Do You Even Lit? Murakami's Norwegian Wood: the sadboi and his three manic pixie dream girls
Dec 2, 2025
The hosts dive into Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood, exploring its shift from magical realism to a more realistic narrative. They analyze the complex portrayal of suicide and the emotional detachment felt throughout the story. Character studies reveal Toru Watanabe as both relatable and immature, and there's a spirited debate on how women are depicted through a male gaze. The conversation also touches on the impact of nostalgia and literary references, leaving listeners questioning if it's high art or just accessible fiction.
01:06:10
Memory Framing Allows Dreamlike Narrative
- Murakami frames Norwegian Wood as nostalgic memory to allow impressionistic, dreamlike storytelling.
- This lets the narrator skip connective detail and focus on vibe over strict realism.
Plain Prose Boosted Mass Appeal
- The book's accessible, plain prose creates mass-market appeal and served as a gateway novel for many readers.
- Hosts debate whether that accessibility undercuts its literary ambitions or is simply valuable storytelling.
Memorable Line About Memory
- Cam recalls the memorable line about memory: 'When I was in the scene, I hardly paid it any mind.'
- He uses it to justify the book's focus on emotional recall over scenic description.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app 1 chevron_right 2 chevron_right 3 chevron_right 4 chevron_right 5 chevron_right 6 chevron_right 7 chevron_right 8 chevron_right 9 chevron_right 10 chevron_right 11 chevron_right 12 chevron_right 13 chevron_right 14 chevron_right 15 chevron_right 16 chevron_right 17 chevron_right 18 chevron_right 19 chevron_right 20 chevron_right 21 chevron_right
Intro
00:00 • 5min
Why Murakami Wrote a 'Straight' Novel
05:03 • 56sec
Autobiography, Age, and Setting
05:59 • 1min
Memory as a Narrative Device
07:14 • 4min
Portrayal of Suicide in the Novel
11:31 • 4min
Quantity of Suicides and Emotional Impact
15:36 • 4min
Different Reactions to the Novel's Tone
19:22 • 2min
Japan's Suicide Context in the 1960s
21:30 • 3min
Character Study: Toru Watanabe
24:10 • 4min
Is Toru Relatable or Immature?
28:24 • 3min
Literary References and Cultural Positioning
31:20 • 4min
Murakami's Personal Biography and Fame
35:06 • 1min
Plot Recap: Naoko, Sanatorium, and Reiko
36:16 • 3min
Toru as Unlikely Romantic Success
39:20 • 2min
Female Characters and the Male Gaze
41:48 • 5min
Naoko, Midori, and Reiko Compared
46:36 • 3min
Does Toru End Up With Midori?
49:10 • 9min
Ad break
58:31 • 33sec
Reading Verdict: Accessible Fiction or Great Literature?
59:04 • 3min
Plans to Read More Murakami
01:02:01 • 27sec
Outro
01:02:28 • 4min
#30476
Butcher's Crossing
John Williams
'Butcher's Crossing' follows Will Andrews, a Harvard dropout who travels to the frontier town of Butcher's Crossing, Kansas, in the 1870s to find adventure and meaning.
He joins a buffalo hunting expedition that descends into obsession and brutality.
Williams's stark prose captures the harsh realities of the American West and the destructive nature of human ambition.
The novel explores themes of man's relationship with nature, the loss of innocence, and the dark side of the frontier spirit.
#14299
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Norwegian Wood
Haruki Murakami
The novel is told from the first-person perspective of Toru Watanabe, who reflects on his college days in Tokyo during the late 1960s.
It delves into his complex relationships with two women, Naoko and Midori, against the backdrop of student protests and social change.
The story grapples with themes of grief, mental illness, and the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
Watanabe's journey involves navigating his feelings for Naoko, who is emotionally troubled and eventually commits suicide, and Midori, who represents a more hopeful and vibrant future.
The novel is known for its evocative and introspective narrative, exploring the ephemeral nature of human connections and the search for identity and meaning.
#1650
• Mentioned in 21 episodes
Gravity's Rainbow
Thomas Pynchon
Published in 1973, 'Gravity's Rainbow' is a sprawling narrative that delves into the secret development and deployment of the V-2 rocket by the Nazis.
The story follows a diverse cast of characters, including Lieut.
Tyrone Slothrop, an American working for Allied Intelligence in London, who becomes embroiled in a mysterious connection between his erections and the targeting of incoming V-2 rockets.
The novel is characterized by its complex and diverse prose, incorporating elements of history, philosophy, psychology, and science fiction.
It explores themes of paranoia, the impact of technology, and the blurring of lines between reality and fiction.
The novel won the National Book Award for fiction in 1974 and is widely regarded as a literary masterpiece.
#582
• Mentioned in 45 episodes
Blood Meridian
Or, The Evening Redness in the West
Cormac McCarthy
Blood Meridian is a historical novel that depicts the brutal reality of the American West in the mid-19th century.
The story follows a 14-year-old runaway from Tennessee, known as 'the kid', who joins the Glanton gang, a historical group of scalp hunters.
The gang, led by John Joel Glanton and the enigmatic Judge Holden, is contracted to kill and scalp Native Americans but soon devolves into indiscriminate violence against various groups.
