THE MANIFESTATION OF LOVING SOMEBODY, AS
SEEN IN SAEKI, ONE OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS
OF MURAKAMI’S
KAFKA ON THE SHORE
ASARJANA PENDIDIKANTHESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree
in English Language Education
By
Yuantari Ananingsih
Student Number: 051214132
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTEMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
THE MANIFESTATION OF LOVING SOMEBODY, AS
SEEN IN SAEKI, ONE OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS
OF HARUKI MURAKAMI’S
KAFKA ON THE SHORE
ASARJANA PENDIDIKANTHESIS
Presented as Parial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree
in English Language Education
By
Yuantari Ananingsih
Student Number: 051214132
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTEMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
iv
Everytime I close my eyes and say my prayer at night
I thank God each day for your love
That gives me wings to fly up high
to reach my dream aim for the sky
you always said,
your head up high
smile on your faceand wish
that you will always be loved
the stars will lead you every step you take
don’t you ever be afraid…believe in you
and I’ll be there to guide you
Wherever you may go
Thank you for your love forever…
v
This thesis is dedicatedto
My Beloved Mother, M.Y. Titik Marsiswati
who gives me wings to fly
and guides every step I take
viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Most of all, I would like to express my greatest gratitude to Lord Jesus Christ for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to study in English Language Study Program of Sanata Dharma University. I am
thankful to them for giving me love, spirit, motivation during this thesis
writing.
I would like to thank myadvisor, Drs. Antonius Herujiyanto, M.A.,Ph.Dfor his guidance, support, ideas, patience, and sincerity so that I can finally finish my thesis. His lesson about the world of literature and the
ways to face problems have released me from difficulties. He guided me to
write this thesis with care and effectiveness. He is the best lecturer I have.
My special gratitudes go to all lecturers who have shared their
knowledge and encouragement during my study in English Language Study Program of Sanata Dharma University. Special thanks also go to all Sanaha Dharma University staff, especially Mbak Dhanniek in PBI Secretariat for their help and friendliness during my study in Sanata Dharma
University.
My sincere thanks go to my parents, my father,Yulius Sunaryofor his support and motivation and my beloved mother,M.Y. Titik Marsiswatifor her love, care, support, and prayers that make me strong. I thank my mother
because she is like a bestfriend who gives me freedom to choose what is
best for me. My sincere thanksare also addressed to my grandparents,
grandpa Greg.Sumintarjo and grandma C.Djinah Suprihatin
forherprayer,support and motivation.
My gratitude is also addressed to Surya Octa Wijaya for his love, support, motivation and presence during my thesis writing. I thank him for
ix
went to campus or BAA. I thank him for being patient whenever I felt upset
and for his endless love. I thankhim for encouraging me during this thesis
writing. I also thank my little angel who also makes me strong and gives me
strength.
My special thanks go to my besfriends Yohanna Kurnitta (Nyit-Nyit),Triastuti Dian Kusumartinifor checking and giving comments on this thesis, and Olivera Ika Chandra (Bun-bun).I thank them for their love, laughter, tears, and this long friendship. I am so grateful to have
bestfriends like them.
I would like to express my special thanks to my boss Ko Agus and Cie Diana who always give me the permission to come late or go home early in order to have a thesis consultation with my lecturer. Thanks to
konco-konco makaryoatFl@SHandEXE, Jenk Etti, Jenk Isti, and Jenk Sari for this partnership.I thankto Jenk Sari who were always readyto exchange the work time whenever I need it. I also thank to mbak Tia for the painting ofKafka on the Shore.
I would also like to express my special thanks to some friends at PBI,
Ayuni, Nova, Mami Chika, Vita, Linda, Megaand people who I cannot mention one by one. I thank them for their love, support, and care so I can
finish this thesis.
Matur Nuwun Sanget
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
APPROVAL PAGE ... ii
MOTTO ... iv
DEDICATION PAGE ... v
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... vi
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... viii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... x
LIST OF FIGURE ... xiii
ABSTRACT... xiv
ABSTRAK ... xv
CHAPTER I :INTRODUCTION ... 1
A. Background of the Study... 1
B. Problem Formulation ... 5
C. Problem Limitation ... 5
D. Aims of the Study ... 6
E. Benefits of the Study... 6
xi
CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 10
A. Review on Related Studies... 10
B. Review on Related Theories ... 11
1.Critical Approach ... 11
2. Theory of Psychology ... 12
a. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 12
b. Theory of Personality... 16
c. Theory of Motivation ... 19
d. Theory of Love... 22
C. Theoretical Framework ... 25
D. Context of the Novel ... 26
CHAPTER III : METHODOLOGY... 28
A. Object of the Study... 28
B. Aproach of the Study ... 29
C. Method of the Study... 29
CHAPTER IV : ANALYSIS... 31
A. Saeki’s Character and Characterization ... 31
1. Personality Description... 33
B. How Saeki Manifests Her Love... 40
1. Saeki’s Love For Her Sweetheart ... 40
2. Saeki’s Love For Her Son ... 47
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 55
A. Conclusions... 55
B. Suggestion... 57
xii
2. Suggestion for Teaching Learning Process ... 58
REFERENCES... 60
APPENDICES ... 63
Appendix A : The Summary ofKafka on the Shore... 64
Appendix B : Bibliography Haruki Murakami ... 66
Appendix C : The Cover ofKafka on the Shore... 75
Appendix D : Lesson Plan ... 76
Appendix E : Learning Material ... 79
xiii
LIST OF FIGURE
xiv ABSTRACT
Ananingsih, Yuantari. 2012.The Manifestation of Loving Somebody, as seen in Saeki, One of the Major Characters of Haruki Murakami’sKafka on the Shore. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program Sanata Dharma University.
This study discusses Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore. The novel tells about a fifteen-year-old boy named Kafka Tamura who runs away from home in order to look for his mother. Saeki, Kafka’s mother suffers for a long time because of the death of her sweetheart when she was twenty.
The aim of the study is to reveal somebody’s way in manifesting her love as seen in Saeki, one of the major characters in Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore. In order to achieve the aim, this study deals with two discussions. First, it deals with how Saekiis described in the novel. Second, it deals with how Saeki manifests her love.
There are two sources which are used to complete the data. The first source is Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore,while the second source derives from library books, such as textbooks, journals, essays, and articles which are related to the study.
The study uses the theories of character and characterization to identify and to describe Saeki.The theoryof psychology, namely, the theory of personality, the theory of motivation, and the theory of love are used to answer the second problem formulation.Furthermore, the approach used in the study is psychological approach which is relevant to analyze the character’s thoughts, motivation, love, and personality.
