The Art of Flaying

Most of you were probably quite disgusted when reading the passage about Yamamoto being flayed alive by Mongol bandits; I was disgusted as well, to say the least. However, I was rather curious to see whether this aside was just a repulsive figment of Murakami’s creative imagination- I would not have been surprised, judging by the slightly demented tone/atmosphere of the book- or whether it was actually something that had been practiced frequently by Mongols...

When I investigated further, I found out that this act of barbarism was not only used by Mongols, but also by Europeans, Africans, and Middle Easterners. It was especially used by Europeans in the Middle Ages to torture and execute criminals and witches, but the technique dates back to much earlier (the apostle Bartholomew was supposedly flayed to death then crucified). 

The Mongols used this technique frequently (they highly enjoyed torturing others, as Murakami pointed out so well in the flaying scene) with civilians after conquering their territories. In the 13th century, after conquering the Russian city of Riazan, the Mongol soldiers forced the Russian captives to watch as they raped the young women and nuns, then impaled and flayed them alive until they bled to death or lost consciousness. Flaying was also frequently used by Mongol rebels as a form of torture to the Japanese during the Manchurian War; Yamamoto was only one of several to suffer that fate during the years preceding WWII. 

http://listverse.com/2007/09/12/top-10-gruesome-methods-of-execution/http://home.arcor.de/mustangace/sca_class_mongols.htmhttp://www.medievality.com/flaying-torture.html

Was the inclusion of the “flaying scene” in Lieutenant Mamiya’s narrative necessary? If so, how come, and what did it bring to the story?

Mongol Carpet of a Flayed Man- the "art" of flaying was also embedded in their culture.

http://centuriespast.tumblr.com/page/553

What do you think is the significance of the empty box that Toru gets from Mr. Honda?

There is no doubt that this “gift” left by Mr. Honda has a symbolic and spiritual dimension to it, especially since Mr. Honda is a medium of some sort and specializes somewhat in spiritual guidance. I believe it will be an underlying motif in Book 2, and most likely also in Book 3. My intuition tells me that the empty box is a message, a mission given to Toru to go on a spiritual quest in search of his “inner being”, or of another parallel universe/ reality. Mr. Honda only really appears once in the book, when Toru and Kumiko reminisce about the times they used to spend with him at the beginning of their marriage. But one of the most important and spiritual lessons given by Mr. Honda during his monthly meetings with the couple was “The point ism not to resist the flow. You go up when you’re supposed to go up and down when you’re supposed to go down. When you’re supposed to go up, find the highest tower and climb to the top. When you’re supposed to go down, find the deepest well and go down to the bottom. When there’s no flow, stay still.” (51). There aren’t very many clues as to the nature of the empty box left by Mr. Honda, but I suspect that the lesson of “flow” may correlate directly with the idea of this box. Perhaps it is Toru’s time to find the highest tower, or the deepest well... I am excited to read on and discover the meaning of the gift!

How does Lieutenant Mamiya’s story of the war in Manchuria fit with the rest of the narrative?

At the beginning of Lieutenant Mamiya’s two-part story of his experience of the war, I was a bit confused as to how it correlated with the rest of the book. Sure it was thrilling to hear about how the Mongolians skinned Yamamoto alive in front of Mamiya’s eyes, but was this bit of narrative necessary to the rest of the story? It was only later, when the Lieutenant was spared by the Russian officer, taken to a well and given the chance to die quickly (by being shot) or jump into the well (and have a chance- as slim as it may be- of survival), that I realized that this story was connected to Mr. Honda’s lesson about the flow of life. Lieutenant Mamiya was told by Honda that he was going to live on, that he would not die in the hostile and barren land of Mongolia. He chose to take his word on it, however desperate and hopeless the situation, however slim the chances were at survival; when he was given the choice, Mamiya chose to jump in the well because there was still a tiny possibility of survival. Subject to intense pain, lack of food and water, and stifled senses (due to shock and darkness), he could have easily lost hope and let himself die. However, the daily glimpses of sun, however short the moments might have been, were enough for him to regain hope and unearth the true meaning of life, the core importance of his own life. Like he said in his narrative, Mamiya was able to rediscover himself and achieve a “feeling of oneness and unity”. Being stripped of basic human needs- senses, food/water, shelter, human contact- made him ironically feel more human than ever. 

