a random backdrop for our mediocre character to…live in. Although the further into the book I get, the main character does start to describe the landscape and other aspects of the setting more and more, for example, the ocean. He says several times how the surf area has been filled with landfill for more apartment building space. Why this is relevant? Maybe it’s to show the passing of time and how much things change. The setting could be more of a tool to show how our mediocre friend is wrapped up in his problems. Enough so that he doesn’t realize that there’s a world still moving beyond his boring job and women problems. Or it could be a coincidence. Either way, there’s really no significant reason for it being in Japan. It could have been written to take place somewhere else and it would mean the same thing to the reader.
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Oh yea, now I remember that statement about the bland apartment buildings going up. Let me see if I can find that quote.
ReplyDelete"What a view! Instead of the ocean, a vast expanse of reclaimed land and housing developments met my eyes. Faceless blocks of apartments, the miserable foundations of an attempt to build a neighborhood."
I think our character is affraid of change in any way. He's heartbroken that not a single possession of his wife was left behind, and the changing landscape of Japan is just as sad to him.
I agree that the main character does seem to describe things more the farther in we get. I can't decide if this represents a change in the character, who now notices and appreciates his surroundings, or not. While reading, I didn't notice a change in him, but maybe that's just something I missed?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I haven't really seen a change in him thus far. Maybe it just shows us where his head is. I feel like when he's "up in the clouds" he tells us more than when he's really focused. It also gives us insight to how he sees the world. Simply. Observantly. Maybe this will help him soon enough.
ReplyDeleteI don't know exactly if it’s a change in character or that he just decided to describe things more while he was away from home delivering the letters. But I do agree with Athena that the character is just afraid of all change.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the idea that the setting is mainly used to assist the characters uniquely blah personality. I wonder how the character would be different if he was living in the heart of Tokyo???
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine that he'd be very different. I mean, even where he was living it didn't seem like the people affected him, and anywhere in a city, especially one like Tokyo, there are always lots of people. Like Hannah said, he's so "up in the clouds" that I can't seem a busier surroundings making much difference.
ReplyDeletevery true. I think this guy would be the same blah guy that doesn't want to get out no matter where he was. Somethings will never change in a person. This being one of them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone that said he would not originally change from his blahness until after the wild sheep chase
ReplyDeleteI agree that the character wouldn't change if he was in the heart of Tokyo. Maybe this has something to do with his fear of change. No matter where he is, he will still be afraid to change himself.
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