Kafka on the Shore

April 8th, 2024 - 6 min read

My thoughts after the first time reading Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami.

Before I get started

I haven't read novels for quite a long time. The last novel I read is probably Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Before that, I remember reading Robinson Crusoe when I was a kid in primary school. In some way, all the stories still stick in my mind, even after a long period. Kafka on the Shore is the first novel by Haruki Murakami I read. I know Haruki Murakami after reading the book What I talk when I talk about running. The way he tells stories and his interesting life appeals to me. I decided to start reading novels again, Kafka on the Shore was my first pick.

Brief story

Starting the book, Haruki Murakami leads us into two storylines.

The first storyline is from the perspective of a 15-year-old boy: Kafka Tamura, who is about to leave his house in Tokyo. His destination is Takamatsu, far away from Tokyo. His mom and his older sister left him when he was very little. He cannot remember how his mother looked, the only thing he has is a picture with his sister, when he was 3 years old. He is trying to find his mom and his sister and escape from his father's curse: Kill the father and sleep with both his mother and his sister.

In the long bus ride leading to Takamatsu, Kafka meets Sakura - a girl who is older than Kafka a few ages. They temporarily separate after getting to Takamatsu. Kafka loves reading books and he met Oshima - a transgender librarian at a private library in Takamatsu. Oshima is an avid reader, intelligent, and polite. Oshima works under Miss Saeki, the owner of the library - who was a famous singer in her 19s after the song Kafka on the Shore, but one tragedy happened to her: She lost his beloved boyfriend, who was killed at the age of 20. The world seems to be in disrepair to her since that time. Kafka follows his routine: goes to the library and goes to the gym, until one day, Kafka wakes up in the evening beside the street with blood in his t-shirt, losing his memory in the last few hours - the day all the mysterious start. Kafka sleeps at Sakura's cabin that night and comes back to the library after that. Oshima takes Kafka to a small house which is the only one located inside a forest when helping Kafka to start a new job at the library. Kafka starts working at the library and lives in a room inside the library. After a few days, the newspaper includes the news: Kafka's father is killed at his private house, the Kafka's house. At the library, every 3 AM, Kafka sees the ghost - the 15-year-old version of Miss Saeki. One night, Kafka doesn't see the ghost anymore, Kafka sees the real Miss Saeki in the room, she is sleepwalking. Miss Saeki sleeps with Kafka, still sleepwalking, but Kafka is not. A few days later, Kafka sleeps with Miss Saeki, both are awake. The detective asks Oshima about Kafka, Oshima brings Kafka back to the house inside the forest, hides from the detective, and hides from Miss Saeki.

The second storyline surrounds Nakata - 67 years old - who lost his memory and the ability to read and write after a mysterious incident inside the forest during World War II. After the incident, Nakata can talk with cats. He helps people find cats and receives money from that job.

One day, a dog led Nakata to meet Johnnie Walker - the cat killer - who eats the hearts of cats and collects their souls to produce a flute. Nakata kills Johnnie Walker, which seems to be what Johnnie Walker wants.

Then Nakata starts heading to Takamatsu, even though at that time, Nakata doesn't know the destination. Fishes and leeches fall from the sky.

He met Hoshino - a driver - who voluntarily helps Nakata and be the companion of Nakata during his journey to Takamatsu. They are finding a thing called the Entrance Stone - a mysterious, supernatural object. A man named Colonel Sanders, a spirit inside the appearance of the KFC's owner, helps Hoshino find the stone. The mission of Nakata and Hoshino now is to turn the stone over. The stone becomes much more heavy when it contains a special power. But with all of the strength, Hoshino can still turn it over.

Two storylines are merged.

Nakata and Hoshino found the library, where Nakata met Miss Saeki, she dies after giving the memoir to Nakata. Kafka is inside the forest at that time. He dreams about Sakura, they sleep together in the dream. Nakata is found dead the next day and Hoshino starts being able to talk with cats. Kafka ventures deep into the forest, which leads him to meet 2 soldiers from the World War II, who are still wearing soldier's outfits. Kafka follows 2 soldiers to an unrealistic place, where Kafka meets Miss Saeki, who just died. Miss Saeki convinces Kafka to leave this place and back to the real world. Kafka returns to Takamatsu and departs for Tokyo.

I take the illustrations from this blog, a great blog about Kafka on the the shore.

My thoughts

I'm still structuring what are my thoughts, but here are some current quick points...

Somebody stopped living in their 20, they lived with their past after a painful moment.
Fate in life.
Metaphysics:
- Entrance Stone
- Miss Saeki, Johnnie Walker, Kafka, Tamura, Soldiers, Kafka's father,...
Some people who seem not intelligence but poss an unseen power and a deeper understanding of life's true meaning.
Haruki Murakami helps us vividly imagine the story through his descriptive language.
Explanation of the name Kafka on the Shore:
- Kafka:
  - Is the protagonist, a 15-year-old boy who calls himself Kafka, after the famous writer Franz Kafka.
  - Means crow in Czech, Crow is also regarded as Kafka's innermost self.
- On the Shore: The edges in the protagonist's journey: Land and Sea, Known and Unknown, Past and Present, Male and Female, Life and Dead.
- Kafka on the Shore is the name of the song from the story, written by young version of Miss Saeki, its lyric is the same with the novel's plot.
We are lucky that we are able to read.
We should try eel rice.
Listen up — there's no war that will end all wars.
What I imagine is perhaps very important. For the entire world.