Existentialism is a 20th-century philosophy and literary school that maintains that life is meaningless and chaotic, and that any abstract theory about it is useless. All that exists is the world of phenomena as perceived by our senses. Whatever metaphysical concept lies behind this world, it is not only impossible to know and understand, but also has no significant value. The only choice we have to make in life is to accept this world with a kind of determined joy, to discipline ourselves and to challenge the emptiness and chaos by finding our own meaning in life ("Friedrich Nietzsche Part 4") . Although Haruki Murakami does not directly express any existential opinions in What I Talk about When I Talk about Running and Norwegian Wood, he is an existential writer par excellence because much of existentialism involves the resolution of private dilemmas. Existentialism places a lot of emphasis on introversion, and this can be seen in the lives of Murakami's characters. In What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Murakami was faced with the dilemma of competing in a 62-mile ultramarathon that took place every June. at Lake Saroma in Hokkaido, Japan (104). According to Murakami, “The runners run on the shores of Lake Saroma, which faces the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. It’s only once you actually walk the route that you realize how ridiculously huge Saroma Lake is” (105). The weather gradually changed from freezing to too hot for heavy clothing during the ultramarathon (105). While Murakami was running, he began to feel intense pain in different parts of his body (109). Despite this, he felt very happy when he arrived at the finish line, not so much pride as a sense of accomplishment (115). In running, Murakami finds his own meaning... middle of paper ...... Through perseverance, we overcome obstacles and find happiness in our chaotic world. We find our own reasons to live and we choose to defend our own values. All of these things are principles of existentialism. There is no other purpose in life than what we do for ourselves. Works Cited "Friedrich Nietzsche Part 4 - YouTube". YouTube - Broadcast yourself. Internet. September 25, 2011..Murakami, Haruki. What I talk about when I talk about running. New York: Vintage, 2007.Print.Murakami, Haruki. Norwegian wood. New York: Vintage International, 1987. Print. “Freedom Island – Søren Kierkegaard”. RobertHSarkissian.com. Internet. November 27, 2011..Murakami, Haruki, Alfred Birnbaum and Jay Rubin. The elephant disappears: stories. (TEV)New York: Knopf, 1993. Print.