Some say that anyone who cares about the portrayal of women should be wary of Haruki Murakami's work, because women in his world are portrayed almost uniformly negatively.
Other critics argue that in actuality, the men in Murakami's world are the losers in the portrayal game. They say that the men are characterized negatively throughout.
What do you say? In this blog, you must refer to at least two stories, and you must respond to the comments of at least one fellow student.
Here are two comments from a blog on Murakami to start you off:
I don't know if murakami's work can exactly be described as "misogynist", maybe it's just that he's not very good at writing women, but his female characters tend to be drawn from a male ideal of a certain type of woman/girl rather than existing in their own right.
Well,I agree with the opinion that Murakami's novels are weak on drawing female characters, because the first person is usually "僕boku"(means male"I"), but I think it's the men who end up looking unsympathetic.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
In discussions of Haruki Murakami's work one issue has been about his portrayal of men and women. On the one hand, some argue that women are portrayed negatively. On the other hand, some argue men are portrayed negatively. In the stories where the man is the protagonist he is usually the one that is sympathetic and his wife is the source of his problems. In stories where the woman is the main character she always does something to make herself look bad or she gets hurt. For example, in "The Second Bakery Attack" the wife was responsible for the robbery. It was her idea and she influenced her husband to do it. Another story that the woman is portrayed negatively is "Little Green Monster". In this story the woman killed something that wanted to love her. The monster wasn't trying to hurt her but she killed him anyway. So she is unsympathetic. I disagree with those that say the men are portrayed negatively. If anything they are the most vulnerable and sympathetic characters throughout out the stories.
I agree with Candace about how women are portrayed negatively throughout Haruki Murakami’s work. The author uses characterization to portray the women wife as cruel and hateful. For example, in the Second Bakery attack, the protagonist (a man) is demanded by his wife to attack a bakery. “Attack another bakery. Right away. Now. It’s the only way” (pg.43). This line reveals a sense of evil and brutality. Also, throughout the story The Little Green Monster, the woman is portrayed as cold hearted and merciless. The little green monster came into her house and wanted nothing but love, and she “Began ripping out its scales at the roots, one by one” (pg.155). This line reveals a sense of hate. Seeing that the monster was defenseless also portrays the woman in this story as unsympathetic and hateful.
I agree with Candace. It seems to be, when the man in Murakami’s stories appear as a protagonist they are portrayed as sympathetic. I also agree that it is the man in most of the stories who can be seen as vulnerable but even more slaves for love. This can is most seen in the story, “The Second Bakery Attack.” For example, his wife owning equipment could be used during a robbery “Why my wife owned a shotgun, I had no idea. Or ski masks.” (44) This makes his wife seem unsympathetic because not only is she hiding secrets from the protagonist and it is shows that she has some type of violent intention to cause harm to something or someone. He even has doubts about robbery the McDonalds by saying “Let’s just forget it.” (44) Even thought he feels this way he decides to go alone with his wife and commit the crime. This can also be seen in Murakami’s “On Seeing The 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning.” With him saying that she might say, “I might be 100% perfect girl for you, but you’re not the 100% perfect boy for me.” (70) It seems that the protagonist lets the women opinion have an effect his life even before she has any involvement in his life. Ultimately, I agree that in most of the stories by Murakami the men are portrayed as sympathetic because of the way they let the women influence their lives.
