Finding Meaning for the Abandoned “Effective Protagonist”
A Jungian Psychoanalytic Reading of Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-up Bird Chronicle
Abstract
This qualitative research is a literary analysis of Haruki Murakami’s popular book, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle. Using psychological literary criticism, particularly Jungian archetypal criticism, this study deciphered how the author portrayed complex emotions like abandonment, emasculation, and renewal of resolve through the four major Jungian archetypes, namely the Persona, the Shadow, the Animus/Anima, and the Self. Results of the study show that Murakami utilized the four major archetypes to embody repressed and/or suppressed elements of personality. The results of the analyses also highlight how Murakami’s works can be utilized in the field of teaching literature as the works embody contemporary themes of psychological ills, replete utilize popular culture and historical events, serve as fertile ground for further literary analyses, and introduce a unique style of writing.
