Murakami and Duality of Character or Dissociative Identity Disorder

A key re-occurring trait of the works by Murakami that has really intrigued me is the sense of duality of the characters. A lot of characters in Murakami's writing seem to suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder or have some sense of disconnection from self. Such as Miu in Sputnik Sweetheart and how she sees herself having sex with a man she absolutely detests or Boku who seems to be disconnected in more ways than one with reality in their search for the Rat in A Wild Sheep Chase. Boku has shifting personalities throughout A Wild Sheep Chase and in my opinion, it does seem as if they are searching for answers about who they are. It is as though the Rat is simply all of this built up stuff on the inside of Boku that they have kept hidden and dissociated for so long that they were devoid of any kind of connection to be had to other people or objects in reality in any genuine way. Even with his girlfriend, we don't see any real emotional connection, we just see a physical connection and just simply being in the moment together. We don't see passion really, but more so just lust and attraction which is different from an emotional and soul-filled or wholesome connection. We don't really see the true emotions of Boku until Boku finds the Rat and finally makes the connection albeit as a physical representation, but more so as an inner dealing. This is shown at the end of A Wild Sheep Chase, when we see Boku cry as Boku has finally found that inner self that they have dissociated from since the very beginning of the book.

Coming back to my point, I feel as though Murakami has made it their staple to have this sense of duality. Murakami writes it so well that it in itself bends reality and warps the book in such ways that there are different sides of the world that Murakami creates. Again, like Miu in Sputnik Sweetheart and how the other her may still be somewhere out there while she is there with the protagonist. I found out that there were actually two terms for this duality of reality or worlds within the work of Murakami. There is kochiragawa (this side) and achiragawa (that side). I will also pull upon a reference to After Dark as there are parts within the story where there is a girl sleeping in kochiragawa and there is a television that portrays achiragawa or the other side. We can see the sense of blending of reality and also the separation between them as we view the television and see the same empty bedroom, but things change in the night as the girl sleeps. Eventually to the point that even the reader can't tell which is kochiragawa or achiragawa. This blending of reality and duality is one of the reasons why I have become to like Murakami's writing. Murakami executes it so well, that it really makes you think about what is actually happening in the story and to the point that it is left open to the reader's interpretation of what is actually being portrayed through the writing of Murakami. Such as the issues Murakami is giving light to or if there is a moral behind the story or narration.

I found this article really interesting (Spoiler Warning: There are details of The Wind-up Bird Chronicle): Murakami Haruki and the cultural materialism of multiple personality disorder

~ Jonathon Little