The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: Confronting the Self

Novel available on Amazon ►www.amazon.com/Wind-Up-Bird-C...
Be it an individual or a national identity, one of the greatest dilemmas of the human condition is confronting the self. Murakami does just that in both a local and historical context, where Toru must understand why his wife left him, just as Japan must understand the grave atrocities its military committed during World War II. It's all a matter of reflecting upon the self in order to move forth into an optimistic future.
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Written by: Zack Eritz
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Narration by: Zack Eritz
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[@melshadows83]

Great video. My take wasn't that Malta and Creta were being narratively replaced by Nutmeg and Cinnamon. I believe Creta and Malta are parallels to Kumiko and her dead older sister, not Nutmeg and Cinnamon. Even without the direct reference to the physical resemblance, I felt Creta was a lens for us to see another side of Kumiko, as both suffered under Noburu. Malta also becomes absent in Creta's life when she needs her, similar to Kumiko dealing with her sister's death.

[@LITTIPS]

You're theory really speaks to me. It makes so much more sense when considering how Malta felt when Creta left her, a sense of abandonment that motivated the decisions she made. Very interesting, thanks for sharing. :)

[@mnc1126]

Sounds about right. The thought about the absent sister never crossed my mind . Seems obvious now that you bring it out in the open. Malta taking the crooked tail seems like symbol for her role in “fixing” the Noburu problem.

[@ErikJonte123]

I just finished the book and I feel completly blown away. The scenes that Murakami potrays are scenes I have never wittnesed or experienced in any other art form. It feels like I have dicoverd a completly different colour when reading The Wind-up Bird, a colour that is impossible to discribe to a person that hasn't read the book. I feel empty and sad, the same way you feel when waking up from a beautiful dream that you know that you will never be able to experince again. Great commentary by the way and much love from Sweden!

[@LITTIPS]

I absolutely love that feeling. When you read a compelling book it has the ability to change the way you perceive the world.

[@charliep.9107]

I took the well to be the deepest, darkest pit of depression & ive never found someone to put words to it where I have never been able to describe the unreal feeling of the void of this sickness I possess like he did. I felt seen in full finally in his siberian wasteland at the end of the world - oh wait that hard-boiled wonderland is another of his.. Thank you for the very thoughtful video review. Very professionally edited & done. Im impressed.

[@LITTIPS]

One must search within to truly overcome such exterior anxieties. There's nothing stronger than the human spirit. Thanks for watching :)

[@yxvoegl2263]

I enjoyed this video. It's difficult to do a 12 minute video about a book like The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, with all the multiple themes running through it. I recently read it for the second time, and I found so much more in it. One theme I found was of lost connections, Toru seems to lose connections throughout the novel. His cat goes missing, then his wife goes missing. His connection with May Kasahara seems tenuous, she's not always in her backyard when he's looking for her, his connection with the Kano sisters is incomplete because he can't call them, he needs to wait for them to contact him. Even Nutmeg and Cinnamon aren't totally there with him. They buy him the house with the well, but Cinnamon can't talk. And Cinnamon's computer won't give him all the information he needs or wants. I think a good symbol from the book is what Mr Okada left for Toru, an empty box. Of course the overriding symbol is the well, where Toru spends time in isolation, and is nearly left for dead, until May Kasahara saves him. But she really was not a decent savior, since she almost didn't drop the ladder to let him get out. And all possible connections at the end of the novel don't happen. Toru's wife writes to him, but she kills her brother and wants to be executed. Nutmeg and Cinnamon disappear, and sell the house with the well. He meets with May Kasahara again at the end, but all the letters she sent to him he never received, and it seems that they may never meet again. The only lasting connection seems to be that Toru"s cat is still with him.

[@LITTIPS]

Thanks for sharing this. I've learned so much more about the book than I ever thought I would from our audience. We realized when creating the video that it was nowhere near enough time to truly dig into the guts of 'Wind-Up' and we want to create a few more videos around it to do it more justice. So, we may end up creating a series in the near future, after we cover a few more books we've been meaning to get into. But I'm going to keep this comment to reflect on before the next one. Thank again! 🙏

[@yxvoegl2263]

@@LITTIPS Thank you. There's so much more to the novel that I didn't comment on. Murakami is one of my favorite authors. I look forward to your future reviews of all of his works.

[@msi8311]

I thought Creta saved him from the well? Then she was in it herself, left, and May was in it for a few hours to think too. May apologized for not saving him, and said she swore she was going to. Then Toru says maybe she wouldn’t have, and she admits maybe he’s right.

[@yxvoegl2263]

@@msi8311 When Toru was first in the well, May pulled up the ladder, then later she realized that he was down there and dropped the ladder again.

