Throughout Book 2 Murakami makes us believe that there is a definitive connection between Creta Kano and Kumiko. Although expressed differently, Murakami focuses on the pain felt by both characters. Kumiko undergoes inner damage that she is unable to confess to Toru, her husband. This agony is revealed through flashbacks when Toru recalls certain events in the first six years of their marriage, especially in relation to the abortion, and Kumiko's inability to express her sentiments or explain what she is struggling with. Creta Kano also experiences tremendous pain. Creta Kano's pain is described differently. She undergoes three stages of intense physical pain but unlike Kumiko, Creta succeeds in finding herself close to the final stage of pain. The parallel created between Creta Kano and Kumiko is best noticed through Toru's point of view during his supernatural dreams which he discovers, were controlled by Creta. Creta slowly impersonates Kumiko as she becomes more present during Toru's life at the same time Kumiko and Toru's marriage starts to fall apart and the distance between them becomes more evident. Toru also experiences a change in his inner self and his daily routines. He strives to create his identity and constantly searches for himself. Toru then becomes less mundane and crosses the line between reality and the supernatural partly because of Creta's growing presence in his life. Kumiko, May Kasahara and Creta are the women who seem to effect Toru's life the most. However, Kumiko and Creta's combined effect on the protagonist's life is profound and because of this Toru seems to find himself on another level that defies normality as we know it.
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