I think that, by bequeathing the empty box to Toru Watanabe, Honda was sending him the message that the “flow” of life is about to move and that he must follow it wherever it takes him in order to find the meaning of life. Just like Lieutenant Mamiya, Toru must “find the deepest well”, deprive himself of everything to find his path to life. 

Initial Impressions/ Character Analysis of Noboru Wataya

Noboru Wataya is first truly introduced in the 6th chapter of book one, “On the Births of Kumiko Okada and Noboru Wataya”. For thirteen pages, we hear a long narrative about a boy pushed so hard by his parents to do well academically that he grows into a pompous, solitary monster devoid of any feelings. The beginning of the narrative- about Noboru’s upbringing- makes it easy to predict the man’s troubled and alienating character as an adult. By refusing to allow Noboru Wataya to have a social life, and be pressuring him to be competitive (to the point where he would do anything to knock down his adversaries in the process), Noboru’s parents deprived him of one of the most important human skills (socialization/interaction with other human beings of one’s age), and made him skip the step of childhood entirely. In fact because of this, the boy was unable to establish a relationship with his sister Kumiko (who arrived too late for him to ever be able to attach himself to her), and established a relationship perhaps too strong with his other sister, the only girl in his surroundings while growing up. Because he was never able to see other girls during his teenage years, he may have developed a sexual attraction to his late sister, which would explain his masturbating while smelling her clothes. 

Throughout the description of Noboru’s difficult childhood, however, Toru never actually seems to pity him. On the contrary, he sees him as his arch-rival, the personification of evil, even though their interactions are scarce. At the end of the chapter, he even says he hates the man. I think the main reason for such hateful feelings is that, from the beginning, Noboru Wataya made it clear that he felt Toru Watanabe was not worth a minute of his life. Because Toru was not awarded the benefit of the doubt in the eyes of such an intimidating and crushing character, he does not want to give the man a chance either. There is nothing more insulting than being considered worthless by someone, and Noboru immediately makes you feel that way in his presence.

Noboru is also described as being fit for the screen: “Once he got a taste of the world of mass media, though, you could almost see him licking his chops. He was good. He didn’t mind having a camera pointed at him. If anything, he even seemed more relaxed in front of the cameras than in the real world.” (75). I think the reason why he is so comfortable behind the screen is that, with his good looks and seemingly intelligent and sensible opinions, he is able to sit atop society without even making much effort; I believe that his parents made him addicted to power (they treated him like a prince and persuaded him that he was born to be number one, things that only encouraged his narcissism). Either this, or he feels he can conceal his real character behind the screen and fool the audience by being someone/something he is not: a charming, impressive, sociable, perfect being.

Why do you think Noboru Wataya likes the limelight so much?

Do you have any favourite passages, or scenes, in Book One?

“In one instant, the horizon became a faint line suspended in the darkness, and then the line was drawn upward, higher and higher. It was as if a giant hand had stretched down from the sky and slowly lifted the curtain of night from the face of the earth. It was a magnificent sight, far greater in scale, as I said earlier, than anything that I, with my limited human faculties, could fully comprehend. As I sat and watched, the feeling overtook me that my very life was slowly dwindling into nothingness. There was no trace here of anything as insignificant as human undertakings. This same event had been occurring hundreds of millions- hundred of billions- of times, from an age long before there had been anything resembling life on earth.” (146)

