Tsukuru Tazaki is a builder. His name, meaning “to make” and his profession as an engineer is indicative of that. Though Tsukuru’s name is in absolute correlation with himself, he experiences an overwhelming discontent associated with his name, a discontent attributed to the fact his name is not a color. Tsukuru believes he is colorless, empty, meaningless, while his cohort of high school friends, each graced with a name of color, depict genuine meaning and purpose for existence. When said cohort unexpectedly abandons Tsukuru, Tsukuru is sent into a vortex of despair bordering lethality. Sixteen years following Tsukuru’s abandonment, Tsukuru embarks on a journey of closure, seeking out his bygone high school friends. Tsukuru’s warped perception
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Murakami employed stark contrasts in order to emphasise the inherent sorrow of a particular situation. For instance Murakami describes the otherwise joyous image of blooming cherry blossoms with the melancholy of Tsukuru losing another friend, “On the trees, cherry blossoms bloomed, then scattered, but still no word came from his younger friend”. The main goals of Murakami with his particular selection of characters and story was to express the inevitable sorrow and uncertainty associated with oneself, relationships and existence.The novel 's interpretation of masculinity in the context of adolescence and adulthood is an integral aspect of the male identity in modern society. The transposition of Tsukuru’s identity and masculinity in various stages of his life allowed specifically male readers to question their own definition of masculinity and identity in context with various stages of life. Murakami presents three contrasting examples of masculinity via Tsukuru, Aka, and Ao. The reader is able to dissect each form of masculinity, understanding flaws each form possesses as well as strong holds. Murakami, addresses dilemmas within the male psyche in relation to the complexity of male sexaulity and desire. The novel examines the anxiety behind the retention of claiming a definitive and heterosexual attraction, a discussion much needed for the understanding of oneself, as well as the understanding and acceptance of
Murakami employed stark contrasts in order to emphasise the inherent sorrow of a particular situation. For instance Murakami describes the otherwise joyous image of blooming cherry blossoms with the melancholy of Tsukuru losing another friend, “On the trees, cherry blossoms bloomed, then scattered, but still no word came from his younger friend”. The main goals of Murakami with his particular selection of characters and story was to express the inevitable sorrow and uncertainty associated with oneself, relationships and existence.The novel 's interpretation of masculinity in the context of adolescence and adulthood is an integral aspect of the male identity in modern society. The transposition of Tsukuru’s identity and masculinity in various stages of his life allowed specifically male readers to question their own definition of masculinity and identity in context with various stages of life. Murakami presents three contrasting examples of masculinity via Tsukuru, Aka, and Ao. The reader is able to dissect each form of masculinity, understanding flaws each form possesses as well as strong holds. Murakami, addresses dilemmas within the male psyche in relation to the complexity of male sexaulity and desire. The novel examines the anxiety behind the retention of claiming a definitive and heterosexual attraction, a discussion much needed for the understanding of oneself, as well as the understanding and acceptance of