The findings reveal that Saekis iselegant, artistic, egocentric, smart, mysterious, faithful, melancholic, and mystical. Secondly, there are two people whom Saeki reallyloves. They are her dead sweetheart and her son, Kafka. Saeki manifests her love to the sweetheart by becoming faithful when they had a long distance relationship. Since the death of her sweetheart, she loses the will to live and buries herself in a long sadness for more than twenty years. Whereas, Saeki manifests her love for the son by leaving him. She decides to leave her child because she has a traumatic experience of losing a person she really loves. The motivation of leaving Kafka is because she loves and prefers to leave him first before he is taken away from her side.
It is suggested for future researchers to discuss some possible aspects in the novel, such as the aspect of Oedipus Complex and realism. Besides, future researchers may also analyze the meaning of the lyric and the paintingof Kafka on the Shore. It is also suggested that the novel is used as English Teaching Material and learning source in Paragraph Writing class in Sanata Dharma University.
xv ABSTRAK
Ananingsih, Yuantari. 2012.The Manifestation of Loving Somebody, as seen in Saeki, One of the Major Characters of Haruki Murakami’sKafka on the Shore. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini mendiskusikan novel Haruki Murakami yang berjudul Kafka on the Shore. Novel ini menceritakan tentang seorang anak laki-laki berusia lima belas tahun yang melarikan diri dari rumah untuk mencari ibunya. Saeki, ibu Kafka lama menderita kematian kekasihnya saat dia berusia dua puluh tahun.
Tujuan studi ini adalah untuk membuktikan cara seseorang dalam menunjukkan cintanya, seperti yang terlihat dalam diri Saeki, salah satu tokoh utama dalam novel Haruki Murakami yang berjudul Kafka on the Shore. Untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut, studi ini mencakup dua pembahasan. Pertama, mengenai bagaimana Saeki dideskripsikan di dalam novel tersebut. Kedua, mengenai bagaimana Saeki menunjukkan cintanya.
Ada dua buah sumber yang digunakan untuk melengkapi data. sumber pertama adalah novel Haruki Murakami yang berjudul Kafka on the Shore,
sedangkan sumber kedua berasal dari buku-buku kesusasteraan,seperti buku-buku, jurnal-jurnal, dan artikel-artikel yang berkaitan dengan studi.
Studi ini menggunakan teori tokoh dan penokohan untuk menentukan penokohan salah satu tokoh utama dan untuk mendeskripsikan penokohan Saeki. Teori psikologi seperti teori kepribadian, teori motivasi, dan teori cinta digunakan untuk menjawab rumusan masalah kedua mengenai bagaimana Saeki menunjukkan cintanya.Lebih lanjut, pendekatan yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologis yang sesuai untuk menganalisa pemikiran, motivasi, cinta, dan kepribadian tokoh.
Hasil membuktikan bahwa Saeki elegan, artistic/berseni, egois, pintar, misterius, setia, melankolis, dan mistis. Kedua, ada dua orang yang benar-benar dicintai Saeki. Mereka adalah kekasih dan anaknya yang bernama Kafka. Saeki menunjukkan cintanya kepada kekasihnya dengan setia saat mereka memiliki hubungan jarak jauh. Sejak kematian kekasihnya, dia kehilangan keinginan untuk hidup dan mengubur dirinya dalam kesedihan yang panjang selama lebih dari dua puluh tahun. Sedangkan Saeki menunjukkan cintanya kepada anak laki-lakinya dengan meninggalkannya. Dia memutuskan untuk meninggalkan anak laki-lakinya karena dia memiliki pengalaman traumatis kehilangan orang yang sangat dicintainya. Motivasinya meninggalkan Kafka karena dia cintadanlebih memilih untuk meninggalkannya terlebih dulu sebelum dia diambil dari sisinya.
xvi
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of Background of the Study, Aim of Study,
Problem Formulation, Problem Limitation, Benefit of the Study and
Definition of Terms. Background of the Study explains topic of the Study.
Aim of the Study gives the information about the writer’s objectives in
conducting the study. Problem Formulation consists of two questions that
generally describe the problems that will be answered. The Benefits of the
study give the explanation of the benefit for people who read this study. The
last part is the Definition of Terms. It explains some terms that are used in
the study.
A. Background of the Study
Loving and to be loved are two things that cannot be separated from
man’s life. A love can exist between a man and a woman, a parent and a
child, a husband and a wife, and so on. A love has a magical power that can
make people do what is called an impossible thing. A love can make people
laugh and cry. Everyone have experienced to love or to be loved by
someone.
If someone lives without love, he feels emptiness in his heart. The
emptiness appears because he feels lonely. As Alberoni (n,d) states that a
person is falling in love sees everything transfigured-nature, the air, rivers,
light, colors are all brighter and more intense (11). When a man is falling in
love, everything around him is beautiful. Psychologically, happy feeling
influences a man to think many things which are good and beautiful. This
positive thinking tends to be a motivation that can produce a positive energy
to do things which make him pleasant, such as to sing and to smile.
However, when a man is suffering a broken heart or losing his
beloved one, the situation will be the opposite of when a man is falling in
love. Psychologically, he will feel sadness. We often realize we need people
when we risk losing them, e.g. when they leave us, or when some negative
power, such as illness, violence or death, wrests them from us. When
someone feels sad, physically he may express the sad feeling with negative
behaviors, such as close himself from other people around him, cry,
romancing, or the worst thing is behave rude.
Normally, the sad feeling will slowly disappear and a motivation to
start a new life with a new hope comes. However, if the sad feeling stays in
one’s heart for a long time, it influences his whole life. The condition of
losing a beloved one happens in Saeki, one of the major characters of
According to Hays (2009), Haruki Murakami was born on January
12th, 1949. He was a very famous Contemporary Japanese. Many people
describe him as a Japan’s best living writer. Murakami graduated from
Waseda University, Tokyo. He got many awards as a writer; there were
Yomiuri Literary Prize (1995), Kuwabara Takeo Academic Award (1998);
Frank O’Connor International International Short Story Award (Irlandia,
2006); Franz Kafka Prize (Cekoslovakia, 2006); Asahi Prize (Japan, 2006)
and Kiriyama Prize (2007). His works have been translated into 40
languages.
In Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore, Saeki, one of the major characters of the novel, is a woman in her fifties who has lost her sweetheart
since she was twenty. The death took the soul of her first love. Saeki had a
sweetheart since she was in grade school. They were separated because the
boy continued his study in Tokyo. Both of them could not see each other for
a long time. When she was nineteen, she wrote a poem which expressed her
feeling to the boy. The meaning of the poem is like the painting which was
painted by her sweetheart when both of them were fourteen. She set the
poem to music, played the piano and sang it. The title of her poem is Kafka on the Shore.
