Ambiguous Forest

Murakami Haruki is one of the most influential authors of contemporary Japanese literature.In recent years,he has repeatedly won international awards.His unique style of writing and novel plot have touched the hearts of countless readers.The research on imagery in his novels is still in its ascendant in recent years.However,the discussion of the image of "forest" is somewhat inadequate.This article selects four novels depicting typical forest styles("The Forest of Norway," "The Kafka by the Sea" and "1Q84"),and based on Japanese cultural traditions,some of the internal and external influences of Murakami's creation,then uses the "single mythology" analysis method,to discuss the forest imagery from the perspectives of the location of the forest and the function of the forest.At last this article wants to solve the problem of "what is the forest",and to do the research of the Murakami after drawing on the cultural traditions of the nation to write a different version of "myself' and solve these problems in national memory.This article is divided into three parts:introduction,body and conclusion.The introduction part introduces the reason of selecting this topic,the Haruki Murakami and his works and discusses the research status of works at home and abroad,to clearly defines the purpose and significance of the topic.Meanwhile,it introduces the research methods and the framework.The main body is divided into three chapters.It begins from the perspective of traditional Japanese culture and understands the Japanese's sentimental tendencies of the forest concept,and clarifies their unfair attitudes of overlooking(looting)and looking upwards(vigilance).In order to deeply understand the forest imagery described by Murakami,we select four "keys":Oedipus Complex,Fraser's "The Golden Bough"",Kendzaburo Oa's Forest World and Murakami's works.And we classify the forests in the four works in reality and non-reality,use the theory of Joseph Campbell's "single mythology" to grasp the new world imagery of forest inwards,then see the forest as a "limbo" 's calm observation.Murakami realized the lack of "ego" in Japanese culture,used the forest as the projection of "ego"itself,and expressed the "empty house" state of people's mind.Actually,Murakami was seeking a solution to the problem of "evil" through the way of forest inwards.With his easy and humorous way of writing,Murakami gave these answers to those questions left by ethnic history.