In Line with the Book Title , all Stories told mostly from Men s perspective giving us a chance to ruminate on three things , Solitude, Man & Woman.
This is not a book review but a jostling attempt to make converged reading of all the stories.
Solitude
I have often wondered about the difference between Solitude present in Dostoevsky Novels and the Solitude present in Murakami s Novels - If one exaggerates Dostoyevsky s Solitude emerges from a suffering , alienated, misunderstanding and Silence - In Murakami s world Solitude often emerges after a person had done what is required to be done by him like he has ticked all the boxes, offended no one , helpful understanding, it emerges from sort of plateaued achievement financially mentally and Physically - this type of Solitude has become sort of hallmark in Murakami s Stories - this story collection too reflects that. Infact this is type of Prototype Solitude can refer to any person who has undertaken a City Life - This type of Solitude remains the missing piece of puzzle in how material success has managed to fulfil all but few missing parts to lead a life in peaceful manner.
Men
Men in these murakami s stories are finite, Murakami through his artistic choice limits Man to five six standard features - How well built, His Face ,His Dress , His Work or how he earns money, how is his sex life, what is his passtime or hobbies any other interests and moves to the Plot which invariably turns out to be a question on his partner Choices / absence / ruminations -
Men through out remain mute spectators of activities happening around them - you can exaggerate and say they have almost become inactive partners in most of the relationships - If you take example from above, how finite a Man s world is, we can further conclude a Man is satiated if above needs like Food , Sex and Idle Time are taken care - they no longer seek to be active or interested in other things - Even while reacting to Cheating done by his partners they evoke a very moderate pacifying withdrawing reactions - this singular aspect is very intriguing and across all Stories we could see this resignation - Man has given up on defining aspects of relationships but he is willing to perform his roles as a dutiful as a list of activities - Infact in cases where his partners cheat , instead of rageful man we have a inquisitive man who wants to know his shortcomings which made his partner cheat - This Singular repeated depiction of Resigned Man calls our renewed attention to Women s world
Women
Right from First Story "Drive my Car" , we know Women will drive the stories ahead ,but what we are not prepared for is the Women s choices are not reactions to Men s Moves but significantly independent moves for which Men seem ill prepared or resigned to without any dramatic responses. To the paranoidal extent let me anecdotally quote "In two centuries down the line Men could be in cages, summoned by Women only for selective needs and be put back in cages again" Said Tarun Tejpal , during Writer Charu nivedita s Book release Function. Though Women have started their independent sojourn their dilemma is well captured in Story " Yesterday" where two men , one moving from Province to City trying to hide his past , other born in city taking interest in specific Province and chosing a life based on that appear as possible Life choices before her, In "Samsa in Love", we have Murakami egging us to see the deadbeat freudian connection between male genital and the armed warfare. As the story ends world is awaiting Samsa to learn things about World in fresh Light, More from a Woman he loves -Even his genitals freshly indicate On his Love Feelings not the urge to Fuck - Genitals not seen as tool to love but as a sensory organ to choose the one to Love talk and more.
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