I’ve found that people can be too literal to enjoy Murakami, but I really loved how you made it a point that the book is to be read and interpreted by the reader. In my opinion, Miu and Sumire are the same person… I think that it was Sumire who was raped and I think that’s hinted by the out of body experience Miu had. I think that Sumire is in love with the idea of Miu, a strong woman who’s capable of thriving in a world that betrayed her, but even in her alter-ego (Miu), Sumire is still afraid of sexual intimacy. She then disappears to battle her demons and comes back only after she’s ready.
To be able to understand the book you have to accept the magic presence in this universe, if you try to find the logic you’ll fail. Or you can just think like that: she died, he died and Meow has some bipolar disorder and memory lose due to the trauma
The way I see it is she was really back. She did not die, but found a clever way to escape that island. Maybe she paid someone to take her by boat out of there and keep secret. She ran away, not knowing what she'll do, but she could not stay near Miu any longer. After some months, she gets back to Japan because she misses K. Yes, the feelings she had for Miu were very strong, and seemengly she would never get over that, but the reality is that no feeling lasts forever unchanged. She bled and lived. However one would interpret the ending, they were back together, and I would call that a happy ending.
In a way i felt like the ending was neither ? Eventho i love both explanations and i think the book ended like that so you can fill it up with your own interpretation but to me; I think he had a dream where she finally called him. I think that was closure for him, he can finally move on. She reached out to him and he realized in his dreams she finally reached out to him. No need for blood no cuts, so he’s not in another universe he is right here. In a way he lost sumire, but because of her he found who he is and what made him him and what made him happy; sumire. I dont know if she truly came back or that it was a metaphore for closure or maybe he did kill himself ! I still think the book entirely is lovely. I also think miu got raped by fernando and didnt split but detached. The two versions of herself, the one that ‘liked it’ and was ‘there’ was the version every victim creates of themselves the voice that says ‘i deserved it probably, i wanted it probably’ (eventho thats not the case) while the other version was the detached body so out of body, i think afterwards she went to the ferris wheel herself and just passed out. I think thats wlso whats common between miu and Sumire their dreams Out of body experiences looking back to who they are or who they can not recognize? Miu is the exact person sumire probably wishes to be in life; put together yet she realized miu wasnt that put together. Nor was she capable of loving sumire the same way sumire loved her. I think she realized the gift miu presented her by letting her touch her but not having the same craving. I think sumire realized who she was and what she wanted finally How sumire was it for K Miu was it for Sumire I think thats why she vanished, to find herself And as she came back to her actual self (not the one she created to be loved by Miu) She also realized K was a part of who she was, thats why i think she came back to him not Miu. Because he knew the real her and with her stories it was always him she came to So now she finished/made progress with her life story; so she called K? Yeh that was my interpretation but everyone has a different one and i just love the journey the book took me on!!!
Thank you. SPOILER I had thought of two of your solutions, but that he had died hadn't occured to me. Also, I thought I read that Miu's hair had been white in Sumire's writing, but K said, when he saw her from his taxi in Tokoyo that he had seen her only with black hair. Leavdng me to believe that he had crossed over into the alternate reality in Greece and then returned.
I’ve found that people can be too literal to enjoy Murakami, but I really loved how you made it a point that the book is to be read and interpreted by the reader. In my opinion, Miu and Sumire are the same person… I think that it was Sumire who was raped and I think that’s hinted by the out of body experience Miu had. I think that Sumire is in love with the idea of Miu, a strong woman who’s capable of thriving in a world that betrayed her, but even in her alter-ego (Miu), Sumire is still afraid of sexual intimacy. She then disappears to battle her demons and comes back only after she’s ready.
You absolutely nailed it. Thank you for suggesting 4 different options. All of them are interesting and some even gave me goosebumps. Cheers!
Thank you ❤️
To be able to understand the book you have to accept the magic presence in this universe, if you try to find the logic you’ll fail. Or you can just think like that: she died, he died and Meow has some bipolar disorder and memory lose due to the trauma
The way I see it is she was really back. She did not die, but found a clever way to escape that island. Maybe she paid someone to take her by boat out of there and keep secret. She ran away, not knowing what she'll do, but she could not stay near Miu any longer. After some months, she gets back to Japan because she misses K. Yes, the feelings she had for Miu were very strong, and seemengly she would never get over that, but the reality is that no feeling lasts forever unchanged. She bled and lived. However one would interpret the ending, they were back together, and I would call that a happy ending.
In a way i felt like the ending was neither ? Eventho i love both explanations and i think the book ended like that so you can fill it up with your own interpretation but to me;
I think he had a dream where she finally called him. I think that was closure for him, he can finally move on. She reached out to him and he realized in his dreams she finally reached out to him. No need for blood no cuts, so he’s not in another universe he is right here. In a way he lost sumire, but because of her he found who he is and what made him him and what made him happy; sumire. I dont know if she truly came back or that it was a metaphore for closure or maybe he did kill himself ! I still think the book entirely is lovely.
I also think miu got raped by fernando and didnt split but detached. The two versions of herself, the one that ‘liked it’ and was ‘there’ was the version every victim creates of themselves the voice that says ‘i deserved it probably, i wanted it probably’ (eventho thats not the case) while the other version was the detached body so out of body, i think afterwards she went to the ferris wheel herself and just passed out.
I think thats wlso whats common between miu and Sumire their dreams
Out of body experiences looking back to who they are or who they can not recognize? Miu is the exact person sumire probably wishes to be in life; put together yet she realized miu wasnt that put together. Nor was she capable of loving sumire the same way sumire loved her. I think she realized the gift miu presented her by letting her touch her but not having the same craving. I think sumire realized who she was and what she wanted finally
How sumire was it for K
Miu was it for Sumire
I think thats why she vanished, to find herself
And as she came back to her actual self (not the one she created to be loved by Miu)
She also realized K was a part of who she was, thats why i think she came back to him not Miu.
Because he knew the real her and with her stories it was always him she came to
So now she finished/made progress with her life story; so she called K?
Yeh that was my interpretation but everyone has a different one and i just love the journey the book took me on!!!
Yeah. It's amazing how we can interpret things in so many different ways!
Great podcast! Helped me a lot on how to interpret this ending. Thanks!
Thank you!
Thank you. SPOILER I had thought of two of your solutions, but that he had died hadn't occured to me. Also, I thought I read that Miu's hair had been white in Sumire's writing, but K said, when he saw her from his taxi in Tokoyo that he had seen her only with black hair. Leavdng me to believe that he had crossed over into the alternate reality in Greece and then returned.
Wow. Thanks for the explanation 👌
Genuinely great video, and lovely narration voice
Thank you!
Awesome explanation! thanks.
Did Sumire really came back at last? Was this symbolic or she actually did come back?
Is there any sequal after this book?
I love your voice! Hello from Twitter.
Thank you ❤️
@@abstractaf You are welcome. Thanks for following me.
The end disappointed me