When she was twenty, she had to lose her sweetheart, the one she
loved with all her heart. The death takes his soul to the Creator. It was hard
had been, even her parents and friends. She also does not go to his
sweetheart’s funeral.
Many rumors come about her. Some people say that she is
committed to mental hospital after a failed suicide. The others say that she
works in Tokyo, gets married and has a child. Twenty five years later, she
came and talked to Komura Private Memorial Library, the family of her
sweetheart. Then she becomes the head of Komura Private Memorial
Library.
Even though she comes back and becomes the head of Komura
Private Memorial Library, the death of her sweetheart still influences her.
She becomes a mysterious woman. She is always polite and kind, but really
closes herself. She seldom talks about herself, especially her past. She hides
her true feeling from other people.
The mystery of the life is revealed after a 15-year-old boy who is
naming himself as Kafka finds her with the theory that she is his mother
who is abandoned him since he is a kid with an unknown reason. The love
for her sweetheart is so deep as if he is her soul. When the soul goes, she
loses the willing to live.
This study is triggered by the incidents experienced by Saeki. It must
psychological factors that affect Saeki’s life, in this case, how she manifests
her love. The aim is to see Saeki’s love.
The theories used in this study are the theory of character and
characterization, the theory of personality, the theory of motivation, and the
theory of love. This study applies the psychological approach.
B. Problem Formulation
The problems of this study can be formulated as follows:
1. How is Saeki described in the novel?
2. How does Saeki manifest her love?
C. Problem Limitation
There many characters presented in this novel. However, not all
figures are discussed by the writer. The major concern is the major figure in
this novel, which is one’s experience of having suffered from a broken heart
D. Aim of the Study
The aim of this study is to reveal somebody’s way in manifesting
her love as seen in Saeki, one of major characters in Haruki Murakami’s
Kafka on the Shore.
E. Benefit of the Study
There are some benefits that we can obtain from this study. They are
divided into two parts, which are:
1. The Benefits for Education Field
The result of this study is expected to give some benefits for students
of Senior High School and University. For students of Senior High School
and University, they will acquire deeper understanding of the novel of
Haruki Murakami’sKafka on the Shore.Besides learning new vocabularies, they can also find a pleasure of reading the novel.
Meanwhile, for the lecturers of English Language Study Program,
2. The Benefits for Readers in General
The benefits for the readers of Murakami’sKafka on the Shoreare to more appreciate the work of literature, get more knowledge about the
content of the story, and the value they can draw from the story.
F. Definition of Terms
The following is the meaning of certain words in the story.
Therefore, we can avoid misunderstanding terms. Some important terms
used in this study are manifestation, character and characterization,
personality, motivation, and love.
1. Manifestation
Manifestation is an event, an action, an object, or a statement that
shows something clearly (“Manifestation”). Thus, in this study what the
writer means by manifestation are those actions conducted by Saeki to
express her love.
2. Character and Characterization
According to Stanton in An Introduction to Fiction (1965:17), the term character refers to two meanings. It points toward the individuals who
appear in the story and refer to mixture of interests, desires, emotions, and
Blair and Gerber in their bookBetter Reading to Literature(1981: 52), characterization is the technique used by the writer to take these qualities
known. Moore, in his book of Effective Meaning (1955:326) defines the word characterization as “The characters are people of the novel, and
characterization is the way the novelist portrays his people”
In this study, the theory of character and characterization is dominant
to find out the personality of Saeki, the main character of Murakami’s
Kafka on the Shore.
3. Personality
According to Allport (1937), personality is the dynamic organization
within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his
unique adjustment to his environment. In this study, the writer is going to
see the personality of Saeki, one of the major characters of Murakami’s
Kafka on the Shore.
4. Motivation
According to Corsini (1987), motivation is the driving force within
individuals that impels to the action (p.734). However, Maslow (1943)
states that motivation is not the only determinant; other variables such as
effort expended, ability, and previous experience also influence
While Beck states that motivation is broadly concerned with the
contemporary determinants of choice (direction), persistence, and vigor of
goal directed behavior (1978). In this study, the writer utilizes the theory of
motivation to find out Saeki’s motivation to keep her love.
5. Love
According to Raymond (1987), love comprises such elements as
responsibility for the other, tenderness, self-disclosure, and exclusivity.
According to May (1953), love is a “delight in the presence of the other
person and affirming of (that person’s) value and development as much as
one’s own” (as cited in Feist & Feist, 2006, p.35). In this study, what the
writer means by a love is a complex feeling with someone and how he/she
shows the feeling to that person. Thus, the writer utilizes the theory of love
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter deals with Review on Related Studies, Review on
Related Theories, Theoretical Framework and Context of the Novel.
A. Review on Related Studies
There are many criticisms toward Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore. Naomi in goodreads.com stated that the story is a beautiful weave of metaphysical, philosophy, and wonderful characters that are ‘global’
and ‘Japanese’. She says that Murakami is obviously someone who
thought deeply and originally about his world and theories he comes in
contact with. She says much like Nakata and many of those they meet
including some of the kitties.
According to Hill (2005), the novel of Murakami, Kafka on the
shore, is a nutty and silly as any of those that have come before it. It
means that almost all Murakami’s novels have its own character. He
says that Murakami’s writings are often charming, including the novel
of Kafka on the Shore. There is a hypnotic, spellbinding quality to Murakami’s through-the-looking-glass Japan, where spirits take on the
forms of whisky icons, and omens manifest themselves as hails of fish
and leeches (Hill, 2005). Hill is interested in Murakami’s writing.
According to Hill (2005), the juxtaposition of Greek myth and X-Files
kookiness is uneasy, also apart from some brilliant episodes involving
cats, fish and Colonel Sanders, the plot lacks the crackling, and brilliant
weirdness of the author’s short stories and recent novels.
B. Review on Related Theories
This part consists of Theory of Critical Approach and Theory of
Psychology. The Theory of Psychology consists of Theory of Character
and Characterization, Theory of Personality, Theory of Motivation, and
Theory of Love.
1. Critical Approach
Rohberger & Woods (1976) divided the critical approach into
five approaches to analyze a work of literature. The approaches are
“formalist approach, biographical approach, socicultural-historical
approach, mythopoeic approach, and psychological approach.” The first
approach is formalist approach. Based on Rohberger & Woods (1971),
this approach concerns with demonstrating the harmonious involvement
of all the parts to the whole and with pointing out how meaning is
derived from structure and how matters how technique determine
The second approach is biographical approach. According to
Rohberger & Woods (1971), “biographical approach asserts the
necessity for an appreciation of ideas and personality of the author to an
understanding of literary object” (p.6). The third approach is
sociocultural-historical approach. According to Rohberger & Woods
(1971), “it investigates the social milieu in which a work was created
and which it necessarily reflects” (p.9).
