Strecher's interpretation of Murakami searching for identity by playing with the "unconscious" and "Other" in his fiction is interesting. Strecher's argument is convincing, but I think Murakami is only exploring his characters to a certain degree because I feel like Murakami has a purpose for each of his characters. Although interpretations could differ, I think Murakami is sometimes expressing his frustration with not having real autonomy. In A Wild Sheep Chase, the people that accept the special sheep gets to be at the top of society (for a while), but it took away the character's individuality. When the people are "sheepless" they are essentially useless to the society. The Rat made an active choice to stop the sheep, but in a way he was kind of also forced into it because of his circumstances of being chosen by the sheep. Similarly in chapter 3 of the Hard-Boiled Wonderland, the weird scientist has the ability to change people. He removed the sound from his granddaughter, and the he could turn down the narrator's hearing. Nothing was by the individual character's choice. I think maybe this is a way of Murakami expressing his frustration for people not being able to pursue the things that they really want to do.
Part of this analyses also extends to the female narrator in Sleep. She doesn't like her role as the typical "housewife", and finds herself enjoying life after she could no longer sleep. In exchange her sleepless nights, she gets to read for entertainment. A light bulb lit up in my head when someone shared their theory that the story is about sexual assault. I was confused by the ending, but I think it portrays the narrator's inability to do anything in that situation. The shaking in the car could be symbolic of her body being shaken while she was assaulted (or was assaulted again at the end of the story?). I think in those moments, there is really nothing they can do besides detaching themselves from their body.
-Rose
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