Norwegian Wood is a modern literary depiction of depression, suicide and the sense of grief born from loss. Although the novel deals with heavy themes, it leaves us with a positive message: even though we may be lost, we can continue to live as long as we try.
Is Norwegian Wood about depression?
“Norwegian Wood” does provide a ray of hope, however. Although many readers are bewildered by its ambiguous ending, overall the novel provides a deep and empathetic insight to those suffering from depression or suicide-related grief.Dec 8, 2019
What was Naoko mental illness?
Ever since the sudden death of Kizuki, Naoko has been struggling to cope with the loss until she decides to end her own life three years later. The long time span and the tragic end to her story are indication that she suffers from prolonged grief disorder.
Who commits suicide in Norwegian wood?
Toru Watanabe is shocked when his best friend, Kizuki, commits suicide without warning at the age of 17. Toru is shaken by the loss of Kizuki, the first major death he's experienced.
Did Naoko kill herself?
Naoko commits suicide after letting herself to be honest shortly before her death (telling Reiko she wants to leave the sanatorium and live with her, talking about sexual experiences with men) Toru can't forget Naoko and the memories of her torture him. Toru starts to get rid of the memories of Naoko.
Why Norwegian Wood is a good book?
Norwegian Wood has all the great ingredients to make a good book, a beautiful and captivating story, good music and a group of compelling characters.
What did Naoko suffer from?
She exhibits clear signs of suffering from melancholia, which can be read about more here. Naoko attempts to leave Tokyo and go to a sanatorium to stabilize her identity but eventually, she succumbs to her own darkness.
Why is Norwegian Wood such a good book?
Norwegian wood portrays a deep and intense story of love , philosophy and society with a mixture of simple words and non linearity. The story is very dark and depressing. Readers can feel it in their veins.
Was Naoko schizophrenic?
This mental illness becomes the main focus of this study in order to find a deeper understanding about schizophrenia. Secondly, it is to reveal that Naoko is a schizophrenic woman from her characteristics.Aug 5, 2016
Why did kizuki commit suicide?
The effects of suicide on his friends are isolation, emotional instability, and not being able to let go of the past. The cause of these effects are suicide. Kizuki decided to commit suicide. “Kizuki had left no suicide note, and had no motive that anyone could think of”(24).
How does Naoko die in Norwegian wood?
Early in the autumn of 1970, just as Naoko seems on the brink of recovery—and poised to move to Tokyo to live with Toru and be his girlfriend at last—she takes her own life, hanging herself in the forest just beyond the Ami Hostel.
Why is it named Norwegian Wood?
Paul McCartney explained that the term "Norwegian Wood" was an ironic reference to the cheap pine wall panelling then in vogue in London. McCartney commented on the final verse of the song: "In our world the guy had to have some sort of revenge.
Does Toru love Naoko?
Toru is in love with Naoko, and the more he falls for her, the more distant she becomes. The day of Naoko's 20th birthday, they make love. It's Naoko's first time and, instead of romance, it felt like she drifted further away from Toru that night.
What was wrong with Naoko?
Further on in the book, it is revealed that Naoko has already undergone a severe loss as her older sister committed suicide when Naoko was a child. She was the one to find her sister hanging in her room and confesses to Toru that it felt “like something inside me had died.
Does Midori and Toru end up together?
Let's jot down the many interpretations of the ending: Toru phoned midori in the past(that is in the flashback) and after a little hassle, their relation is restored. They are happily married and live happily ever after. Toru phoned midori in the past but the ominous depressive world was too powerful and bore him down.
What is Norwegian Wood story all about?
Norwegian Wood is the story of Toru Watanabe, a young man who is damaged by the suicide of his high school friend, Kizuki. Toru falls in love with Kizuki's tortured girlfriend, Naoko, who is isolated in her own mind. When she goes into a mental hospital, he promises to wait for her.
Is Norwegian Wood a sad story?
The film dwells in sadness, but it's tough to care about what they're going through other than in the abstract. Tragedies of this level in another film could be devastating, but because of the characters in “Norwegian Wood,” we'll merely have to eat a pound of chocolate to recover.Jan 5, 2012
What does the title Norwegian Wood mean?
The Norwegian Wood, refers to the “decoration” of the hotel room in which the ” meeting” was arranged. And the phrase ” So I lit a fire” means exactly that. He lit a fire.
Is Norwegian Wood a sad book?
For me, Norwegian Wood was the most depressing of his novels I have read. It could well be among the most depressing novels I have ever read. But, to answer this question generally, no. Haruki Murakami has a very distinct, inimitable style of writing and his characters are often lonely and isolated.
Is Norwegian Wood real?
In reality, however, Norwegian Wood is far from being autobiographical and is simply a work of fiction. As a result, many people think it is an autobiographical novel, but in fact it is not autobiographical at all.
Why did Haruki Murakami write Norwegian Wood?
When Watanabe arrives in Hamburg and hears the song “Norwegian Wood,” memories of a scene with Naoko from eighteen years before come back to him. He feels these memories as “kicks” and says they were “longer and harder than usual. Which is why I am writing this book. To think.