The fourth approach is mythopoeic approach. According to
Rohberger & Woods (1971),”it seeks to discover certain universally
recurrent pattern of human thought, which they believe find expression
in significant work of art” (p.9). The fifth approach is psychological
approach. Atkinson (1981) emphasizes how personality develops. This
approach is used in the study because it is relevant to analyze the
character’s thoughts, motivation, love, and personality.
2. Theory of Psychology
a. Theories of Character and Characterization
According to Stanton the term character refers to two meanings. It
points toward the individuals who appear in the story. In addition, it
make up each of these individuals. Most stories contain a central
character which is relevant to every event in the story. Generally the
events cause some changes toward him or our attitude toward him.
Therefore, the meaning of character can be both the actor/actress in the
story and the characterization of the character. There must be a
relationship between an actor and the characteristics she/he has (as cited
inAn Introduction to Fiction, 1965).
Henkle (1977) divides the term character into two categories. The
first is major character and the second is minor character or secondary
character. The major character deserves our full attention in the novel. It
also performs the key structural function in the novel. Therefore, the
effectiveness of most novels depends on the ability of major character to
express and dramatize the human issue of the novel. While the secondary
character performs more limited function and less complex than the
major character (p.80).
Abrams mentions two types of character; they are simple or flat
character and round or complex character. He proposes that flat character
is easily recognized and remembered by readers. It describes in a single
phrase or sentence. Complex character is lifelike because the writer may
see all sides of the character. This character is difficult to describe with
any adequacy as somebody in real life (as cited in A Glossary of Literary
M.J. Murphy in Understanding Unseen (1972) provides nine ways on how the author attempts to make his character understandable
to, and come alive for his readers as follow:
1) Personal description
The author can describe a person’s appearance and clothes. By
summarizing the author’s description of the character physical
appearance, the readers can imagine what kind of person he is (p.161).
2) Characters as seen by another
Besides describing a person’s appearance and clothes, the author
can describe him through the eyes and opinion of other people. It is like
a reflected image.
3) Speech
The character of a person in the book can be seen through what he
says. Every time he has conversation with other people and every time he
gives opinion, it shows the clues of his character.
4) Past life
If the readers are allowed to learn something about the person’s past
because the events in the past life have helped to shape someone’s
character.
5) Conversation of others
The conversation of other people and the things they may say about
a person can be a clue for us to know the person’s character.
6) Reaction
We are able to know a person’s character through the reaction of the
person in facing various situations. It happens if the author lets us know
how the person reacts.
7) Direct comment
The author can describe the person’s character directly so that he/she
can easily find out the information on the character. Besides it is easy,
misinterpretation can be reduced (p.170).
8) Thoughts
If the author gives us knowledge of what a person is thinking about,
we can know how people are thinking.
9) Mannerisms
A person’s mannerism, habit or idiosyncrasies is an obvious clue to
their inner side positively and negatively. We can also infer what a
character is like from what he does, thinks or says (p.173).
b. Theory of Personality
The word “personality originated from the Latin “persona”, which
referred to a theatrical mask worn by Roman Actors in Greek dramas
(Hill, 2006). According to Allport (1937), personality is the dynamic
organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that
determine his unique adjustment to his environment.
Hill (2006) argues that personality is both physical and
psychological; it includes both overt behaviors and covert thoughts; it not
only is something, but it does something. While Davidoff (1987) states
that personality is a summary construct that includes thought, motives,
emotions, interests, attitudes, abilities and the like. The writer uses the
theory of personality because in this study the theory is needed to know
the meaning of the main character’s personality development.
According to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality
(n,d) personality is composed of three elements. They are the id, the ego,
The three elements which are composed by Sigmund Freud work
together to create complex human behaviors.
1) The Id
The id is a component of personality which naturally comes from
birth. According to Freud (n,d), the id is the source of all psychic energy,
making it the primary component of personality. For example, when a
baby is hungry, she will cry. She will stop crying if the demand of the id
is met, which is drinking the milk.
2) The Ego
According to Freud (n,d), the ego develops from the id and ensures
that the impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the
real world. Ego is not the whole personality, but must be completed by
the more comprehensive self, the center of personality that is largely
unconscious (Hill, 2005). In psychologically healthy person, the ego
takes a secondary position to the unconscious (Jung, 1959a).
3) The Superego
The superego is the last component of personality to be developed.
According to Kendra Cherry (n,d) , the superego is the aspect of
personality that holds all of our internalized moral standards and ideals
that we acquire from both parents and society-our sense of right and
Freud (1964) also divides levels of mental of life into the unconscious
and the conscious. While the unconscious has two different levels, which
are the unconscious proper and the preconscious. In Freudian psychology,
the three levels of mental life are used to designate both a process and a
location.
1) Unconscious
Freud states that unconscious contain all those drives, urges, or
instinct that are beyond people’s awareness, but motivate most of our
feeling, words, and actions. While Adler (1956) defined the unconscious as
that part of the goal that is neither clearly formulated nor completely
understood by the individual. Adler then states that if we understand the
tendency of consciousness, the tendency has already become conscious.
2) Preconscious
The preconscious level of the mind contains all those elements that
are not conscious but can become conscious either readily or with some
difficulties (Freud, 1964).
3) Conscious
Consciousness, which plays a relatively minor role in psychoanalytic
theory, can be defined as those mental elements in awareness at any given
point in time. According to Freud (1964), what we perceive through our
argues that the conscious life becomes unconscious as soon as we fail to
understand it.
Levitan and LaBerge (1991) say that the human consciousness
separating from the human body and travelling in a discorporate form of
physical world. The writer uses Freud’s level of mental of life to support
the analysis Saeki’s mental of life, as seen in Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore.
c. The Theory of Motivation
Motivation is an important determinant of individual’s performance.
However, as Maslow (1943) states that motivation is not the only
determinant; other variables such as effort expended, ability, and previous
experience also influence performance.
Beck (1978) states that motivation is broadly concerned with the
contemporary determinants of choice (direction), persistence, and vigor of
goal directed behavior (p. 58). It indicates that motivation deals with the
“way” of someone’s behavior.
Coleman (1960) mentions that there are some theories used to
The first is Primary and Secondary Drives. It states that every species has
some basic psychological drives of an inborn.
The second is Motives as Tension-Reducing Devices. Most of
human biological functioning follows the pattern of searching a way to
relieve unpleasant tension that is caused by the need. Therefore, the brain
will produce the tension for everything needed by the body. The tension
will cause a depressed feeling by the body. That is why human have to
reduce the feeling by finding the way out.
