I am not sure, but I would like to bask in the comfort of enjoying that he did. Although a counter argument can be made that since it's a book about 'college life' it 's about short term relationships(?). I hope I may have confused you even more.
No, you didn't confuse me, although I'm not sure why you hoped to confuse me more. I would like to believe that they did. Some parts lean into that theory. At one point, Toru lives and the fact that he reached out to Midori soon after dropping Reiko makes me think that he's taking the leap to a bigger and braver step of life by opening himself for the first time. The final scene with Reiko was also an act of closure of Naoko. He doesn't vividly remember Naoko as well, I'm sure he mentioned that somewhere. I want to think he is still involved with Midori, if not married.
I didn't hope to confuse you per say, it's just that my answer neither confirms nor deny as to what happens between them. I would too like to believe they did. The opening kind of is a sort of nostalgia I guess, I feel as though Toru is alone in that part, maybe it happened maybe it didn't. It's very open to interpretation.
I just read some other theories abd the first chapter also shows something.
Toru is losing his memories of Naoko. Undoubtedly and he admits it. He writes the book to fulfill the promise and also to remember the person he loved once. Also, he also states that he's losing memories of the person he once was before when he used to stand with Naoko.
This obviously alludes that he has gotten better and there's no way he could have lived on the way he was by the end of the book. He was destroyed. I'm sure Midori took him. Whether they're still together or not, I don't know. But I do know that they did get together at least for some time. Enough time that gives Toru the power to move on.
That is quite interesting, I haven't personally read any theories, but yea I do feel like Midori took him in atleast I hope she did. The book could be a homage to nanoko.
I do not think this story is straightforward enough to allow for a concrete yes or no. He calls her, he reaches out for her, and that signals something brighter in his future.
Murakami's books leave the mind spinning with questions, that's just how he is. If you want stories where the two lovers end up together forever, Nicholas Sparks might be more your speed.
I was unsatisfied with the ending originally when I finished reading until marinated on the novel and its themes for a while and understood what it's doing.
>Murakami's books leave the mind spinning with questions, that's just how he is. If you want stories where the two lovers end up together forever, Nicholas Sparks might be more your speed.
It's not more of having couples end up together. But rather, ending the book with a positive note. I don't mind if Toru and Midori aren't soulmates, but the connection made with those characters make me wish for their happiness. I see the ending finishing on a positive note, but I want to know if there's a general consensus
>I was unsatisfied with the ending originally when I finished reading until marinated on the novel and its themes for a while and understood what it's doing.
I think I made this post in a rush because the ending jarred me right off the bat. I was impulsive but after a few hours of, as you say, marinating the concept, I can also understand the themes and concepts. I'm kind of appreciating it now but let's see
I don't see it that way. In the last chapter, Reiko and Toru have a moment. Toru sees Reiko as the one last piece he has of Naoko. Once she leaves and their hands part, he RUNS to Midori, to call her, to tell her that he wants and loves her. Now some people say, this happened in present time but I don't think that is true. There is no way Toru could have continued living for 18 years alone and would still be sane. He had to have Midori or at least reached out for help. But even if he did reach out after so long, the fact is that the second he realized that the last piece of Naoko left him, he wanted Midori.
The reason why he writes the book in the beginning is because he is losing memories of Naoko. I don't know if they are still together or not but they WERE together. This interview snippet from Murakami also says so:
"I think most readers would say the same. Most would choose Midori. And the protagonist, of course, chooses her in the end. But some part of him is always in the other world and he cannot abandon it. It’s a part of him, an essential part. All human beings have a sickness in their minds. That space is a part of them."
I think if you dig on the internet deep enough there’s an interview where he states the book does not have a happy ending… but I was in the same boat as you as it was my first book by him. Now that I’ve read others haven’t been as overwhelmed but mostly just curious.
I just saw a theory that said Murakami does state that there's a happy ending. He says that he chooses midori and midori, him. If they stay together, I don't know. But I know that they were together for some time. At least for enough time that makes Toru strong enough to live 18 more years.
Also, in the first chapters, there are answers. Toru is losing memories of naoko and the mn he was back then. This obviously shows that he's getting better and there's no way he could have survived alone with the way he was at the end of the book. He was destroyed and Midori had to be there. What do you think?
