Leyla's post #3

 Certain critics have said that Haruki Murakami’s writing falls under the heading of postmodernism. His magical realist style certainly lends itself well to the postmodern rejection of ultimate truths and inherent meanings, thus demonstrating its somewhat nihilistic approach which is often reinforced in the protagonist’s ambivalent or even apathetic response to events in his life. Further, Murakami’s books seem to embrace and accept the inherent messiness of life, not as something to be lamented or struggled against but rather leaned into. 

However, at the same time, Murakami deviates slightly from conceptions of postmodernism, most notably in his works’ underlying weighty existential themes, the element of nostalgia present in his stories, and in his male characters’ approach to women. 

Themes of death, isolation, self-knowledge, love - these are the topics of scholars and artists throughout modernity in their search for truth. While his vehicle for exploring them may be absurd or ironic, Murakami’s approach to these questions does not seem overtly self-conscious or quotational, as would be expected in postmodern writing. 

Most of Murakami’s narratives are set in the 60’s and 70’s, which for one facilitates his frequent use of landline phone calls, but also serves to inject an amount of nostalgia or glorification of a past era, sentiments not entirely aligned with the pillars of postmodern theory. 

Lastly, postmodernism has a connotation of being tied to radical, leftist social opinions ie. feminism, but Murakami protagonists can border on sexist in their relationships with women. At the very least, the women tend to be treated like objects or understood through the context of objects, and often act more as conduits for Boku’s self-discovery than as equal and desired partners. 

So perhaps Murakami really is better defined under the frustration banner of “paramodernism,” or at least he is composed of somewhat contradictory elements. Perhaps the friction between these elements is part of his appeal, or perhaps the very coexistence of such disparate parts is in itself postmodern. In general, pinning down any theory on Murakami is rather a wild sheep chase.