ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 discusses how the author promotes the notion of the “power of monogatari” and uses this to illuminate the critical reception of his works, particularly the polarisation of critics’ and readers’ reactions. Since Murakami started to write, Japanese critics tended to criticise the absence of Japanese cultural essence in his novels and his unconventional writing style. On the other hand, Murakami explains that it is his intention to distance his work from traditional Japanese literature for the purpose of bringing influence back to literature in the era when literature is said to have lost its power. This chapter traces how Murakami developed his understanding of the impasses of literature and how he decided to become a novelist in order to write novels that communicate with readers. Itexplains howMurakami’s apparent distance from Japanese literature paradoxically indicates his deep understanding of Japanese literature and his attempt to break the impasses through what he calls ‘low entry level’ novels.
