I was shocked in class to hear that Norwegian Wood felt surreal or even fantastical to some. The main reason is the psychiatric facility where Reiko and Naoko stay, which shocked me even more. This novel reads to me as purely realistic. In fact, it seems so based in reality that it reminded me heavily of what it's like to live in a psychiatric facility. In fact, the hostel is one of the most accurate portrayals of a mental facility that I've ever read. I believe that having experienced a similar living situation to Naoko's has given me a unique perspective on the validity and actuality of the novel’s plot.
One quote that is called back a couple of times, “What makes us most normal…” “... is knowing that we’re not normal,” perfectly encapsulates what it is like. Naoko and Reiko’s outlook on life is also very similar to what one might expect in such a place. In the cafeteria, the conversations are quiet and seem to act like background noise, but this is also extremely true to life; the facility isn't a school or restaurant. It's a psychiatric ward. Additionally, the people here are suffering from various mental struggles; it's really not shocking that the conversations feel odd or monotonous. It's realistic.
I think framing the idea of such a facility from the perspective of what it is actually like to live in one is important in recognizing how normal the Ami Hostel actually is. I do, however, understand how different this situation may seem to those who have never experienced something like this. I think it would be interesting for others to look into YouTube videos of people who have had similar experiences to learn about the reality of it.
-Kyla Pascoe
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