Kafka On The Shore - LITCRIT

Kafka on the Shore: Recalibrating Classics
Defining a literary classic remains an arduous process as it always gives rise to debates.
Given the ever-perpetuating arguments on the topic, is it possible for a melting pot of talking
cats, time portals, raining fishes, sex, and omens to become a classic in the future? Is it possible
for a non-Western author to be included in the list of canons? This paper will discuss how
Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore can be considered a future classic in regard to an
author’s prominence, literary criticisms, and appropriation.
To begin, Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore was originally published in Japanese in
2002 and translated into English in 2005. It is a fictional novel revolving on two protagonists
who, despite being in the same realm and narrative, never encountered each other. One is a 15-
year-old teen, Kafka Tamura, who left home trying to escape his cruel father and his Oedipal
prophecy. The other was 70-year-old Satoru Nakata who had lost his memory in a childhood
accident and from then on gained his strange ability to talk to cats. The story’s most central
element of the separation between the body and soul resulted in a series of soul shifts that gave
its readers hints no one, even Murakami, was certain of.
Delving into the reasons on how the book can become a future classic, we start with its
author. Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer highly acclaimed for creating a subgenre of his
own - a formula of “magical realism” with cats, parallel worlds, chase, weird sex, etc. (Lange 2).
His works had been translated into 50 languages, earning himself loads of supporters across the
globe. Moreover, Murakami is recipient of notable literary awards like the 2006 Franz Kafka
Award, and the Jerusalem Prize whose previous awardees include Milan Kundera and J.M
Coetzee (Murakami Website). In addition to Murakami’s achievements are the equally

remarkable recognitions of the book itself. A year after the release of its English translation,
Kafka on the Shore received the World Fantasy Award (World Fantasy Convention), and it was
listed in “The 10 Best Books of 2005” by The New York Times. The immense popularity of both
the author and the text establishes the high possibility of Kafka on the Shore to be a future
classic. Taking it from Bloom’s canons, it cannot be denied that the list includes huge and
prominent names starting with Homer, Shakespeare, Fitzgerald, etc. The authors’ existing fame,
reinforced by the literature’s wide public acceptance, indeed contributed to their inclusion in the
literary canon.
Going into the arguments of Eliot and Coetzee, highlight is their notion of “a classic
being a survivor and eternal source of critical questioning” (Mukherjee 1028). Given such, it will
not be difficult for Kafka on the Shore to qualify. First, the novel is clearly deviant from the
“Eurocentric nature of a classic” (Ibid). Kafka on the Shore displayed details anchored to
Japanese heritage. Despite the presence of several western symbols like Colonel Sanders and
Johnnie Walker, the novel was highly dominated by oriental ones. In fact, the story’s central
element of body-soul separation is a manifestation of Japan’s Shintoist roots which is also
evident in famous Japanese films like Spirited Away and Kimi No Nawa.
Another point that Kafka on the Shore satisfies is what Coetzee supposes of a classic as
being “radically new: impossible to predict and difficult to welcome” (Mukherjee 1034). This
definition deliberately describes the novel because it is too complex, it is nearly impossible to
rationalize it. Trying to do so will make you ask yourself “what is happening?” because events
are seemingly unfit under the rational lens. And to put it simply: if raining fishes, flute made
from cats’ souls, and having sex with ghost is not difficult to welcome, then what is?
The above stated argument reinforces the already mentioned notion of a classic being a
source of eternal criticisms. Its unique and complex nature gives a single reader ton of possible
lenses to use. How much more in the collective scene? This point was raised by Murakami
himself saying that it “contains several riddles, but there aren't any solutions provided”. Riddles
that may have combined, whose interpretation now relies on the readers (Meads). Given a
relatively countless combinations of possible interpretations, the novel is indeed a source of
unending debates.
Lastly, to add a personal note, Kafka on the Shore is a breath of fresh air from the usual
classics centered on love, tragedies, and hero’s quests. While providing a mystical story,
Murakami’s work was able to touch relevant social concerns, one is the LGBTQIA+
representation through the character of Oshima. Having a transgender character that explains
how gender must not be conceived as a binary is a huge step towards advocating for the
community. Imagine it being institutionalized and read by students in the academe - indeed a
giant leap for the success of the queer community and advancement of queer narratives.
All in all, Kafka on the Shore is a highly acclaimed novel, enticing enough to be
“demanding of a rereading”. It is a uniquely and well-written piece of literature that will
continue to provide a whole new perspective and stir the public’s opinion. But apart from the
genius writing, it is the courage and intention to write for culture, history, and representation that
must be the highlighting factor for Murakami’s spot in the list of canonical figures.
References:
“The 10 Best Books of 2005.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Dec. 2005,
www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/books/review/the-10-best-books-of-2005.html.
“Author.” Haruki Murakami, www.harukimurakami.com/author.
Lange, Jeva. “Murakami Is Terrible Now.” The Week - All You Need to Know about
Everything That Matters, The Week, 9 Oct. 2018, theweek.com/articles/800717/murakami-
terrible-now.
Meads, Joy. “Into the Labyrinth: The Dream Logic of Kafka on the Shore.” Steppenwolf
Theatre, www.steppenwolf.org/articles/into-the-labyrinth-the-dream-logic-of-kafka-on-the-
shore/.
Mukherjee, Ankhi. “‘What Is a Classic?": International Literary Criticism and the Classic
Question.” Modern Language Association, Oct. 2010, p. 1028.
Mukherjee, Ankhi. “‘What Is a Classic?": International Literary Criticism and the Classic
Question.” Modern Language Association, Oct. 2010, p. 1034.
World Fantasy Convention. “Awards List.” 2006 World Fantasy Award Winners, 1 Mar.
2014, www.fictiondb.com/awards/2006~world-fantasy-award~276.htm.

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Kafka on the Shore: Recalibrating Classics

author’s prominence, literary criticisms, and appropriation.

its readers hints no one, even Murakami, was certain of.

Coetzee (Murakami Website). In addition to Murakami’s achievements are the equally

element of body-soul separation is a manifestation of Japan’s Shintoist roots which is also

relatively countless combinations of possible interpretations, the novel is indeed a source of

“demanding of a rereading”. It is a uniquely and well-written piece of literature that will

“Author.” Haruki Murakami, www.harukimurakami.com/author.

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