Moritz in the swiss alps with his wife cynthia and producer george martin and his wife between january 25th and february 7th, 1965. To be fair i dont think its so much the ending that i had an issue with but the fact that the entire book felt manipulative of the readers psyche. Norwegian wood is a book which derives its name from a famous 1965 song by beatles. In many ways, norwegian wood is a novel about young people struggling to find themselves and survive their various troubles. And because of that, i think the ending of the book is foreshadowed in the beginning of the book when toru says that naoko doesnt love him. Prefacing this with the fact that ive read a lot of murakamis work prior to this, not entirely sure why i got around to this one so late. Norwegian wood is a coming of age novel by haruki murakami that explores the concept of loss and the need to overcome ones struggles with grief. After reading norwegian wood twice this is what i think. Buy norwegian wood book online at low prices in india. As toru decides to eventually end it with naoko, reiko informs toru that. A wild sheep chase that show the influences of salinger, fitzgerald and tom robbins, murakami tel. Norwegian wood chapter 1 summary and analysis gradesaver. I once had a girl or should i say she once had me she showed me her room isnt it good norwegian wood. Norwegian wood translated from the japanese by jay rubin the harvill press london for many fetes this ebook is not to be sold.
Norwegian wood is a 1987 novel by japanese author haruki murakami. Toru watanabe is given the chance of real life and love with the vivacious midori kobayashi, but at norwegian woods conclusion we do not know whether he accepts love or carries on in grief. Norwegian wood study guide contains a biography of murakami, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. I recall that there is a very strong case for the ending being positive, but im having trouble finding sources. Kobayashi midori is a prominent character in the novel, norwegian wood by haruki murakami. He didnt kill himself as he is 37 and still alive, trying to remember everything of his past. Like some of the other works of murakami, this one too has an open ending, which can be interpreted in various ways by the readers. For anyone who has experienced the pain of losing a loved one, the awkwardness of being a teenager, and the pain and heartache of love, this book will take the thoughts that you never had the courage of thinking or saying and read them back to you. It is one of the most popular books of murakami and is set in the japan of the 1960s during the period of student revolution. It is very melancholic, though, and i did find one of the characters annoying, so if youre into books where everything is perfect and has a happy ending, and if you have to love all the characters in the book to love the book, norwegian wood isnt for you. Norwegian wood began to be written by john lennon while on a skiing vacation in st. Watanabes unrequited love for naoko in norwegian wood.
Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. Norwegian wood has managed to touch me, as i have felt like each of these characters at some time in my life. The kid wasnt home, and it was raining and i had this book with me so i didnt mind waiting three hours in the car. As he walks through a large empty meadow with naoko, a girl he loved, she tells him a story about a mysterious well hidden in the grasses into which people had. I just didnt really get what went on right at the end, this was my first murakami so maybe im just not used to. News of this prompts watanabe to end his friendship with nagasawa. We are all different people, reading a book will always mean more to one, than another.
Whats your interpretation of the ending of norwegian wood by. When shes dead, and toru moves on, the book ends, because the book was never supposed to be about him. In a complete stylistic departure from his mysterious and surreal novels the windup bird chronicle. Death throws the characters in murakamis fiction into the neverending cold and dark of perpetual winter. Norwegian wood i didnt understand the ending of this. It is also confusing and frustrating to know that there is no definite end to the story, and as a reader, i was left longing for more, for a definite ending. We all need a midori, norwegian wood by haruki murakami. As we are all different people and our imaginations are just as different as we are as people. His desperate efforts to comfort her end in her bed.
Norwegian wood i didnt understand the ending of this book, what. Norwegian wood movie tiein edition by haruki murakami. Watanabe and naokos relationship, on the romantic end, is onesided. I have just finished reading norwegian wood and i cant decide whether it. Murakamis books have always pushed me into deep contemplation. This is an analysis that will reveal details and the ending which you may not wish to know if you havent read the book. It was during this time that john was writing songs for rubber soul, george martin recalls, and one of the. And as for the very end with toru being in a haze in his mind, i think it has to do with him letting. In what ways does the process of writing help in understanding. It was early june, and i was parked outside of this middle school kids house because i was his afterschool tutor.
