「ポスト3･11文学」研究 －村上春樹『騎士団長殺し』を中心として－

Abstract

“Killing Commendatore” of Haruki Murakami is a synthesis novel that contains various themes and ideas introduced in the author’s existing works, in particular, it has the meaning of ‘Post 3.11 Literature’, which was released after ‘the Great East Japan Earthquake’. From the subject point of view, he has reminded the readers about the history of the World War in the 20th century by bringing the history of East Asia and Japan which he had been writing at the beginning and even included the annexation of Austria by German into the story then, he is expressing his opposition to the war; such history should not be repeated in the 21st century. In addition, the writer comforts the ‘the Great East Japan Earthquake’ victims’ anger and sorrow and gives them a message that it is important to live on getting over hardships through the main character, ‘I’ who traveled around Tohoku province and matured by passing ‘the passage of Metapo’ and chose to live with others. The Haruki’s character, a small person in a huge consumer society who was satisfied with his life feeling ‘small but firm happiness’, is definitely growing. In the end of his work, “Killing Commendatore”, Haruki describes ‘I’ who chose the life as a father of a child rather than a hero who returns to reality removing the big subject matter, ‘evil’ and highlights the image of happiness as the importance of personal solidarity and family. I also think that by setting the background as two months after the earthquake, he emphasizes that various natural disasters threatening humanity are unavoidable, but what is essential to overcome them is close friends or family.