Maslow (1970) with his theory of motivation identifies different
stages and forms of motives which will motivate people in different stages
of their lives. The theory also provides the relationship between the needs
of people. Maslow presents the stages of needs in the form of hierarchy.
The direction of the need is upward. When the lower need has been
fulfilled, people will fulfill the higher need. The lowest need in the
Fig.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1970)
http://www.businessballs.com/maslowhierarchyofneeds5.pdf retrieved
September 13, 2011
According to Maslow (1970), the first need is physiological need.
The physiological need includes food, water, oxygen, maintenance of body
temperature, air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc. When people
do not have their physiological needs satisfied, they live for those needs and
strive constantly to satisfy them (Feist& Feist, 2006, p.279).
The second need is safety needs. The safety needs includes
protection from elements, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc. The
needs for law, order, and structure are also safety needs (Maslow, 1970).
The third need is belongingness and love needs, for example the desire for
friendship, the wish for mate and children; the need to belong t a family, a Esteem needs
Self-actualization
Love and Belongingness needs
Safety needs
club, a neighborhood, or a nation (Feist & Feist, 2006, p.280). Love and
belongings also include some aspects of sex and human contact as well as
the need to both give and receive love (Maslow, 1970).
The fourth need is esteem need, for example self-respect,
confidence, competence, and the knowledge that others hold them in esteem
(Feist & Feist, 2006). The fifth need is self-actualization needs, for example
self-fulfillment, the realization of all one’s potential, and a desire to become
creative in the full sense of the word (Maslow, 1970).
From the theories we can draw a conclusion that there are different
theories of motivation. The first theory says that motivation is emerged from
thoughts, feeling, and behavior. The other theory says that motivation is a
result of physical and psychological needs.
d. Theory of Love
Love is a word that cannot be separated from man’s life. As cited by
Hauck (1983), love was a feeling that we have for people who did (in the past), are (in the present), or will (in the future) satisfy our deepest desires and needs (p.22). According to Raymond (1987), love comprises such
exclusivity. According to Fromm (1956), “love” is the achievement of inter
personal union, of fusion with another person (p.18).
Fromm (1981) described love as “union with somebody, or
something outside oneself under the condition of retaining the separateness
and integrity of one’s own self” (as cited in Feist & Feist, 2006, p.190).
While according to May (1953), love is a “delight in the presence of the
other person and affirming of (that person’s) value and development as
much as one’s own” (as cited in Feist & Feist, 2006, p.35 ). The union of
beloved ones is something that can delight their selves. The presence of the
beloved one will make the person valuable. On the other hands, the absence
of the beloved one causes a feeling of sad, loneliness, unhappiness, or may
be the loosing of motivation to live.
In The Art of Loving, Fromm (1956) identifies four basic elements which are common to all forms of genuine love; they are care,
responsibility, respect, and knowledge.
Krafft-Ebing (1886) identifies five types of love: true love,
sentimental love, platonic love, friendship, and sensual love (as cited in
General Theories of Love). While Ellis (1954) suggests that “Love
itself…includes many different types and degree of affection, such as
love of animals, love of things, self-love, sexual love, obsessive-compulsive
love, etc (p.101).
While May (1969b) identifies four kinds of love in Western
tradition-sex, eros, philia, and agape (as cited in Feist & Feist, 2006, 352). The first is sex. According to him, sex is “still remains the power of procreation. The drive which perpetuates the race, the source at once of
human being’s most intense pleasure and his (or her) most pervasive anxiety
(May, 1969b, p.38). In the past, sex was considered as a usual activity and
could be easily accepted. However, in the modern life many people assume
that sex is a less polite conversation topic. The second is eros, May states that Eros is psychological desire that seek procreation or creation through an
enduring union with a loved one, Eros is making love; sex is manipulating
organ. Therefore, this kind of love is related to sexual intercourse.
According to May (1969b), the third kind of love isphilia, that is, an intimate nonsexual friendship between two people. Philia needs time to
grow and develop. It does not required people to do anything to show the
love. In the simplest and general terminology, philia is called a friendship
(May, 1969a, p.31).
disinterested love, typically, the love of God for man.” In short, an adult
relationship contains of these four kinds of love.
4. Theoretical Framework
The theories which are presented above are very helpful to support
the analysis of the study. The writer provides some theories related to critical
approaches. The first is theory of psychology; it consists of theory of
character and characterization, theory of personality, theory of motivation,
and theory of love.
First, the writer uses the theory related to critical approach to help
the writer in analyzing the novel. Second, the theory of character and
characterization and the theory of personality are used to support the analysis
of Saeki, one of the major characters of Murakami’sKafka on the Shore. The writer uses both theories to answer the first problem formulation. Third, the
theory of motivation and the theory of love are used to answer the second
problem formulation which deals with Saeki’s motivation to act as the
3. Context of the Novel
This part consists of the setting of the novelist and the story.
a. The Setting of the novelist
The author of the novel ofKafka on the Shoreis Haruki Murakami who was born in Kyoto, January 12, 1949. He is Japanese. In 1980s, he moved to
Europe and then to United States. He decided to leave Japan because he
found that Japan was “distressing and pressuring”. Therefore the novel of
Kafka on the Shorewas written in United States. The original novel was first published in 2002 in Japanese language. The original title is Umibe no Kafuka. In 2005, the novel was translated into English by Philip Gabriel.
Umibe no Kafuka.Kafka on the Shorewas selected by the New York Times as one of the 10 best books on 2005 (Hays, 2009).
Murakami’s life is influenced by two cultures, which are the culture of
Asia and Western. Since the novel of Kafka on the Shore was written in United States, the story is influenced by the two cultures.
b. The Setting of the Story of the Novel
This part consists of the setting of place and time of the story. The
setting of places is in Japan, especially in Tokyo, Takamatsu, and Kochi.
can be defined as a situation in a country after the independence of the
country. However, the effect of colonialism is still apparent in present
societies. Despite Japan has become a modern country, Japanese people’s
life is still influenced by the colonialism era. In addition, their modern life
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
This chapter includes three sections. They are Subject Matter,
Approaches, and Procedures. Subject Matter deals with the Subject of the
Study. Then, Approach is concerned with the Literature Approaches.
Next, the last is Procedures which deals with the steps and procedures in
completing the thesis.
A. Object of the Study
This thesis studies the novel Kafka on the Shore. The novel is written by Haruki Murakami, a well known Japanese novelist. Kafka on the Shoreis a translated novel. The novel is originally published in Japan in two volumes as Umibe no Kafura by Shinchosha, Tokyo, in 2002. Then it is translated into English by Philip Gabriel. It is published by a
Division of Random House, INC, New York in 2005. This novel consists
of 488 pages and it is divided into 49 chapters.