Although I agree with Candace, Jasmin, and Louis up to the point about the portrayal of women negatively, I cannot accept their overall conclusions of Haruki Murakami’s worldview of men superiority. For example, in “The Little Green Monster” though the protagonist is characterized as a murderer; there is a deeper crucial meaning for that murder. The protagonist has lived a miserable life and a dysfunctional relationship, and all of the sudden something just come at with love. Of course you’ll be on the defensive side, your fear overwhelms you of the cycle to repeat itself again. Anyways how can you love something you’ve never met; she would have been unsympathetic if she accepted it with only pity to offer it. Also, how this story and others portray the absence of the husband just add on the sympathy for the women, how they long for that comfort. Another story that works similarly is “The Second Bakery Attack” when the wife of the protagonist as a so called tyrant; they over look how supportive she was with the hunger her husband he desire so much for. For instance, when the protagonist and the wife are talking about the curse, “Yes. Now. While you’re still hungry. You have to finish what you left unfinished……….. We’ll find one. Tokyo is a big city. There must be at least one all-night bakery” this choice highlights the encouragement and care she has for the person that she loves. The author sympathizes those who will do anything EVEN ROB A BAKERY for their loved ones. Similarly, the ending of the story unsympathizes the men of ungratefulness of the good deed she did for him. All these stories focuses our attention on how this sexist view of woman at the house all day affects their life. He’s trying to put all of that misery to stop.
I agree that in Haruki Murakami's world women are described as self-preserving, but in result also negatively. I agree with Jorge, but again to a certain point. I agree that the protagonist in "The little Green Monster" had more then enough reason to become defensive towards the little monster, maybe not to the point of destroying it, but she definitely had a right to mistrust it. But i don't agree with Jorge on the "second bakery attack", the protagonist doesn't seem very supportive for her husband. I do believe her actions clarified more that she was out there trying to ease this hunger not for her husband but for her. And that maybe she thought by doing this with her new husband she would become closer to him, kind of like solving two problems with one solution. I also believe that she did worry about her husband and she was helping him, but she made sure she helped herself first and foremost. Another example though would be "Sleep" because she ceased to live her life, so she could live for her family. Her whole life was routine, and when she decided to leave that routine she was viewed as selfish, because well she left her family who didn't purposely do anything wrong. But I agree with what she did, she left them because with them she knew she wouldn't be happy, and she wouldn't really be living. She also knew that she would grow up to despise her own son. To avoid all that unnecessary heartache and depressing life she left. It is mean that she left her family, but she was protecting herself. I know that doesn't make up for what she did but some sacrifices ask to much of people.......
Hej co tam 3rd period
Erica L Castillo
I agree with Candace and Jasmin about how women are portrayed negatively throughout Haruki Murakimi’s short stories. In “Sleep” and “The Little Green Monster” the women feel trapped in routines and a little mean to the men in there lives. In “Sleep” the woman is unhappy with her husband. Your husband is someone you will love forever but she does not even know if she loves him. She even says that she will not love her son. (pg.105). That is just plan evil to say about your son. In “The Little Green Monster” The protagonist seems not to care about her husband. She could have said “My husband went to work so we could get the new home we both wanted.” But she said “My husband left for work as usual,” (pg.1) She should be happy her husband is working and he is not being a looser. The monster can be a man that walked into her life with a ton of love but she killed the monster and she knew what she was doing.
On the other hand, men in Haruki Murakimi’s short stories are also portrayed as not sure what they want in their lives. In “On seeing The 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning” The guy wants to talk to the girl but he can not even go up to her because of the fear of the girl not thinking he is the perfect guy. So, now he will live his life in regret. So you feel some sympathetic towards him but then again you don’t. He lives now in only thinking what if this would of happen. “After talking, we’d have lunch somewhere, maybe see a Woody Allen movie, stop by a hotel bar for cocktails.”(pg.69)
Haruki wants us to feel both sympathetic and unsympathetic for the protagonist in all of his short stories.
Society is partly to blame, and it is our fault too. We should not let society stop us in doing what will make us happy.
Candance and Jasmin has suggested that in Haruki Murakami's worldview, women are protrayed as being negative and unsympathetic. I totally agree with both of them. Murakami implies that women in these stories are heartless. The best example is "The Little Green Monster" because the women planted the oak tree when she was a little girl(p.152) and the monster came from the oak tree. So she is killing something that she has helped create since her childhood. More or less, the monster was defenseless and only wanted to love her... and for to killed it, especially the way she did causes you to develop hate for her and her actions. In just the same way, the women in "The Second Bakery Attack" is characterized as unsympathetic also. My reasoning is as Candance previously stated SHE wanted to rob the bakeshop... it was her idea, she planned it, and even forcefully talked her husband into it. This detail hightens a sense of aggressive control. Therefore, women in Murakami's world are protrayed to be unsympathetic!!!