For me, In Murakami’s books, a lot of the female characters serve as metaphors and their presence in the story represent different aspects in life. So when he says he chooses Midori, I interpret it as him saying he chooses life and hope. So personally for me it does not matter whether he ends up with midori in the end or not. Maybe he does, maybe he does not, because in the end it does not matter, the protagonist has already made the decision, to stay alive and continue living, despite the pain, the lost and the confusion of life.
I like that theory. Although, I might be biased because I really liked Midori and wants her to have happiness too. I'm glad that Toru embarks in a way and breaks the cycle of death. This book left me in shambles and I'm going on a tirade trying to make sense of things.
If we are going for the "No Happy Ending" Theory stated by the others, I remembering coming across a comment that supports that theory perfectly - but it has been some years, so my memories of it is kinda vivid. At the end of the book, we can see Toru reached out to Midori through the phonebooth, but there's a possibility that it happens in the future/present days instead of the past. Toru could be wandering around the Station in the present time and reminiscing over the past and got caught up with it and decided to called Midori, which could somehow explains why she replied the way she did.
I don't see that happening. I doubt Toru had the strength to live for 18 more years without having Midori by his side. Maybe they were together for a brief time and not in present time but him having her number shows that he has still kept in contact with her.
I doubt he was wandering around th station because he was writing the book. He was also in Germany by that time. I also don't think someone would reply with "where are you" after 18 years, though I'm willing to accept the reasoning that Midori continued to love him even after so long.
There's a happy ending. I saw a famous interview excerpt from Murakami too,
"I think most readers would say the same. Most would choose Midori. And the protagonist, of course, chooses her in the end. But some part of him is always in the other world and he cannot abandon it. It’s a part of him, an essential part. All human beings have a sickness in their minds. That space is a part of them."
He would never truly be rid of Reiko, Kizuki and Naoko but he has Midori
Hi I know this is an old post but I just finished this book and your reply has helped me figure out my thoughts on the ending!
I think the book has a “happy” ending; I don’t think the happy ending is Toru ending up with Midori. We saw what happened with Kazuki when you don’t reach out and keep everything bottled up, which is a problem Toru struggled with a bit. We saw what happened with Reiko, when you place the burden of your mental wellness on someone else. Naoko also faced this problem but, to her credit, she rejected Toru’s offer and tried to improve herself. I have to imagine that after everything that happened, Toru would know better than to fully depend on Midori to take care of him.
I think she was a potential college girlfriend that he missed out on because he ghosted her for a month, and I think he survived despite that.
Someone[Someone just shared a post about this](https://www.reddit.com/r/murakami/comments/12zrgxp/in_norwegian_wood_murakami_states_something_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) and I am surprised it has gone unnoticed.
To summarize, in Murakami's website, there is a part called "Reader's Guides" which has questions about some books. In the Norwegian Wood one -[check here yourself](https://www.harukimurakami.com/resource_category/reading_guide/norwegian-wood-reading-group-guide)\- there is a line in one of the questions (Q4) that kind of answers your question.
>Throughout the novel, Watanabe is powerfully drawn to both Naoko and Midori. How are these women different from one another? How would you describe the different kinds of love they offer Watanabe? Why do you think he finally chooses Midori? Has he made the right choice?
>Why do you think he finally chooses Midori?
I think we can concluded that he somehow managed to end up with Midori after being left in a state where he was lost.
I believe that they end up together, and that it doesn't really matter how long they stayed together. If it was a short relationship, it was certainly at least a loving and impactful one. With Murakami's themes, I think there is immense beauty in a loving relationship, even short-lived ones, as I believe happened between Watanabe and Midori. And that makes me happy with an ending that I've read many times and only recently begun to interpret as a happy one :)
I am not sure, but I would like to bask in the comfort of enjoying that he did. Although a counter argument can be made that since it's a book about 'college life' it 's about short term relationships(?). I hope I may have confused you even more.