This novel is an art of fiction. It is about the love of woman in her
50s, named Saeki. Since her sweetheart was dead, Saeki becomes a
different person. Saeki’s love to her sweethearts makes her to lose her
willing to live. The love is so deep that makes her to build her own
world. She becomes a very mysterious person. She never shows her true
feeling to other people. She has a son who escapes from home in order to
look for her. However, it does not make her to forget her past and live
together with her son. Instead, she keeps her love until the death takes her
soul.
B. Approach of the Study
The study is focused on the love as seen in Saeki’s character in
Murakami’s novel Kafka on the Shore. Therefore, the writer uses psychological approach. The psychological approach reveals the
behavior, thoughts, feeling, and experience of the character. Thus, this
approach is relevant to be used in the study to analyze the psychological
condition, such as the character’s thoughts, motivation, love, and
personality, as seen in Saeki, one of the major characters of Murakami’s
Kafka on the Shore.
C. Method of the Study
In order to complete the study, the writer needs a lot of thought as
well as references and notes. There are many sources that the writer used
basically divided into two parts. The first is primary sources which is
Murakami’s novelKafka on the Shore.
The author of the novel ofKafka on the Shoreis Haruki Murakami. Murakami is a well known Japanese novelist. Kafka on the Shore is a translated novel. The novel was originally published in Japanese
language in two volumes. The original title of the novel is Umibe no Kafuka. The novel was published by Shinchosha, Tokyo, in 2002. Furthermore, the novel was translated into English by Philip Gabriel. The
novel was published by a Division of Random House, INC, New York in
2005.
The second part is the secondary sources that giving more
information for the writer in analyzing the novel. The research that was
conducted was library study. It means that the procedures to gain the data
were reading the sources and taking important notes that helped me in
analyzing the data.
The steps that were taken in conducting this research were,
firstly, the writer found the novel which was used as the primary data,
namely, Kafka on the Shoreby Haruki Murakami. Then, the writer read the novel, after that, the writer formulated the problem to be solved in
this study. Then, the writer found other books which were related to this
character, Saeki, through his words, actions, performances, and
comments by other people and searching for proof, which support it.
After all, the writer tried to find Saeki’s psychological factor that
motivated her to manifest her love and its proof through the characters,
which were presented in the novel. Then, it was used to analyze the
deeper meaning of the main character’s psychological factors.
Afterwards, the writer made a conclusion of the analysis, which solved
all of the problems stated in the previous chapter, and recommendation
for further research on the topic for complete fulfillment of this project.
In addition, I also provided some examples in using literary work to teach
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter deals with first, the character and characterization of
Saeki. Second, this chapter discusses how Saeki manifests her love.
A. Saeki’s Character and Characterization
To find out the answer of the first question stated in the problem
formulation, the writer analyses the physical description and personality
description of Saeki, one of the major characters of Murakami’sKafka on the Shore. In order to analyze Saeki’s character and characterization, the writer uses the theory of Maslow (1943) and the theory of M.J. Murphy
(1972). Motivation is an important determinant of individual’s
performance. However, as Maslow (1943) states that motivation is not
the only determinant; other variables such as effort expended, ability, and
previous experience also influence performance. From some points
mentioned by Maslow (1943), it can be implemented that motivation and
previous experience influence performance. In this case, the writer
analyzes the background of Saeki’s previous experience which influences
Saeki’s character and characterization.
While the writer uses the theory of Murphy which consist of some
ways to recognize the character analyzed in this study, who is Saeki.
According to Murphy (1972), there are several ways to find out the
description of a certain character in the novel. Those are personal
description, characters as seen by others, speech, past life, conversation
of others, reaction, direct comments, thought, and mannerism. Those
ways help the writer to analyze Saeki’s characters and personality.
1. Personality Description
a. Elegant
Elegant refers to graceful or attractive in appearance or manner
(“Elegant”). Saeki can be said as an elegant woman. It can be analyzed
using Murphy’s theory (1972) which mentions that in order to find out the
description a certain character as seen by others. The way Saeki dress up
indicates how she can be said an elegant woman. In Murakami (2005),
Saeki wears a “blue half-sleeved dress” and a “cream-colored cardigan”.
Her hair is “loosely tied back” (p. 42).
The dress and how she ties her hair shows that she is not excessive
in dressing. The dress she wears and the hair style convinces that she
knows how to dress up with an appropriate dress. The elegant character
can also be seen from the way Saeki carries herself. From the chairs I
watch how she carries herself, every motion natural and elegant (p.45).
The opinion is thought by Kafka when Saeki greeted him after the library
b. Smart
Smart people have or show their intelligence (“Smart”). Oshima,
Saeki’s assistant in the library is a son of Saeki’s bestfriend when she was
little. Oshima’s mother was very close to her so that she knew everything
about Saeki. Saeki is a smart woman since she was a little.
“There are a couple of things you should know about Miss Saeki,” Oshima says. “When she was little, my mother and Miss Saeki were classmates and very close. She got good grades, was good at composition, sports of all kinds, and could play the piano well, too. She was the best whatever she tried…” (p.165).
The above quotation is the conversation between Oshima and Kafka while
they were on the way to the library. It shows that Saeki is a smart since she
was little.
c. Mysterious
Mysterious people are difficult to understand and keep and like to
keep things secret (“Mysterious”). Saeki is a mysterious woman. After the
death of her sweetheart, she suddenly disappeared and no one knew where
she had been. After twenty years of her sweetheart’s death, Saeki
reappeared and became the head of Komura Private Memorial Library.
Saeki’s way of thinking is relevant with one of the theory of Motives
as Tension-Reducing Devices which is used to support the main
character’s way of thinking (p. 114-116). According to Coleman (1976),
most of human biological functioning follows the pattern of searching a
Therefore, the brain will produce the tension for everything needed
by the body. The tension will cause a depressed feeling by the body. That
is why human have to reduce the feeling by finding the way out.
Therefore, Saeki’s way to reduce the unpleasant feeling of loosing her
sweetheart indirectly builds her mysterious character.
Even now she’s slim and beautiful and has the same neat, smart look you see on the record jacket of “Kafka on the Shore.” But there’s one thing missing: that lovely, innocent smile, but it’s always limited somehow, a smile that never goes beyond the moment (169).
The quotation above is the conversation between Kafka and Oshima.
Oshima tells Kafka about Saeki. The death of her sweetheart has really
influenced Saeki’s personality. She smiles but she never smiles from her
heart. Saeki’s life is really mysterious. People tend to guess her life than to
ask her directly. She keeps her sadness, love, resentment, only for herself.
She does not have a best friend to share her feeling. She lives with her
own way.
d. Faithful
Saeki is a faithful woman because she is loyal to her sweetheart over
a long period of time. Saeki and her sweetheart were like a Romeo and
Juliet who were never been apart until the boy eighteen. Saeki’s sweetheart
continued her study in Tokyo. They had a long distant relationship.