This passage impressed me particularly, and is undoubtedly my favorite passage in Book 1. It describes Lieutenant Mamiya’s experience of watching the sun rise in a desolate plateau in Mongolia. I think Murakami was able to capture the grandioseness of a sunrise beautifully; through Mamiya’s character, he was able to translate the sentiment of insignificance you feel when faced with such an incredible (yet mundane) sight. The passage also goes to show how, even in the ugliest, most dismal and inhospitable lands (like Mongolia was to Lieutenant Murakami), the sunrise is a reminder that the earth is one whole planet, and that home is not far since the sight is the same anywhere you are. The passage reminded me especially of my most memorable experience with the sunrise (this is perhaps why I enjoyed the extract so much): I was on a school trip in 9th grade at a campsite not far from the Atlas mountains. The clearness of the air made me sleep like a baby, but there was no way of blocking the morning sunlight (we slept in tents, and there were always areas that would let beams of sunlight enter our shelter). I was woken up by a weak sun beam the first morning and could not go back to sleep, so I decided to exit my tent to watch the rest of the sunrise. When I left the relative darkness of my “bedroom”, I was astounded by the beautiful, serene pink landscape that surrounded me, with just a sliver of sun peaking out of the horizon. I watched the sliver slowly turning into a magnificent, piercing yellow circle, still pale with youth. The sky still had remnants of the past night, with small stars faintly shimmering in the background, and the moon fading in the distance... The sight was mind-blowing, and I felt utterly insignificant in front of such an incredible spectacle (especially since I was the first one up, and it felt like I was the only person alive on this vast earth). 

What was your experience with the sunrise? If you did not experience one, have you ever encountered an extraordinary experience with nature/ a landscape?

First Impressions of Malta Kano

I was instantly charmed by Malta Kano’s character, as she reminded me of the female version a character named Howl from a childhood manga movie, “Howl’s Moving Castle”. From the beginning, I had the impression that Malta Kano would be the type of character that sweeps you off your feet the moment you meet her, a woman full of surprises devoid of rational explanation. This is precisely why she reminded me of Howl- he magically enters the protagonist’s life without any logical reason, overwhelming her with questions she dares not to ask (questions she knows he will not answer anyway), and exits her life just as quickly and abruptly. There is something evidently magical about Malta Kano, yet she is still believable and realistic in some odd way. The conviction in her tone and narrative makes you believe her instantaneously; it is hard not to doubt her. It is as if she expects you to follow what she is saying, even though you (and Toru Watanabe) have absolutely no clue what she is on about, as she provides very vague (or no) background information concerning her odd topics of discussion! Similarly to the relationship between Howl and the protagonist in “Howl’s Moving Castle”, Toru feels too intimidated to ask any questions during his first meeting with Malta; he is overwhelmed by the phenomenal being in front of him, and listens to her without a word. I was a bit annoyed by the fact that she does not appear much in the rest of book one (only once in Toru Watanabe’s dreams), but I guess that it should not come as a huge surprise, since characters like that only appear at the most haphazard instances. I am looking forward to her next appearance in the book...

Does Malta Kano remind you of a character from another movie/movie/literary piece?

Above: Howl from “Howl’s Moving Castle”

http://www.kelley-york.com/2011/10/26/killer-characters-blogfest-protagonist/

First Impressions

At first, just like Majdouline mentioned in her post, this novel reminded me of The Stranger, with the fact that it is so neutral and is basically describing his routine and every day life.

