Exploration of post-war Japanese cultural Trauma in Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood

Abstract

This thesis Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood as a trauma fiction that critiques explores of Post-War Japanese Cultural Trauma. It sheds light on the reduction of the intensity of Japanese people behavior, manner, and activities. Toru Watanabe and Naoko are the major characters who are deeply haunted mentally due to the suicide of their mutual friend Kizuki, Norwegian Wood is a flash back story of the protagonist. Toru Watanabe and Naoko who are haunted deeply and suffering from mental injury are living the life of absurdist involving in various priceless works like extreme alcoholism, misguided sex, unprofessed love, not committed behavior, depression, escapist mentally, and futile sex adventure. The entire young generation of post-war Japan was affected by instability, transition, constant change, because of the over influences of Western materialistic force after its defeat in Second World War period. In this backdrop, the significance of this research lies to pinpoint the negative impact and its long term consequences in the lives of Japanese youthss and even their entire country which is culturally moaned and infected. Thus, the major thrust of the study is to envision the passage of time of the 1960s Japan aiming the detailed investigation primarily focusing on the harsh and harmony norms and values of Western culture and its main influence over the native culture of Japan and its people. To preciselyshow this sorts of tormented, depressed, imprisoned and traumatized condition of Japanese youths, this research work uses the theory developed by Jeoffery Alexander, Ron Eyerman, Cathy Caruth, Dominick LaCarpa. Keywords: self transformation; relationship; mental development; death; cultural representation; trauma