Kafkaesque Transformations in Murakami Haruki’s Noruwei no Mori: An Intertextual Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1607.22Keywords:
intertextuality, Kafkaesque, Murakami Haruki, Noruwei no Mori, literary analysisAbstract
This study investigates Kafkaesque transformations in the novel Noruwei no Mori (Norwegian Wood) by Murakami Haruki, a prominent Japanese literary figure, using an intertextual approach. The research aims to identify how Kafkaesque narrative features are transformed and recontextualized within modern Japanese literary discourse. Employing a qualitative, text-focused method, the analysis draws on intertextual theory, particularly the concepts of hypogram and literary transformation, to examine narrative structure, thematic patterns, and stylistic elements in the novel. The findings indicate that Kafkaesque characteristics in Noruwei no Mori appear through narrative complexity, the distortion of reality, and a subdued yet unsettling narrative voice. These elements are not direct imitations but are adapted to express themes of alienation, memory, and emotional dislocation relevant to postwar Japanese society. The study demonstrates how intertextual transformation functions as a creative strategy in Murakami’s writing and contributes to discussions on the interaction between Western literary traditions and contemporary Japanese literature.
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