        However, as the story continues, Toru needs to look for the missing cat. He meets a girl and decides to spend the whole day with her in the sun, 'waiting for the cat to show up' (16). This struck me as rather peculiar considering she basically is a stranger to him. In addition with that confusing phone call (the phone sex), this got me thinking as to what personality Toru had. With these details, Haruki Murakami is able to portray the protagonist as a'normal' yet interesting character; due to these different events and minor details, Toru's nature is exposed. Another event that allows us to see into Toru's life is when Kumiko sets him up with Miss Kano. His wife when briefly introducing her makes a decisive statement and says, "Wellm when she does, I want you to do whatever she asks. This is really important. I think you'll have to go see her."(34)  Although he was confused, he did not question his wife's words and did as she told him. The encounter of Malta Kano and Toru was interesting and set apart from his everyday life. This character (Malta Kano) is unique in her way of talking and the way that Toru describes her. Her way of speaking in a very general manner makes her character more interesting and thus makes us, the readers, more interested in the novel. Later on, when he updates his wife as to how that 'meeting' with Malta was, we are enlightened more into Toru's life. He describes how his parents-in-law are strict, as well as superstitious. As he describes Kumiko's father, we are immediately able to identify someone we know with him considering he was, "accustomed to giving orders...harbored not the slightest doubt concerning the values of the world to which he belonged." (49)   This tone also allows us to have a deeper understanding in Toru's personality. He sets himself apart from "these type of people" and admits that Kumiko's parents would not be enthusiastic to have their daughter married to him. The next couple of pages focus on superstition, a certain Mr.Honda, and other episodes, we realize that superstition is significant in their lives. 

    So far, I am enjoying this novel, maybe even more than I enjoyed any novel we read this year in class. It is an easy read, and I especially appreciate his comments on a more general term of the human nature. The little details that he points out, like his realization that he doesn't pay attention to the little details (regarding his wife) make the readers think back on their own lives, and see if the same thing does apply to themselves. Other details of the novel, in particular characters, like Malta Kano or Kumiko's parents, make us start to wonder on how we are living our own lives, and maybe even have a different perspective on life. 

Chapter 2: How well do we actually know the people that surround us?

As I was reading the novel, I realized that it is simple to read and to understand because unlike works such as Tess, the author uses simple language. Chapter two is particularly interesting because it begins to discuss deeper questions about life and human relations. When I read the book, the first word that comes to my mind is neutral; it seems as though the main character is nonchalantly living his life. (This aspect of the novel reminds me of The Stranger.) In this chapter, Toru Okada the main character, realizes that he perhaps does not know his wife as well as he thought he did. As a matter of fact, the first sentence of the chapter is a rhetorical question, "Is it possible, finally, for one human being to achieve perfect understanding of another." (p25) This peculiar question brings up an interesting point because as human beings, we frequently claim to know the people that are closest to us. We are nonetheless surprised when we discover new aspects of their person that we were unaware of which is the case with Toru. He seems to be almost shocked that his wife detests patterned paper and beef with green beans. These are absolutely trivial details of his wife's personality but when one thinks of it, they are nonetheless important. This chapter is equally the first time that the reader witnesses a proper conversation between the main character and his wife; what is interesting is that their topic of conversation should not be particularly interesting yet it is fascinating to the reader because it reveals a truth. Okada who believed and appears to know his wife, especially when he discusses her mood swings that come with her menstrual cycle, realizes that in reality, he may be going to bed every night with a complete stranger. He also begins to question his own life style and the choices that he has made. At the end of the chapter (page 31) he asks three succeeding rhetorical questions that he does not have the answer to. The fact that he is unable to answer these questions cause him to deeply think about them and he says, "This is what I thought about that night and what I went on thinking about long afterward from time to time." (page 31) Although it may seem that not knowing that your companion hates beef with green beans is of negligible importance, the author dedicates an entire chapter to it to prove that on the contrary, people assume to know others when in reality they do not. I do not believe that it is possible for one human being to fully and genuinely understand another.
Furthermore, this chapter introduces one of the story lines and does so by focusing solely on the relationship that he has with his wife. It can be perceived as a foreshadowing to the remainder of the plot. The fact that he explicitly states that he was perturbed by the small details he did not know about her suggest that it will come up again in the novel and that it will become of greater importance. I truly enjoyed this chapter because the author is able to, very subtly, allude to an extreme important (and almost philosophical) aspect of human life and existence that many never realize.

Film Documentary:Murakami (2008)