FROM DEATH TO LOVE: THE SEARCH FOR MEANING IN THE LIVES OF CHARACTERS IN 'NORWEGIAN WOOD' BY HARUKI MURAKAMI
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51453/2354-1431/2024/1206Keywords:
Norwegian Wood, Haruki Murakami, meaning of life, character, existentialism, love, death.Abstract
Haruki Murakami's novel Norwegian Wood is not merely a love story but deeply portrays existential themes. This study aims to explore the relationship between love and death, as well as how these themes influence the characters' journey in seeking the meaning of life. Using a qualitative content analysis method, the research focuses on the symbols and emotions that Murakami has depicted. Through this, it clarifies how the main characters, such as Toru, Naoko, and Midori, confront loneliness, ultimately discovering existential elements like freedom, isolation, and the desire for connection. The results show that love, whether painful or joyful, plays a crucial role in helping the characters shape their identities, overcome chaos, and reclaim a sense of purpose in a socially turbulent context.
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