Haruki Murakami and Soseki Natsume - Ananya

I find that even though they are a century apart, the literature of Haruki Murakami and Soseki Natsume share many common themes and ideas. I had some familiarity with both authors before this course, however I never thought to look for any connections between them. Revisiting both of these authors, Murakami in more depth and Natsume more briefly, makes it clear that there are many common threads.

Both authors explore this midpoint between Western and Japanese identities. For Natsume, this comes from living through the Meiji restoration, and for Murakami, this comes from living through a rapidly globalizing world. Each one appeals to readers with a distinctive voice that blends Western and Japanese influences — Natsume through his irony and psychological realism, and Murakami through his surreal moods and dreamlike atmospheres.

Murakami and Natsume also both deeply explore the inner psychology of their protagonists, delving deeply into their minds and studying their characters. Discussing the self is a prominent theme in their works, along with explorations of loneliness and the desire for human connection. Though Murakami often turns to magical realism while Natsume stays planted in reality, both illustrate what it means to be human in the shifting societies of their times.

- Ananya