 |
| More than a Woman. |
Haruki Murakami is fond of incorporating Western pop-culture references in his work, especially music, and the title New Yorking Mining Disaster is a Beegees song. What is the connection in this story? Well, the narrator is metaphorically trapped in this "disaster" called life. Even though he's in his late 20's, he is attending the funeral of many friends and acquaintenances of a similar age. This existential dread and fixation on mortality contributes to his sense of despair and loneliness. Similar to the trapped miner in the song, he too suffers from fear, isolation and uncertainty about escaping this hellish nightmare.
The narrative's underlying melancholy is juxtaposed with subtle surrealism, creating a sense of absurdity. Like other Murakami stories, the refined calmness and discursive prose has a floating, dream-like quality with a perfect balance of sadness and humor. The quirkiness is kept in check and the tangents highlight other common themes that show up in his work such as nostalgia and memories. The New Years Eve party at the end of the story is where the tonal shift towards playful humor becomes most apparant. He meets a woman there and their flirtatious conversation seems to awaken him from this debilitating reverie. She seems to connect with him on a deeper emotional level through humor and he finally begins to come out of his shell.
It's great stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment