Saturday, February 15, 2014

Change of person and POV in Murakami



Someone is asking in a literary forum for an example of a change of POV in the writing of a noted writer.
Well, here is a remarkable, IMHO, change of person and POV in the work of Haruki Murakami:

____

"What are you thinking about?" Miss Saeki asks me.
"About going to Spain," I reply.
"What are you going to do there?"
"Eat some delicious paella."
"That's all?"
"And fight in the Spanish Civil War."
"That ended over sixty years ago."
"I know," I tell her. "Lorca died, and Hemingway survived."
"But you want to be a part of it."
I nod. "Yup. Blow up bridges and stuff."
"And fall in love with Ingrid Bergman."
"But in reality I'm here in Takamatsu. And I'm love with you."
"Tough luck."
I put my arm around her.
You put your arm around her. 
She leans against you. And a long spell of time passes.
"Did you know that I did this exact same thing [having sex] a long time ago? Right in this same spot?"
"I know," you tell her.
"How do you know that?' Miss Saeki asks, and looks you in the eyes.
"I was there then."
"Blowing up bridges?"
"Yes, I was there, blowing up bridges."
"Metaphorically."
 
Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Translated by Philip Gabriel

____

The POV changes from the first person to the second person after:
"I put my arm around her."
and remains in that person until the end of the scene.

This is an especially powerful device, as it is used by Murakami several times in the novel, and at crucial times, whenever these two characters make love. 

In a movie-making analogy, it is as though the camera carried by the narrator leaves him and takes a more remote position, as though the main character needs more breathing space to withstand the pressure of the situation, as well as more objectivity. 

When you are going to read the novel, you will be even  more impressed to learn who Miss Saeki really is (no spoilers :-), or might be (for the author never really allows you full certainty, characteristically post-impressionistic). 

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