Ashley Hart...yay!
I agree with Murakami when he portrays women as the their own "home wreckers." Although in some stories the men are displayed negatively, it is clearly the women who seem to initiate the problems within their marriages.
In "Little Green Monster" the woman rejects love so harshly that it clearly depicts her as an angry married woman. She kills someone who wants to share their love with her. This characterizes her as vicious and shows that she is the problem. In "The Second Bakery Attack" the husband isn't sure of what he wants but he also doesn't choose to rob a McDonalds. In Murkami's world it seems as if the men and women are both to blame but women more than men.
I disagree with Candace. Although the men were characterized as the antagonized and the hurt, Some of the men disconnected themselves from their lives, their families and the outside world. The women may be a major reason that marriage doesn't last but men are somewhat to blame as well
-Desiree Portalatin
In “On Seeing The 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning,” the protagonist (the male) loses the girl in the end. He decided not to pursue love because he is afraid of rejection, therefore, he ends up wondering 'what could have happened if he did pursue it'. He sees his “100% perfect girl” but does nothing. He “just passed her on the street,” (69). He continually doubts the situation and comes up with possible responses that the girl could have said. For example, he thought the girl might have said, “I might be the 100% Perfect girl for you, but you're not the 100% perfect boy for me,” (70). Why do people always seem to doubt themselves and make up excuses for it? Why can't we just take a chance?
However, when an opportunity of love approaches the female protagonist in “The Little Green Monster,” the woman rejects it. She is brutal and cruel in her thoughts, which results in destroying the monster little by little. She says, “I have the right to think anything I want to. And I continued to do exactly that -- thinking at the creature increasingly terrible thoughts,” (156). Which is ironic, since she created the little green monster.
Though certain 'outsiders' may have influence the protagonists' actions, the protagonists are the most to blame for their outcomes, which makes them unsympathetic. The men are somewhat doubtful and afraid (Also in TSBA: the man was still unsure whether or not telling his wife the story about the bakery attack was a good thing). And the women are cruel (Also in “Sleep”: the woman wasn’t sure if she could love her son. That's your own child, how could you not know?).
I agree with Candace and Jasmin about how women are portrayed negatively throughout the story, more so than the men at least.
Although I understand where Jorge is coming from, but I'll have to disagree with him that Murakami's worldview is portraying men as being superior. In Murakami's "The Elephant Vanishes," most of his short stories from the novel have more stories of the men being characterized negatively. Although that's true, the women in his short stories are more effective. In "Sleep," the women was very complex but also very pitiful. She had no one understand what she was going through and even yet, no one noticed any change. Comparing "Sleep" to "The Second Bakery Attack," the woman seems to be more characterized negatively than the man. Not only does Murakami suggest women to be negative, he also creates a sense of sympathy for them. True, he does the same for the men in most of the stories, but in "The Elephant Vanishes," the man in that story seems really nonchalant about everything. All he really cared about was how the elephant vanishes. Although he's likable, I just have to say that two out of seven stories of the women being negative, those two short stories are way more effective than the rest.
I disagree with the second person’s entry view that Murakami’s novels are weak on drawing female character because I believe women are portrayed strongly in his stories. For instance, in the story “Sleep,” the protagonist is portrayed powerful and determined. Take for example the following line as she researched about sleep: “I’m through with sleep! I will not be consumed by my tendencies” (99). This line emphasizes the sense of her strength and fortitude. In just the same way, when she talks about her daily duties, she says, “It’s just reality. Just housework. Just a home” (96). This line further heightens the idea of housework being a file of dominoes that could easily be knocked down in a matter of seconds. It’s simple. Fast. Effortless. Even the separating syntax helps the audience sense how minimal these tasks are to her. Also, when she admired herself in the mirror as she was about to take a shower, she says, “No, I had not been mistaken: I was really pretty” (97). This phrase focuses our attention on her confidence and the power she has to change herself for the better. Women are independent. Rigid. Invincible.