However, she remained faithful. She only had one love, and the love was
Murphy, in Understanding Unseen (1972) mentions conversation by others can reflect somebody’s character. The following is a conversation by
Oshima and Kafka when they talked about Saeki. “Neither one of them
had ever been attracted to anyone else. Even they were apart, no one could
ever come between them” (166). From the quotation above, the writer
infers that Saeki is a faithful woman.
e. Melancholic
Melancholic refers to very sad; depressed (“Melancholic”). Saeki
can be said as a melancholic woman because the death of her sweetheart
leaves a sorrow and a deep sadness for more than twenty years which
influences her entire life.
“My life ended at age of twenty. Since then it’s been merely a series of endless reminiscence, a dark, winding corridor leading nowhere. Nevertheless, I had to live it, surviving each empty day, seeing each day off still empty. During those days I made a lot of mistakes. No, that’s not correct- sometimes I feel thatallI did was make mistakes. I felt like I was living at the bottom of a deep well, completely shut up inside myself….” (410)
The quotation above indicates that metaphorically she dead with her
sweetheart. Her heart is still breathing, but she lives without the willing to
live. She finds that every day is empty and meaningless. What has been
f. Artistic
Artistic refers to having or showing natural skill in the arts, eg
painting, music or dance (“Artistic”). Saeki is an artistic woman. She
expresses her feeling by writing a poem. She is able to set the poem into
music and sing it. The poem ofKafka on the Shoreis her poem which was written to express the feeling of losing her sweetheart. Besides, she can
play a piano. As what Oshima said to Kafka:
“When she was nineteen Miss Saeki wrote a poem, set it to music, and played the piano and sang it. It was a melancholy melody, innocent, and lovely. The lyrics, on the hand, were symbolic, contemplative, and hard to figure it out. The contrast gave the song a kind of spirit and immediacy. “ (166)
g. A loner
Loner is a person who avoids the company of others (“Loner”).
Saeki is a loner. She did not try to socialize with other people. She only
talked to her assistant, Oshima and sometimes to the Library’s visitors.
Besides, she is more comfortable to be alone than socialize. Her
socialization is limited only to Oshima, Kafka, and the visitors of the
Komura Private Memorial Library. That is why she spends her life to
manage the library.
h. Egocentric
Egocentric refers to considering only oneself (“Egocentric”).
egocentric woman because she considers that her world was end since the
death of her sweetheart. The only one meaningful person in her life was
only her sweetheart who was dead long time ago. Whereas, there are many
people who are more meaningful than only mourn for the death of her
sweetheart.
“A long time ago I abandoned someone I shouldn’t have… It was
someone I should never have abandoned (p.462).” It is the confession of
Saeki to Kafka, the child she abandoned. At that time she was egocentric.
Kafka was four years old when Saeki left him. He was still little. He really
needed affection from her mother, even until he is fifteen years old and
decided to look for his mother. Saeki’s affection is very important for
Kafka. However, finally Saeki realizes her mistake and confess that she
should never have abandoned Kafka.
i. Mystical
Mystical refers to having hidden meaning or spiritual power
(“Mystical”). Saeki is actually a mystical person. Saeki’s spirit can leave
her body while she is sleeping and becomes a fifteen year old girl who
looks at the painting of Kafka on the Shore. There are three events in which Kafka sees Saeki comes to his room at night.
“I don’t know if ghost is the right word, but it definitely isn’t something in this world….
That is the first time Kafka sees the girl who comes to his room. The girl
comes to his room again a night later.
“The girl is seated at the desk, head in hands, gazing at the painting. She’s wearing the same clothes as last night. Even if I squint and look hard, this time it’s too dark to make out her face.”(p.251)
Kafka still does not realize who she is until the next night she comes
to his room again.
“It’s 2:47 when I notice the girl’s here- a little earlier than last night... “She has on her usual light blue dress and is sitting there the same as before, head in hands, silently gazing at the painting of Kafka on the Shore…
I don’t know if she can see me, but I want her to. I pray she notices me and knows I exist. “Miss Saeki” I repeat. I can’t keep myself from saying her name. Maybe she’ll be frightened by my voice andleave the room, never to return”(p.274)
Finally Kafka realizes that the girl who comes to his room is Saeki.
When she comes for the first and second time, she appears in a figure of a
fifteen-year old girl who wears a blue dress with a billowing hem. In this
condition, Saeki’s spirit leaves her own body to appear as a figure of a
fifteen-year old girl.
At the third she comes in her actual figure of present Saeki who wears
the same dress. In this condition, Saeki’s spirit does not leave her body,
however she has an experience of “out of body” or OBEs. The
phenomenon of “out of body “ experiences (OBEs) are personal
experiences during which people feel as if they are perceiving the physical
world from a location outside of their physical bodies (Levitan and
Therefore, Levitan and LaBerge (1991) concludes that the human
consciousness separating from the human body and travelling in a
discorporate form of physical world.
B. How Saeki Manifests Her Love
This part of the study will answer the second question stated in the
problem formulation. Love is a word that cannot be separated from man’s
life. As cited by Hauck (1983), love was a feeling that we have for people
whodid(in the past),are(in the present), orwill(in the future) satisfy our deepest desires and needs (p.22). According to Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs (1970), the need of love and belongingness are in the third stage of
his hierarchy of needs.
The third need is belongingness and love needs, for example the
desire for friendship, the wish for mate and children; the need to belong t a
family, a club, a neighborhood, or a nation (Feist & Feist, 2006, p.280).
Love and belongings also include some aspects of sex and human contact
as well as the need to both give and receive love (Maslow, 1970). The
need of love can be seen in Saeki, one of the major characters of
Murakami’sKafka on the Shore. Thus, in this part, the writer analyses how Saeki, one of the major characters of Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore,
manifests her love, which are the love for her sweetheart and for Kafka,
1. Saeki’s Love For Her Sweetheart
When Saeki was a little girl, she has a close friend. Her friend is from
Komura family. Their relationship is between a little boy and a girl. Both
of them have an affection feeling which is called love. According to May
(1969b), this kind of love is philia, that is, an intimate nonsexual friendship between two people. It is because when they were a child, the
relationship was between playmates. They are close each other but their
intimacy do not involve a sexual desire.
“When she was still in grade school she had a sweetheart. The eldest son of Komura family- a distant relative, actually. They were the same age and made a handsome couple, a regular Romeo and Juliet. They lived near each other and were never apart. And when they became adults they fell in love. They were like one body and spirit, according to my mother.” (p.165)
Oshima, Saeki’s assistant in Komura Memorial Library tells Kafka
about Saeki’s past. He clearly describes how Saeki’s relationship with her
sweetheart. When they were adults, they fell in love. The love which existed
in their relationship was not a relationship between playmates or a love for a
best friend. Saeki’s love for her sweetheart is a love for a lover.
