Haruki Murakami 村上春樹コミュのTony Takatani

I read this story for the first time today in the collection, "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman", though I know it has been published elsewhere in English before. It is one of Murakami's longer short stories, but as usual is incredibly well written and captivating. I could not stop until I was finished.

Tony is a sad character. From the moment of his birth he is forgotten at the hospital by his father. When he is finally remembered, it is only because of an American GI who is friends with his father, and the baby is given the name Tony. Thus, from the start of his life, Tony is marked and destined for loneliness.

The character of Tony seems in many ways to be quite different from his father. They share some similarties, of course -- both are artists, and both don't mind being by themselves (at first) -- but Tony later takes on all the sufferings and loneliness of both characters. By doing this, he seems to give his father a kind of 'free and asy' life. Shozaburo Takatani never suffers at all, except for a little bit of confusion about his feelings when his wife dies. Tony, on the other hand, suffers a LOT once he falls in love, and particularly after his wife dies.

By the end of the story, Tony is completely alone. Therefore, from his birth and being named Tony, it was his destiny to be alone in a country where standing out (at least, at the time) was not really accepted.

- What do you think of the story?
- What do you think of the characters?

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[1] mixiユーザー 09月01日 06:04

Only Haruki can make this kind of character, Tony Takitani.
Having read this short story, I thought of beling alone, loneliness and solitude such things.
Tony Takitani never felt lonely until he met his wife.
He took being alone for granted.
But imagine what kind of life he will have after his wife's death, removing her all clothes and his father's all records...
This short stories seems to show complete loneliness, extreme loneliness that seems to grab you to death...
I dont know I just like the first line of this story very much.
Tony Takitani's real name was really that: Tony Takitani
So cool!
By the way, this's hidden story of Tony Takitani.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Jan/29/ln/ln09p.html

[2] mixiユーザー 09月01日 09:18

Jamie: Yes, the first line is genius! Often, the first line of the story is the most important, and so Murakami does a good job of getting the reader's attention immediately.

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