I stopped brooding over this since i realized the book was never really about them. I sit here having just read the final sentences of norwegian wood by haruki murakami. Kizuki, hatsumi, naokos sister, and naoko herself fail in this struggle and commit suicide. I once had a girl, or should i say, she once had me. I can imagine someone, maybe the beatles, talking about pot at some point early on, and seeing the word marijuana for the first time, never heard of it and trying to pronounce it. Haruki murakami booklist haruki murakami message board. Norwegian wood is a simple story, simply told, with an emotion and quiet retrospection characteristic of murakamis trademark style, especially in works like south of the border, west of the sun. What does he understandor fail to understandabout it by the end of the novel. Norwegian wood is the murakami book that i think shouldnt be used as an introduction to his worlk. I really liked the surrealism, so didnt think i was going to like norwegian wood that much hearing that it. The film was released in japan on 11 december 2010. Norwegian wood bears the unmistakable marks of murakamis hand. Enter murakamis world to explore the books, read interviews, discover music, browse image galleries, and much more.
Four months later, i picked up my first murakami booknorwegian wood. First published in japan in 1987, it is this novel that propelled him into the forefront of the literary scene and made him japans biggestselling. Norwegian wood, by lennon and mccartney theres something depressing about a young couple helplessly in love. Norwegian wood is the first book by haruki murakami that ive read, and i think im in love, which, if we take the message of the book itself, is not necessarily a. As his plane arrives at hamburg airport, toru watanabe hears the beatles song norwegian wood played over the speakers, bringing back an intense and painful memory, a scene from 18 years ago in 1969 when he was 19 years old.
So its an account of her, and torus relationship with her. Discussing norwegian wood did toru watanabe commit. Everytime you read and finish that book, you would come with different conclusions. Murakami captures the heartbeat of his generation and draws the reader in so completely you mourn when the story is done.
The abrupt ending was annoying in the best sense and made you wish there was more, but you knew it was perfect the way it was. This summary of norwegian wood includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. In the opening scene of the book, a 37yearold toru lands in berlin to a tinny, orchestral version of. Set in japan in the late 1960s, murakami brings to life the crevices and plateaus of life and death, friendship and love. Storm trooper, totsugekitai watanabes dormitory roommate who is. A special movietie in edition for the longawaited film release based on this beloved novel by haruki murakami. Norwegian wood study guide contains a biography of murakami, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. If you are a fan of murakami, you know he has the ability to make you live in his books, norwegian wood does this more so than most. Its obviousbut i have read somewhere a interpretation where tor. An intriguing window into the exoticism of scandinavian culture, the book also features enough inherently.
The ending of norwegian wood,as expected,was a bewildering yet deep one. It has been too long since i read norwegian wood, but there is a lot of japanese symbolism in the book that is lost in translation, especially in the names and dates. Provided to youtube by universal music group norwegian wood this bird has flown the beatles rubber soul. Whats your interpretation of the ending of norwegian wood. Norwegian wood by haruki murakami this article is more than 8 years old this potent riteofpassage tale offers readers some useful pointers on keeping the heart warm in. The internationally bestselling guide to chopping and storing firewood 01 by mytting, lars, ferguson, robert, ferguson, robert isbn. Buy norwegian wood book online at best prices in india on. Norwegian wood is a coming of age novel by haruki murakami that explores the. Torus resulting bleak, lonely lifestyle is challenged when he meets midori, a charming classmate who forces her way into his life with her wit. Toru tells you in the beginning that the book is about naoko and trying to preserve the memory of her. The book ends with the standard murakami ending, which leaves in thinking and deciding what couldve been the end. The novel is a nostalgic story of loss and burgeoning sexuality.
Norwegian wood is a languorous, visually striking movie about love and loss, infused with the earnestness of young people struggling with powerful emotions and with evolving ideas about life. Norwegian wood provides useful advice on the rustic hows and whys of taking care of your heating needs, but its also a thoughtful attempt to understand mans ageold predilection for stacking wood and passion for open fires. Naoko withdraws even further from him, ending up in a communesanatorium for depressed people. Right from the first time i heard the song, the word was out that norwegian wood was a term for pot. Why i now avoid reading haruki murakami thought catalog. It is told from the firstperson perspective of toru watanabe, who looks back on his days as a college student living in tokyo. Ive become a big fan and intend to read a lot more. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Toru watanabe doesnt go to midori, and that was the last conversation they had. I read norwegian wood last year and quickly followed it up with two other murakami novels. Wellknown for his fantastical stories, the simplicity of this novel may surprise you at first but then you ease into it, only to finish it needing time to process what youve just read.
1369 1063 949 1161 528 1519 592 234 1202 551 905 528 33 1049 1393 1212 449 1136 1421 31 984 840 1442 657 922 416 51 566 359 397 1213 1084 548 614 1356 947 1194 1370 851 1304 581 1369 538 1131 620