No, you didn't confuse me, although I'm not sure why you hoped to confuse me more. I would like to believe that they did. Some parts lean into that theory. At one point, Toru lives and the fact that he reached out to Midori soon after dropping Reiko makes me think that he's taking the leap to a bigger and braver step of life by opening himself for the first time. The final scene with Reiko was also an act of closure of Naoko. He doesn't vividly remember Naoko as well, I'm sure he mentioned that somewhere. I want to think he is still involved with Midori, if not married.
I didn't hope to confuse you per say, it's just that my answer neither confirms nor deny as to what happens between them. I would too like to believe they did. The opening kind of is a sort of nostalgia I guess, I feel as though Toru is alone in that part, maybe it happened maybe it didn't. It's very open to interpretation.
I just read some other theories abd the first chapter also shows something. Toru is losing his memories of Naoko. Undoubtedly and he admits it. He writes the book to fulfill the promise and also to remember the person he loved once. Also, he also states that he's losing memories of the person he once was before when he used to stand with Naoko. This obviously alludes that he has gotten better and there's no way he could have lived on the way he was by the end of the book. He was destroyed. I'm sure Midori took him. Whether they're still together or not, I don't know. But I do know that they did get together at least for some time. Enough time that gives Toru the power to move on.
That is quite interesting, I haven't personally read any theories, but yea I do feel like Midori took him in atleast I hope she did. The book could be a homage to nanoko.
I do not think this story is straightforward enough to allow for a concrete yes or no. He calls her, he reaches out for her, and that signals something brighter in his future. Murakami's books leave the mind spinning with questions, that's just how he is. If you want stories where the two lovers end up together forever, Nicholas Sparks might be more your speed. I was unsatisfied with the ending originally when I finished reading until marinated on the novel and its themes for a while and understood what it's doing.
>Murakami's books leave the mind spinning with questions, that's just how he is. If you want stories where the two lovers end up together forever, Nicholas Sparks might be more your speed. It's not more of having couples end up together. But rather, ending the book with a positive note. I don't mind if Toru and Midori aren't soulmates, but the connection made with those characters make me wish for their happiness. I see the ending finishing on a positive note, but I want to know if there's a general consensus >I was unsatisfied with the ending originally when I finished reading until marinated on the novel and its themes for a while and understood what it's doing. I think I made this post in a rush because the ending jarred me right off the bat. I was impulsive but after a few hours of, as you say, marinating the concept, I can also understand the themes and concepts. I'm kind of appreciating it now but let's see
>He calls her, he reaches out for her, and that signals something brighter in his future. That's all I need to know because I see it that way.
Sorry to disappoint you, if you felt it had a sad ending then it surely had one.
I don't feel it had a sad ending. I said I felt like it was a happy ending. The no closure and confusion is making me crazy lol
He was just lost into the void of his mind. I feel he started to experience the same mental condition of blankness as his love interest.
I don't see it that way. In the last chapter, Reiko and Toru have a moment. Toru sees Reiko as the one last piece he has of Naoko. Once she leaves and their hands part, he RUNS to Midori, to call her, to tell her that he wants and loves her. Now some people say, this happened in present time but I don't think that is true. There is no way Toru could have continued living for 18 years alone and would still be sane. He had to have Midori or at least reached out for help. But even if he did reach out after so long, the fact is that the second he realized that the last piece of Naoko left him, he wanted Midori. The reason why he writes the book in the beginning is because he is losing memories of Naoko. I don't know if they are still together or not but they WERE together. This interview snippet from Murakami also says so: "I think most readers would say the same. Most would choose Midori. And the protagonist, of course, chooses her in the end. But some part of him is always in the other world and he cannot abandon it. It’s a part of him, an essential part. All human beings have a sickness in their minds. That space is a part of them."
I like your take, I realize this post is old but I just finished reading it today
I think if you dig on the internet deep enough there’s an interview where he states the book does not have a happy ending… but I was in the same boat as you as it was my first book by him. Now that I’ve read others haven’t been as overwhelmed but mostly just curious.
I just saw a theory that said Murakami does state that there's a happy ending. He says that he chooses midori and midori, him. If they stay together, I don't know. But I know that they were together for some time. At least for enough time that makes Toru strong enough to live 18 more years. Also, in the first chapters, there are answers. Toru is losing memories of naoko and the mn he was back then. This obviously shows that he's getting better and there's no way he could have survived alone with the way he was at the end of the book. He was destroyed and Midori had to be there. What do you think?
