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.
I really like the way the novel begins with Toru's very banal and ordinary existence and then slides into surrealism... He is fussy about his spaghetti and the exact order in which to iron shirts, worried about being unemployed for too long, but happy in his comfort zone, listening to classical music and taking care of household chores. However, the very strange phone call takes him into unfamiliar territory. Perhaps his subconscious is leaking into his conscious existence? The phone woman and the girl in the garden could be eroticised by Toru's own fantasies. What did you think about the lump of death idea?
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