In discovering Haruki Murakami’s sources and reexamining his works with an eye to his influences, the question becomes this: does it matter whether or not a reader picks up on references to source material? I would argue that it is not essential to enjoyment of Murakami, but that if one does recognize these quotations and borrowings, one’s enjoyment is enriched. A sort of connect-the-dots aspect is added when the reader begins looking for traces of Murakami’s inspirations, which may at times reveal deeper meaning or more poignant description if the reader is aware of them. It is also a glimpse into the author’s mind, allowing us to see a sliver of his creative process. What fragments have lodged in his brain from his own readings? How does he choose to alter them and, speculatively, for what purpose? And of course, it is always impossible to evade the needling question, what did he mean when he wrote this? The closest we may get to an answer is to explore intertextual connections.
It is often said that all artists drink from the same well. What seems to be emerging here is less a well than a web, with innumerable filaments stretching back and forth, tangling, entwining and running across space and time, creating a network of literary reference that a curious reader may spend a lifetime examining. I feel as though Murakami has led me to Chandler and Salinger, among others, and more to come. Where will these authors lead?
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