A Study Of The Hybridity Of The Traditional Elements Of Japanese Literature And The Post-modern Elements In1Q84

Haruki Murakami(1949-) is the most famous author and translator in contemporary Japan, whose novels own a great reputation in the world wild. Murakami’s words draw an extensive picture of the postindustrial society Japan, and subtly portray the loneness and perplexedness of those people who live in it. Untill now, Haruki Murakami has become one of the most indispensable authors in Japan.By analyzing the traditional elements of Japanese literature and the post-modern features in Murakami’s recent work1Q84, this thesis also figures out the reasons why1Q84has the hybridity of those two features. Meanwhile,1Q84has those breakthroughs that Murakami’s previous novels haven’t got before:expanding of the subjects, the growing numbers of the traditional elements of Japanese literature, and literature’s primary mission. Also, to see Murakami’s changes in writing these years through those breakthroughs.The Introduction of this thesis shows a brief presentation of Murakami’s life, his outputs and prizes, the reasons that1Q84has been written and what it talks about, the study situation in and out shows us a phenomenon that the traditional elements of Japanese literature in his books had rarely been studied about, so as to draw out the practical significance of this study.Chapter one mainly analyzes the traditional elements of Japanese literature in1Q84, including the beauty of mono-no-aware, the Japanese family theme, the sex theme and the refined depiction of the details. Haruki Murakami has been considered a post-modern author for a long time abroad and domestically, but Murakami has paid more attention to the traditional elements of Japanese literature in recent years since Kafka on the Shore, and that’s what1Q84also shows. This thesis captures four outstanding points that shows this and in that to see Murakami’s changes in writing.Chapter two aims at analyzing the post-modern elements in1Q84, including the odd characters in this book, the uncertainness of kindness and evilness, the rhetorical devices of post-modern literature, and that1Q84is a novel in between of elite literature and popular literature.1Q84has carried some of Murakami’s old post-modern themes and devices along, they are worthy a intensive reading to show how exactly they work.Chapter three tells the reasons that why1Q84has the hybridity of those two features. This chapter is divided into two parts:the impact of the postindustrial society Japan, and Haruki Murakami himself. Japan is a highly developed country, its consumerism determines the way that Japanese think. Besides, Murakami is a writer that lingers between eastern and western culture, he himself has a core of Japan since he was born, meanwhile, his fondness of western culture attracts him to write in a western way, and that’s why1Q84appears to have this hybridity.The Conclusion summarizes this thesis, figuring out the breakthroughs in1Q84, and also its insufficiency. What Haruki Murakami aims at creating this novel is to use the power of literature to fight against the evilness, to save those who live in the fear of enclosure space. Haruki Murakami has made the greatest author not only in Japan but also the whole world.