I'm glad that I got here first, because now I can write about the most obvious figurative language that Murakami uses. I am speaking about his similes of course. Let me pull a few that made me underline them or even sometimes made me put "haha" in the margin:
"He spoke as if running a white-gloved hand over a tabletop."
"[Life] is like doughnut holes. Whether you take a doughnut hole as a blank space or as an entity unto itself is a purely metaphysical question and does not affect the taste of the doughnut one bit."
"Sitting in the limo, compared to my fifteen-year-old Volkswagen Beetle I'd bought off a friend, was as quiet as sitting at the bottom of a lake wearing earplugs."
He gets more creative than this, but these are a couple of good examples of him using similes. Although they are enjoyable to read, unexpected, and proficient at explaining whatever it is that he wants to express, I do have one bone to pick with them.
They are outlandish enough to have us, as separate people, think about them and chuckle. They pull you out of the action of the book, and make you feel like you're reading one instead. I've found that I like books that describe things in a way that you can't totally comprehend at first. I like it when the author sneaks up from behind with some sort of feeling or atmosphere through the shape and sound of a word or sentence. You don't know you're feeling it, or thinking it, until later when you considered what you just read.
It's harsh to say that his whole style is bad, and I'm not saying that. This book is enjoyable and incredibly witty, but with the outlandish similes and the even more outlandish ending... I lose a bit of respect for it.
To give another compliment though, the similes go well with the main character's personality, with all of his inane and quirky observations.
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I agree with your final comment that the similes go well with the main character's personality. The figurative language used in this book not only makes the book enjoyable to read, but it also contributes to the personality of the character. Since the book is written in first person, it is as though we are living inside the main character's head and all these quirky similes assist in developing his character.
ReplyDeleteI can't attest to the outlandish ending yet, but I agree with what you're saying. I really like the similes, but I don't like that it takes you out of the action of the book. You're right that the similes really do show the character's personality.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you agree that they take you out of the action of the book? Didn't they make you think, "now I'm reading a simile," rather than actually imagining what's going on?
ReplyDeleteI do agree that it takes you out of the action of the book. I was saying that it is something that I didn't like. It seems like it makes the book harder to read.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree that the similes take you out of the action of the book. I find that they simply enhance the book and make it hard to put the story down. So far I have really loved Murakami's writing style. Have you guys liked his writing style so far?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the style. It’s simple and provides for an easy yet thought-provoking read.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the similes and the character's personality too yet I also agree that they do not take away from the action of the book. I also cannot attest to it having a great ending for I have not read it yet. I also enjoy the style, it is easy to read and you almost forget yourself while reading.
ReplyDeleteIrini = NA
I think you had great quotes and they make sense to use as literary elements since they do encompass them. for a quick comment on the similes although they were the most obvious and often used of figurative language in this book I felt that metaphors had a subtle significance and enhanced the similes used.
ReplyDeleteIrini
I feel like your analysis completely misunderstands the intent of a simile. You criticize Murakami's similes as being distracting, but that is the point. Similes are supposed to draw the reader away, take an event, and then make it relatable to the reader. For instance, your second quote is about the character's perception of Life. Life is a broad concept, so why not compare it to something as easy to understand as a donut hole? Everybody understands food a lot better than life, and thus, the simile achieves its ultimate purpose.
ReplyDeleteI agree that similes are supposed to make something relatable to the reader, however I don't like that it takes you out of the action of this book because there isn't much action. To me, they do a wonderful job of describing things, but it overpowers the actual plot.
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