[@Fullbatteri]

That Mongolian flaying scene branded me for life, and became -to me- the central pillar of the book, it's the "no turning" point, after that, anything can happen, and you realize this story is not all fun and games, there's some deeper meaning waiting to be "peeled", something meaningful waiting in the depths of a well. It's a "look at the abyss, find it looking back at you, and then find yourself" narrative. It's absolutely brilliant.

[@gabooshi]

despite the book as a whole leaving a mystical and somewhat confusing impression on me… that scene has stayed with me in extremely vivid and visceral ways. Of course there was also the burial of the Chinese men, the American submarine, the murder of the zoo animals, the Siberian camp- but that first scene of war is what has stuck with me

[@AJ-kv1po]

You should read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, has some extreme violence but it fits the story and reads like a biblical masterpiece. The prose and depth of meaning is to die for.

[@markandrewhoran]

Good video piece, thanks. I finished the book a few weeks ago. I had mixed feelings about it but still really enjoyed it. Maybe "enjoy" is the wrong word to use here. I became kind of obsessed with the book even though, as you mention in your video, things didn't seem to pan out or have any real connection at the end of the book. But, in many ways, that's what I love about Murakami's books - it's more about the ride than the ending. He lets you figure that out yourself. I've never read an author before whose work I feel so personally involved with somehow. The whole story really gets under your skin and, even at its most surreal, feels like real life.

[@LITTIPS]

I felt that way about 'Wild Sheep Chase' as well. The ride is so compelling that it makes all the difference. I will say it also adds to the dreaminess of his plots and I can appreciate a story where you haven't the slightest idea in how it will end.

[@ChancellorMarko]

Chapter 38 of Wind-up bird is heartbreaking. For me it's one of the best pieces of prose ever written.

[@salmalamrani7061]

Could you please remid me what happened in it (I've read it in french the the chapters are different)

[@ChancellorMarko]

@@salmalamrani7061 it's a letter from his wife Kumiko explaining why she left. And why she is going to kill her brother.

[@893loses]

I first read this novel at fourteen, it may be nostalgia, but at 35 I still think about it

[@dumpsta-divrr365]

I wrapped up this book in a cafe today and was listening to dan carlin's series on WWI on the way there. Its funny to see him come up here now that im trying to digest the book, i love those little coincidences in life

[@hector-rb7rv]

great commentary, thank you.

[@AdamMendoza007]

Excellent review! I learned a lot. Thank you!

[@lukejefferies7611]

I completely agree with your comment on the Kano sisters being able to fulfill the role of Nutmeg later on.

[@random_dude26]

What about the story of the boy looking out of his window in the middle of the night watching 1 man climbing a tree and another digging a hole? I didn't understand who that boy was and what the story signified.

[@LITTIPS]

We're planning a few follow-ups to our 'Wind-Up' segment, and will certainly keep this in mind for it. Thanks!

[@random_dude26]

@@LITTIPS ok, looking forward to it. Subscribed btw

[@LITTIPS]

@@random_dude26 Thank you 😃

[@BJ-ii6yk]

@@random_dude26 Hey, just my random take. But i think the boy may be Cinnamon. After the dream he cannot speak, which leads me to believe it's Cinnamon. As for the other two in the dream - no idea!

[@random_dude26]

@@BJ-ii6yk That's interesting, now that you say it it's most likely cinnamon.Now the big mystery is how the 2 men connect to him and who are they

[@auntoo7147]

Great work bruh

[@SakiRv]

amazing summary and video, but you could use fewer sounds effects they are a bit distracting. it was fun to watch non the less

[@adambess4909]

Much like Mamiya was unable to defeat the evil of Boris the Manskinner, Malta and Creta Kano are ultimately victims of Noburu’s evil, helpless against it much like Kumiko as well. Toru must align with untouched characters (Nutmeg and Cinnamon) in what you called the second epoch in order to rescue Kumiko. At least that’s my weird little interpretation for right now. Nice video!

[@ranaozakca7940]

Great video but I wish you talked about May Kasahara a little bit

[@Metraiden1]

Thanks for this amasing interpretation of the book. What do you think about Liutenant Mamiya? I think is a parallel of Okada, both suffering in the well, finally Okada was able to overcome his suffering and water came out from the well. He accepted Kumikos destiny and is willing to wait for her, the Kumiko´s prison is herself, paying for her "crime" of killing her brother intentionally (having sex with a lot of men, "killing" in the process to her husband), and Toru Okada knows her sentence will not be much because her "crime" was not with real intention, and is willing to wait for her (Kumiko to forgive herself). Again, great review of the book, and sorry for my english, but no much analysis of this book online in spanish. Greetings from Chile!

