(3/1 Blog Early because this reading has been wow)!! - Alanis

 So I know the blog isn’t due until next week but I needed to make this blog now because I just had so much to say about the 2 assigned readings for today (2/22). I really was struck (funny) by the theme of a wife… dying… and a man being left alone and trying to cope with life afterwards. And women leaving/dying is a theme that I saw begin in the Wild Sheep Chase (the pretty ears lady made her departure at the end without her consent. Still disappointed about that), and in “South Bay Strut,” the so-called “detective” tries to defend a woman… and fails miserably… but shows he is just bad at his job, which is comical. And in the kangaroo story, the girlfriend’s feelings are sort of dismissed. But here, in “Drive My Car” and “Tony Takitani,” the men have wives. And they die. One died of cancer, and the other one was struck by a car (in that order).

I  needed to comment on this because the pattern of women is interesting. In both “Drive My Car” and “Tony Takitani,” the man loves the woman dearly and can’t live exactly the same after the death of their wives. In the first story, I think there is something to be said about the child the wife would have had with Kafuku being as old as his new personal driver, and how Kafuku is essentially unphased by this fact except when he first realizes it, and in a way, almost plays a father-like role for her despite the fact she is working for him, and I thought this dynamic was heartfelt: her parents are dead, and it just so happens that the child he would have had was born the same year Misaki was born. However, I will say that the fact he stayed with his wife even though he knew she was cheating on him says something about tolerance of abuse, even if he really loved her. I also want to talk about the appearance of a new woman after Tony’s wife died, but I found it interesting that he denied her the job after he initially gave it to her but let her keep the dresses. Must have taken a lot.

My thoughts have evolved throughout writing this post. But all in all, a lot of thoughts about women came out of me. I don’t know if it’s ultimately good or bad. I know the women are loved and in their time alive are treated nicely, but they still die. Why would Murakami have these women die? One died a painful death (I’d imagine Urine Cancer is painful) and the other one died painfully, but quickly (literally said she didn’t feel anything). Weird. Those are my two cents though. Also.. last thought.. Characters have names How odd. A lot of third person narration.