The novel explores themes of brutality, the loss of innocence, and the harsh realities of human nature, with Judge Holden serving as a central figure embodying philosophical and sadistic elements.
The book is known for its unflinching portrayal of violence and its allegorical exploration of human existence.
#1880
• Mentioned in 19 episodes
The magic mountain
Thomas Mann
The Magic Mountain is a novel by Thomas Mann, published in 1924.
It follows the story of Hans Castorp, a young man from a Hamburg merchant family, who visits his tubercular cousin Joachim at a sanatorium in Davos, Switzerland.
Initially planning to stay for three weeks, Castorp ends up staying for seven years, immersing himself in the unique world of the sanatorium.
The novel delves into themes of time, illness, and the intellectual and philosophical debates of the pre-World War I era.
It is a parable of Europe before the Great War and a prophecy of the future, highlighting the decline of European civilization and the rise of irrational and destructive forces.
The narrative is characterized by Mann's ironic and omniscient storytelling, exploring the human condition through Castorp's experiences and the diverse characters he encounters at the sanatorium.
#695
• Mentioned in 39 episodes
Lonesome Dove
Gene Walden
Lonesome Dove is a classic Western novel that follows the journey of two former Texas Rangers, Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call, as they embark on a cattle drive from Texas to Montana.
The novel is renowned for its vivid descriptions of the American West, its exploration of themes such as friendship, loyalty, and the decline of the Old West, and its well-developed characters.
It is the third book in the Lonesome Dove series and is widely regarded as McMurtry's magnum opus.
#81
• Mentioned in 172 episodes
The great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Published in 1925, 'The Great Gatsby' is a tragic love story, a mystery, and a social commentary on American life during the Jazz Age. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island and becomes entangled in the lives of his wealthy and mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, and Gatsby's obsession to win back his first love, Daisy Buchanan.
The story delves into themes of honesty, the temptations of wealth, and the struggle to escape the past, ultimately reflecting on the disintegration of the American Dream.
#1299
• Mentioned in 25 episodes
Farewell to Arms
Ernest Hemingway
A Farewell to Arms is a semiautobiographical novel that captures the harsh realities of war and the pain of lovers caught in its sweep.
The story follows Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver on the Italian front, and his passionate relationship with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse.
The novel interweaves themes of love, war, loyalty, and desertion, reflecting Hemingway's own experiences as an ambulance driver during World War I. The book is known for its vivid and deeply felt portrayal of war and its impact on individuals, as well as Hemingway's distinctive writing style that emphasizes immediacy and simplicity.
#276
• Mentioned in 76 episodes
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
The Catcher in the Rye follows Holden Caulfield, a teenager who has been expelled from Pencey Prep, as he spends three days wandering around New York City.
The novel explores Holden's disillusionment with the world around him, his feelings of loneliness and disconnection, and his struggle to find genuine relationships.
Despite his cynicism and criticism of others as 'phonies,' Holden reveals a deep emotional sensitivity, particularly in his interactions with his younger sister Phoebe.
The book delves into themes of adolescent angst, the loss of innocence, and the search for meaning and purpose in a seemingly superficial world.
#1091
• Mentioned in 29 episodes
Vineland
Thomas Pynchon
Vineland is set in 1984 and follows Zoyd Wheeler and his daughter Prairie as they navigate a world where the counterculture of the 1960s has faded under the pressures of Reagan-era authoritarianism.
The novel critiques the decline of revolutionary ideals and explores themes of identity, belonging, and the impact of societal expectations.
It features a complex web of characters and subplots, blending humor with biting social commentary.
In 1987, Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami set himself a challenge: to set aside his magical realism schtick and try to write one 'straight' novel in the realist tradition.
The result was Norwegian Wood, in which the author-insert protagonist is transported back to his college days, breaking free of ennui and depression just long enough to sleep with a string of hot but crazy chicks (and giving each of them the greatest sexual experience of their life).
Naturally it was a smash hit among the youth. Murakami was propelled to fame and had to move to Italy, hounded from his home country by a mob of shrieking Japanese girls intrigued by his magical but sad penis.
But is the book actually any good?
The boys are divided on this. We talk about Murakami's treatment of suicide, his portrayal of female characters, use of memory and nostalgia as a writing device, in which ways we relate to Toru Watanabe, which demographic this book aimed at, and in general whether this is a work of great art or should be relegated to r/iam14andthisisdeep.
If you're a Murakami fan, please write in and tell us what we got wrong, and especially which other book of his you'd most recommend we read.
CHAPTERS:
(00:00:00) blather
(00:05:06) On memory as a writing device
(00:11:15) Portrayal of suicide
(00:24:15) Toru Watanabe character analysis
(00:36:03) Norwegian Wood as a teenage boy fantasy
(00:49:20) A profound and deeply moving ending
(00:54:30) Final judgments
(00:58:25) Next book announcement + One Battle After Another argument
WRITE US:
We love listener feedback. Send us a note at douevenlit@gmail.com to correct our hot takes, add your own, or ask a question.
NEXT ON THE READING LIST:
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein
Gravity's Rainbow — Thomas Pynchon