The Seventh Man Analysis

In the short story “The Seventh Man” Haruki Murakami, uses a horrific typhoon to overcome a childhood tragedy about the seventh man and his friend K. Haruki Murakarni uses one man’s recurring fear of a childhood tragedy to shape and form his character through a terrifying wave that swallows his friend.The author uses imagery, foreboding, and symbolism in this story to construct a sense of fear and bring a wave to life.At the beginning of the story, the author uses imagery to give the surroundings of the main character on a dark, weary night and to set the scene for the story, “‘It was the biggest wave I had ever seen in my life,’ he said. ‘A strange wave. An absolute giant’”(Maurakami 7-8). The authors use of “biggest”and “giant” exemplifies …show more content…
I never went near that seashore or any other."(Murakami 311-312) The character describes his fears from the accident with his friend K but really he is regretting and blaming himself for K's death and keeps referring to how he could have saved K. Haruki Murakami shows the character’s fear of the wave through the doubt of himself and his many night terrors about the tragedy.” He has the same huge grin, split from ear to ear, his eyes locked on mine. I try to scream, but my voice will not come. I swallow water, and my lungs start to fill. I wake up in the darkness, screaming, breathless, drenched in sweat” (Maurakami 285-288). His terrors not only reveal his guilt it also shows how terrified he is of the the water because of the wave that swept his friend away like he was dirt under a rug. After analyzing the techniques Murakami employs in this story to characterize the seventh man Haruki Murakami gives us a glimpse through his eyes to understand the triumphs and tribulations he has been through and the many more that he will have to face in the future. As far as his short story he has seemingly been able to capture our attention and bring to life a wave, a person, a story, and a