When she was fourteen, she had a sexual intercourse with her
sweetheart. This kind of love is called as Eros, according to May (1969b)
Eros is psychological desire that seek procreation or creation through an
enduring union with a loved one, Eros is making love; sex is manipulating
Saeki’s relationship with her sweetheart is very beautiful as if both
of them are fated together. The memories with the boy are very meaningful
for her. One memory that is so meaningful that she kept in her heart was the
moment when they were in a shore near to Komura Private Memorial
Library.
…she points to a spot on the shoreline. “It was right over there,” she says. “He painted that spot from here. He put the deck chair over there, had the boy pose in it, and set up his easel right around here. I remember it well (p.310).
It was the memory she had with her sweetheart forty years ago.
However, she remembers all details about it. Her boy friend likes to paint.
At that time, she accompanies him to paint on the shore. He paints a boy,
maybe in his twelve or so, who is wearing a white sunhat and sitting on a
small deck chair.
His elbow’s on one of the arms of the chair, his chin resting in is hand. He looks a little sad, but kind of pleased too. A black German shepherd sits next to the boy, like he’s guarding him. In the background is the sea and a couple of other people, but they’re too far away to make out their faces. A small island’s visible, and a few first shaped cloud float over the water. (p.182)
It is the detail of the painting of Saeki’s sweetheart. Forty years is
not a short time, definitely the spot is changed completely. However she
remembers it well. Saeki’s happiness of being with the boy is changed
because the boy moves to Tokyo in order to continue his college.
Saeki want to go to Tokyo, but her parents do not allow her. Her
long distance relationship for the first time. They communicate through a
letter. Saeki’s sweetheart thinks that to live apart tell them how much they
are meaningful to each other, but Saeki does not. She cannot live apart
from her sweetheart. She thinks that their relationship is real enough so that
they did not have to live apart. However, her sweetheart went to Tokyo.
Saeki was lonely.
“When she was nineteen Miss Saeki wrote a poem, set it to music, and played the piano and sang it. It was a melancholy melody, innocent, and lovely. The lyrics, on the hand, were symbolic, contemplative, and hard to figure it out. The contrast gave the song a kind of spirit and immediacy. “(p.166).
Since she is a melancholic and artistic person, she expresses her
feeling by writing a poem, set it to music and plays the piano and sings it.
The lyric reveals emptiness in her heart.
You sit at the edge of the world I am in a crater that’s no more Words without letters
Standing in the shadow of the door The moon shines down a sleeping lizard Little fish rain down from the sky Outside the window there are soldiers Steeling themselves to die
Kafka sits in a chair by the shore
Thinking of the pendulum that moves the world, it seems. When your heart is closed,
The shadow of the unmoving Sphinx, Becomes a knife that pierces your dreams The drowning girl’s fingers
Search for the entrance stone, and more Lifting the hem of her azure dress, She
The lyrics of the song reveals Saeki’s cry to her sweetheart who is so
far away. Living far away from the one she really loved was not easy.
The name of Kafka in the lyric is the name of a boy who was painted by
Saeki’s sweetheart. Her sweetheart gives the title of his painting Kafka
on the shore.
She sings many times in front of people. Since the lyric of the song
reveals her true feeling, Saeki sings it with the voice from her heart.
People who listen to the music may be drowned deeply in the music.
Furthermore, someone records the song and sends it to a friend in Tokyo.
Then Saeki can go to Tokyo to have a recording.
Unfortunately, Saeki’s sweetheart was died when he was twenty. He
is unconsciously murdered. At that time, his college was on strike. When
he wants to bring food to his friend who is manning the barricades before
ten one night. The students who are occupying the building mistake him
for a leader of an opposing faction- he did resemble him a lot- and grab
him, tie him to a chair, and interrogate him as a spy (p.168). With such
condition, he can not survive and finally died.
The death leaves a deep sorrow for Saeki. Her love for her
sweetheart is so deep that she cannot live without him. Saeki’s world
stopped since the death. She never sings again. She drops from college,
refuses to talk with other people including her parents, and no one knows
“...Rumors flew that she’d been committed to a mental hospital after a failed suicide attempt in deep forests surrounding Mount Fuji. Others said a friend of a friend had spotted on the streets of Tokyo. According to this person she was working in Tokyo as a writer or something. Other rumors had it she was married and had a child.(168)”
This is the statement said by Oshima. He tells Kafka about Saeki.
Oshima knows the story well because Oshima’s mother was Saeki’s
friend. There are many rumors about Saeki. As said by Oshima, she had
been committed a mental hospital, worked in Tokyo as a writer, and
married and had a child. However, there is no an absolute answer about
that. Saeki is a very mysterious woman. This world is small, but she can
hides from the society to bury herself in to long sorrow.
Twenty years after the death of her sweetheart, she reappeared in
Takamatsu. She talks with Komura family and becomes the head of the
library. The library is very important to Saeki because her sweetheart
used to live there.
The building of the library is separated from the main building of
his house. Almost every day she went to see her sweetheart. “… The two
of them studied together, listened to music, and talked forever.(170)”
Being together with a beloved someone everyday is like building a land
in the paradise, no one’s comes to disturb their happiness. Perhaps at that
place they made love. They were adolescents and loved each other. As
As Alberoni (n,d) states that a person in love sees everything
transfigured-nature, the air, rivers, light, colors are all brighter and more
Saeki finds happiness in the library because her sweetheart’s spirit
is in the library. That is the reason why Saeki reappears and becomes the
head of Komura Private Memorial Library, the place where she and her
sweetheart spend their happy moment.
Since the death of her sweetheart, her life is completely changed.
Furthermore, she hates herself and does not accept the reality. The refusal
of what is occurring in her life makes her living in an imagination life.
Saeki’s life is becoming very dark, because her sweetheart is like a light
for her. When the light has extinguished, she becomes slowly overcast
and waits to be extinguished too.
Saeki’s wish to live in a world which has no time comes true. One
day there was a man who came to the library and talked to Saeki. He is
Nakata, an old man who was an old man who lost his memory because of
a mysterious occurrence that happened when he was an elementary school
student. Nakata became “empty”, even he couldn’t read. However, Nakata
could talk to cats and predict thunder and leeches and fishes rain from the
sky
Saeki does not know who he is, but it seems that they have known
each other. Saeki gives him thick file folders to the man. “I’ve been
writing this, a record of my life” (p.410). She asked the man to burn it all.
When Saeki gives the record of her life, it means that she has escaped her