[@LITTIPS]

Greetings Jorge! We appreciate you tuning in from Chile! We believe Mamiya, and anyone who has suffered must go through a similar form of processing the trauma, which is conveyed with the use of the well. So, in a sense, anyone who experiences trauma parallels the other. It's part of the human experience. But, from a more specific point of view, we agree that Mamiya's experiences during the war parallel Okada. But, also consider Japan's war actions during WWII, and its culture that still struggles with facing that history. Ultimately, when we're in pain, we must first face what's in our very hearts. Thanks for reading with us :)

[@valmentajat8267]

I just finished the book and need someone to talk to about it. Im wondering what happened to May at the wig factory

[@zoehemez9356]

Does anyone know where the comic at 10:01 is from?

[@juliazhang8612]

Just finished ib lit exams. Gonna reward myself to some actually interesting literature hahaha

[@gabrielamendizabal4891]

great book and great video. I agree with the 'division' of the novel, it did seem unbalanced to me as well

[@cristinatascon5167]

What about May Kasahara? You made no mention of this major character.

[@LITTIPS]

I know, my co-writer said the same thing. The video was already becoming too long, unfortunately to do her story justice. We want to make an entire video just on May Kasahara.

[@zhouan9570]

Aah a book i do remember reading, unlike Pynchon :) Strong lasting images, sensations. Ultimately though, unsatisfactory/unsatisfying/loose strings - - too long as so many are. But, not wasted time.

[@sai-rc3pm]

"Mu -Ra - Kami"

[@neobogard]

((Spoilers)) The book is certainly not a straight forward experience, especially compared to Norwegian Wood and is inconsistent with it's tone as in it's a pleasant and slow moving story for a couple of chapters, then very dark and disturbing in the next. The story doesn't tie up all the loose ends very well either. By the end it feels like a lot of the characters and events were there for no real good reason or wasn't used in its full potential such as the mark on Mr Okada's face which although had a satisfying enough ending seemed to have a very big importance to the bigger picture which didn't pay off as well as I would of expected. And the dream with the child looking out the window at night to see two men digging in the garden was never mentioned again and had little to no significance to the story that I'm aware of. What did this dream mean?, Why was it even in the story?. And why didn't it end with a conclusion?. It was just never mentioned again. And also I felt that Malta and Creta Kano had very little importance to the ending of the story. over all I fealt that most of the characters and events didn't live up to the full potential which the book has you believe that it's this huge build up which in something very big is going to happen and take place, but it doesn't and every ones story comes to a sudden stop. Another thing that bothered me was Okada's longing for his wife. She practically insulted his manhood with the letter basically claiming he was just a band aid or an excuse for something that resembled a normal life away from her past and how he was just a shell of a man that could never satisfy her or possibly any other woman in any meaningful way that matters unlike the men she was cheating on him could which to any man would be the greatest insult, But yet Okada doesn't seem to be bothered by this horrific revelation in any way and still wants her to come back. To me this is bad character development and if not it's a lack of self respect on behalf of Mr Okada which takes a lot away from his character. I mean the right reaction would of been the same one Kumiko had when she found out that Okada had laid in bed with another woman with his arms around her for comfort. Even though he didn't sleep with this woman, the actions was still out of bound for a married man or even for one that's already in a relationship which made Kumiko furious. I will also like to add that I think Okada should of died in the well. His death in the well would of been a perfect ending especially in theme with the dark tone of the story. But he was saved and although a satisfying ending, I think a death in the well would of been somewhat of a heroic ending and would of given the story a greater impact. But this is Murakami which means it's never really about the story or even the journey, but these things are just an excuse to portray the amazing characters, events and especially the atmosphere. The most important part of The Wind Up Bird Chronicles for me was the abandoned alley way, the abandoned house, The bird statue and the well. Every time a character looks up into the trees when they hear the sound of the Wind Up Bird but can't see it. The summer sunset which shines its orange light into the alley way that's been forgotten by the neighbourhood which creates the perfect atmosphere of solitude. The abandoned house with the bird statue and the overgrown grass. I could almost hear the sounds of the insects in contrast to the deep silence in that garden. or better the sound of nothing. Truly a place where your mind would wonder in peace. And of course the once dried up well which makes you want to know the story behind it but there's no one left to tell it. Maybe there's someone out their that knows something about it. And of course May Kasahara herself. I found it sad that non of her letters made it to Mr Okada. But that just means we as the readers got to experience her thoughts and presence through those letters. And I liked the fact that she's a fan of Bruce Springsteen. Now I will think of her every time I hear Dancing In the Dark. Although I thought she was a bit of a brat at times and sometimes seemed like a cereal killer in the making with the reveal about the boy who died on the motorcycle which was her making and locking Okada in the well and leaving him there to die. But unlike all the other characters, she's the only one that belongs to the lighter side of the story. The side of the story where Okada finds serenity in the abandoned alley way and the abandoned house where the only sound that exists is the wind on the grass and the insects. We later find out that Okada was actually attracted to May Kasahara as a woman when he revealed his thoughts on how she looked in a bikini. She turned out to be one of the best things in his life and one if not the only person he could call a true friend probably due to her innocence being at the age of sixteen which helped her blend in to what he considered sacred such as the abandoned alley and the abandoned house which fueled his friendship with her. I also wonder if Nutmeg's father the veterinarian had any powers of his own. Was he also capable of going through to the other side like Okada could suggested by the same blue mark on his cheek?.