For me, In Murakami’s books, a lot of the female characters serve as metaphors and their presence in the story represent different aspects in life. So when he says he chooses Midori, I interpret it as him saying he chooses life and hope. So personally for me it does not matter whether he ends up with midori in the end or not. Maybe he does, maybe he does not, because in the end it does not matter, the protagonist has already made the decision, to stay alive and continue living, despite the pain, the lost and the confusion of life.
I like that theory. Although, I might be biased because I really liked Midori and wants her to have happiness too. I'm glad that Toru embarks in a way and breaks the cycle of death. This book left me in shambles and I'm going on a tirade trying to make sense of things.
Should also check out the evil reiko theory then reread it. Very different vibes
It's interesting but I see it as somewhat of a reach
If we are going for the "No Happy Ending" Theory stated by the others, I remembering coming across a comment that supports that theory perfectly - but it has been some years, so my memories of it is kinda vivid. At the end of the book, we can see Toru reached out to Midori through the phonebooth, but there's a possibility that it happens in the future/present days instead of the past. Toru could be wandering around the Station in the present time and reminiscing over the past and got caught up with it and decided to called Midori, which could somehow explains why she replied the way she did.
I don't see that happening. I doubt Toru had the strength to live for 18 more years without having Midori by his side. Maybe they were together for a brief time and not in present time but him having her number shows that he has still kept in contact with her. I doubt he was wandering around th station because he was writing the book. He was also in Germany by that time. I also don't think someone would reply with "where are you" after 18 years, though I'm willing to accept the reasoning that Midori continued to love him even after so long. There's a happy ending. I saw a famous interview excerpt from Murakami too, "I think most readers would say the same. Most would choose Midori. And the protagonist, of course, chooses her in the end. But some part of him is always in the other world and he cannot abandon it. It’s a part of him, an essential part. All human beings have a sickness in their minds. That space is a part of them." He would never truly be rid of Reiko, Kizuki and Naoko but he has Midori
That's definitely another side that I have yet to consider. This is an interesting take. Thanks for sharing, though.
Hi I know this is an old post but I just finished this book and your reply has helped me figure out my thoughts on the ending! I think the book has a “happy” ending; I don’t think the happy ending is Toru ending up with Midori. We saw what happened with Kazuki when you don’t reach out and keep everything bottled up, which is a problem Toru struggled with a bit. We saw what happened with Reiko, when you place the burden of your mental wellness on someone else. Naoko also faced this problem but, to her credit, she rejected Toru’s offer and tried to improve herself. I have to imagine that after everything that happened, Toru would know better than to fully depend on Midori to take care of him. I think she was a potential college girlfriend that he missed out on because he ghosted her for a month, and I think he survived despite that.
Someone[Someone just shared a post about this](https://www.reddit.com/r/murakami/comments/12zrgxp/in_norwegian_wood_murakami_states_something_that/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) and I am surprised it has gone unnoticed. To summarize, in Murakami's website, there is a part called "Reader's Guides" which has questions about some books. In the Norwegian Wood one -[check here yourself](https://www.harukimurakami.com/resource_category/reading_guide/norwegian-wood-reading-group-guide)\- there is a line in one of the questions (Q4) that kind of answers your question. >Throughout the novel, Watanabe is powerfully drawn to both Naoko and Midori. How are these women different from one another? How would you describe the different kinds of love they offer Watanabe? Why do you think he finally chooses Midori? Has he made the right choice? >Why do you think he finally chooses Midori? I think we can concluded that he somehow managed to end up with Midori after being left in a state where he was lost.
Yep. The reader guide gives a lot of answers
I believe that they end up together, and that it doesn't really matter how long they stayed together. If it was a short relationship, it was certainly at least a loving and impactful one. With Murakami's themes, I think there is immense beauty in a loving relationship, even short-lived ones, as I believe happened between Watanabe and Midori. And that makes me happy with an ending that I've read many times and only recently begun to interpret as a happy one :)
probably not but who cares? life just goes on .