Along with “Sleep,” in the “Second Bakery Attack,” women are portrayed as dominant in a relationship. For example, when talking about the first bakery attack with her husband, she comes to a conclusion, she says, “Attack another bakery. Right away. Now. It’s the only way” (43). This line reveals the heavy influence and control she has over her husband. Murakami uses a similar technique when the wife takes charge of the McDonald’s attack, she says, “Lower the front shutter and turn off the sign” (46). This passage highlights the sense of her absolute authority. Even the demanding syntax enhances the sense of her decisions being unquestionable. She has control. Skills. Power. She is a beast. ^-^ Similarly, as they were driving around town looking for a bakery to attack, her husband says, “Why my wife owned a shotgun, I had no idea” (44). This phrase works to create a feeling of menace and intimidation. Women are not fragile. Fat. Ugly. Timid. Vulnerable. They are in command. They are feared. They are confident. In Murakami’s world, women are not looked down at by society or their partners.
According to the second person’s entry, it has been proclaimed that men end up looking unsympathetic in Murakami’s stories. I disagree with his/her view because men are sympathetic since they lack confidence and are passive towards any problems they face. For example, in the “Second Bakery Attack,” the husband is characterized as insecure, which leads the audience to sense his vulnerability. In the line, “Well, it was kind of a success. And kind of not” (40), which was used to depict the effectiveness of the first bakery attack, it creates a foggy atmosphere of doubt and indifference. You can see the same effect in the use of the words “Maybe…Or maybe not” (39) and “Things happen. Or not” (39). These details further colors our idea of us dashing through a dark alley of problems not wanting to look back, and finding an easy way out of that suffocating situation. In a similar way, the words “I guess so” (45) enhances the sense of the unimportance that he gives to his problems. Even the laconic diction reveals how meek and submissive he is when it comes to making a serious decision. He has a choice, but he decides to obey. Also, when they were getting ready to attack McDonald’s, the husband says, “I’ve never fired a gun in my life” (45). This choice helps the audience think he has never faced his problems; therefore, he is afraid of having to face them now. Men are weak. Uncertain. Helpless. For these reasons, we want for them to find the courage to be able to resolve their problems. Although I grant that happy endings are overrated, we still yearn for the characters to find some sort of peace and happiness.
Desiree has suggested that men are doubtful when it comes to making decisions and they lack the courage to take the chance to find love. I agree with Desiree’s view because men do seem to be afraid to take risks and resolve was troubling them. They rather go on living wondering what could have been such as the protagonists in the “On Seeing The 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning” or try to ignore their problems such as the protagonist in the “Second Bakery Attack.” In the end, men are insecure and powerless. They have no guts. No glory. :D
in discussion of murakami's work, it has been said that his portrayal of woman is ultimately negative. on the other hand, many people say that men are the one's being attacked. in all actuality i would have to say that men are the one's that are being attacked. in most of the stories ex cept "T.V. People" the protagonist is a woman, and in most of the stories we are sympathetic towards the woman protagonist. the women in this stories are characterized mostly and vulerable, and emotionally neglected by their significant other. they always want to blame the man for not being there for his wife. but people do not realize that the man isn't home, because he is out working all day trying to support his wife and family. for example, in "Sleep" the husband owns his own dentist office which takes up most of his time. it is true that he is not there emotionally for his wife, but then again he is working hard to maintain his family. the question is what would a person rather have, a stable life or a stable relationship?
In the Murakami's stories, I agree with Jasmine and most of the other comments that women are being portrayed negatively. They seem to have a totally different view on the world than the men in each story. The woman in "Sleep" nit pics how her husband looks and tells what he doesnt like, some she is not able to let go. From her being somewhat unattached to her husband from her sleepless nights makes her be rebelious and wanting something more. She keeps her secret for her own good and doesnt share it with her spouse so the couple isnt united fully. She seems to be unthoughtful of her marrage.
Post a Comment