[@cammcneill4121]

I interpreted the story of the boy looking out the window at night as the story of why nutmeg stopped talking. His father was killed and his organs were removed. The boy find that one of the men outside his window buried a heart which I’m guessing symbolized his fathers removed heart. The boy notices the world around him has changed and I believe nutmeg no longer talking is his way of responding to this change.

[@dumpsta-divrr365]

​@@cammcneill4121I agree that the boy was nutmeg, though I also would have loved to have a bit more about that. That chapter was one of the most evocative moments for me, and Nutmeg ended up probably being my favorite character

[@dumpsta-divrr365]

The reveal that Toru never got those letters was SO good. I thought May was annoying in the first half of the novel but she really grew on me after she moved to the factory. I also love how her story ended on an optimistic note. I was seriously worried she would end up "replacing" Kumiko

[@TravelsTTG]

They found the cat. I just reread the book and finished it about 30 mins ago.

[@mnc1126]

I don’t really care about the where and why of Khana and Creata as long as the older sister keeps that cat tail 😀

[@JamesBond-xl8lc]

You forgot to mention May Kasahara.

[@tessjohnson7742]

I really liked this book, but I didn't love the conclusion with Kumiko. All of the focus on her being 'defiled' and that being the reason she can never return to her husband or return to a normal life... it didn't sit right with me and there are some mysogynistic overtones there for sure. Would be interested in other's perspectives.

[@lo-ficranetv2106]

I would agree, my wife is a survivor and the last thing I would ever consider her is "defiled" and I assumed this was a product of misogynistic culture. I think there's much to like and enjoy about Murakami's writings but this perspective is a major shortcoming and, dare I say, a product of the time. However, I also thought that Kumiko perhaps punished herself for breaking their trust and that she would one day return when she felt that trust could be restored. And it did seem that her husband would be open to working on their relationship if she chose to return.

[@blackassboy]

Yeah they used the word defiled but I dont think it was because of what physically happened and more so because of what happened internally. The brother didnt actually rape anyone physically it seemed to be more of a mental trespassing of sorts and the book does not frown upon any of the "prostitution" that happens in the story it only frowns upon the mental states that the acts are being done in.

[@dumpsta-divrr365]

I agree. Women have always been a weak point of Murakami's and the trend continued in this book in that way (Nutmeg and May were excellent characters at least) It felt like Murakami was setting it up that she had simply moved on and Toru was chasing a delusion and hope for a return to a past that no longer exists. Then in the end he ripped away her autonomy, and Toru continues to put his life on hold in the vague hope of resurrecting this dead relationship. I loved the book but that didn't sit right with me.

[@h.smeenk1273]

Boyo

[@countedcrowzero]

You realize there's a 'U' in Murakami, right?

[@dumpsta-divrr365]

I think Toru may be the only Japanese name they pronounce right lol

[@jjhu04]

Very interesting video, but please, if you are going to make a video with lots of Japanese names, learn to pronounce them properly.

[@jaredsmith112]

There’s nothing wrong with having an accent. When names are used cross culturally or in another language they often sound different

[@ericlol1337]

good video but you are slightly off on a lot of pronounciations and even facts. at some points you relay the facts in the wrong order and a small amount of them are plainly wrong. the entire video is really good and you might not even notice but it felt like an annoyance considering that the quality of the video was so high and then you keep saying the mark is black instead of blue, for example

[@Danny-zi9ip]

Interesting analysis and helpful for me to digest the book. But PLEASE practice your Asian name pronounciation. Both Japanese names and the Chinese name you said. Very jarring for those who are more familiar with the pronounciations.

[@leighsimmons2663]

The most overrated writer I’ve ever come across. I tried my hardest to enjoy these novels as so many people suggested them to me. But in the end I had to accept he just isn’t a very good writer. Ridiculous use of ex machina, loose ends lazily pawned as “parallels or metaphors”, characters pushed into narratives via spontaneous fantasy elements and then pulled out when no longer needed, unfulfilled character arcs, and often meandering plot elements that lead to dead ends lazily pawned again as symbols etc. And that’s not just this lovely but all his work that I’ve read.

[@LITTIPS]

I definitely don't disagree. I love how he set the novel up but as you mentioned, 'unfulfilled character arcs' and etc. were particularly jarring. The second time I read 'Wind-Up' it was even more striking. I had the feeling that he took too much time away and when he returned he was in a different headspace, or something. Just my own projection, but, yeah, I might have to go sit in a well and think about it some more.