Non-human Interactions and Agents in Kafka on the Shore As evidenced in several of Murakami's works, themes that deal with the metaphysical world are a common and omnipresent part of the beloved stories of Murakami. Not shying away from the esoteric mechanisms of the real world, Kafka on the Shore is a novel that embodies Murakami's penchant for the uncanny, clearly represented by the role in which fate and destiny - examples of non-human forces - play. bridging the gap between the timelines of the novel's characters. The pervasive theme of non-human interactions in Kafka on the Shore is heavily implied to be a crucial ingredient in creating the intersection between each character's seemingly divergent timelines and how these non-human interactions contribute to long-term development, and eventually to the fusion of the two main characters. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essay In Kafka on the Shore, Murakami foreshadows the fundamental parallelism between the characters of Kafka Tamura and Satoru Nakata by placing the characters in trips which initially seem to come from incongruous reasoning. In Kafka's case, he embarks on a personal journey to search for the true identities of his mother and sister as well as to escape the "little sandstorm that keeps changing direction" (Murakami 2) - to namely Kafka's Oedipal curse - which he goes to inexplicably. and ironically abandons his journey to find his missing family. While attempting to escape his fate, Kafka's alter ego, nicknamed "The Boy Called Raven", serves as Kafka's influential and often apathetic primary guide as he battles the brewing "metaphysical and symbolic storm." in him (Murakami 2). Meanwhile, Satoru Nakata - an old man who lost the majority of his higher intellectual functions such as his ability to read during World War II - gains the unusual ability to talk to cats and uses this particular skill to gain a job as a "lost". cat finder” (Murakami 25), becoming heavily dependent on this ability to obtain a meager income for himself (Murakami 104). Correspondingly, a peer-reviewed article, titled On Seeing Human: A Three-Factor Theory of Anthropomorphism from the University of Chicago, provides an explanation for why these non-human interactions are so important in shaping thoughts and actions of the two isolated protagonists. . In the article, the authors suggest that anthropomorphic agents can serve as very influential instruments in human social interactions, particularly in cases of strong social isolation, as shown by the two main characters who are not only detached from their families but also the surrounding collectivist nature. of Japanese society (Epley et. al. 14; Murakami 3-7). The two main characters rely on metaphysical mechanisms to survive and on their association of their respective "non-human agents" (Epley et al. 1-2) as objects "worthy of [their] moral respect" (Epley et al. highlights the enormous impact of non-human forces on shaping the characters' internal and external motivations, thus leading to the eventual convergence of their timelines. For Nakata, his ability to converse with cats has given him a method not only to earn money to buy what he considers luxury goods, like eel, but also to cope with his identity as a an outcast within his own family,Nakata being the only member of his family unable to support himself without outside help. The importance of Nakata's reliance on his abilities to speak like a cat is particularly emphasized in a particular interaction with a cat nicknamed "Otsuka" (Murakami 24-28). During their interaction, Otsuka shows Nakata the relevance of his skills by stating that he is "not so stupid after all" (25) since he can communicate with non-human organisms while normal humans cannot (25), thus allowing Nakata to achieve greater vision than any average human being. Through this dialogue with Otsuka, readers can glimpse the immense impact that Nakata's ability to talk about cats has had on his rationality, further emphasizing the "powerful impact" (Epley et al 4) that non-human organisms have between character chronology and individual development. . Additionally, the article titled Positive Social Interactions and the Human Body at Work: Connecting Organizations and Physiology expands this idea by exploring the concept of “human physiological systems” (Heaphy & Dutton 1) and “organizational importance” (1 ) of immensely receptive individuals, like Nakata and Kafka, to beneficial social intercommunications (2-3), whether non-human or not. The article is not necessarily about non-human interactions but rather about the actual implications and significance of the physiological mechanisms of positive social interactions, including "non-human agents" (Epley et. al 1-2), towards social interactions (Heaphy & Dutton). 2-3), juxtaposing the effects of non-human objects in the human realm as well as in Kafka on the Shore realm. Through the article's claims that "positive social interactions" (2-4) have long-term "beneficial physiological effects" (1), non-human interactions are further revealed as an important and vital non-human only in the personal and collective growth of the characters. intercommunication but also in real social interactions. In a New Yorker article titled "Subconscious Tunnels," John Updike examines Murakami's ability to interweave seemingly disparate, and surprisingly enigmatic, timelines and themes, further contributing to Murakami's enigmatic themes and characters within the novel. Furthermore, the author accentuates Murakami's perception of the "materialistic" and "glaringly enlightened" era (Updike, "Subconscious Tunnels") of contemporary society which is highlighted by "grotesque fictions" (Updike, " Subconscious Tunnels) dominant representations as exemplified by figures like the obscure Johnnie Walker and, later, the flamboyant Colonel Sanders. Updike's assertion is illustrated by the way Murakami describes the scenario in which Nakata first confronts and then murders Johnnie Walker, describing the entire ordeal in a way that makes it seem like it was about 'a simple illusion on Nakata's part, as evidenced by Murakami's characterization of Johnnie Walker: "He was somewhere between young and old, handsome and ugly" (Murakami 68). Nakata's non-human interaction with Johnnie Walker - whether imagined or not - is a crucial instigator that launches Nakata's "odyssey" toward a destiny that will soon intertwine with that of Kafka Tamura. Furthermore, these characters illustrate the ambiguous parameters between the internal and external "darkness" of our world and our individual "souls" (Updike, "Subconscious Tunnels") and how these perceptions relate to an intrinsically linked universal metaphor that Murakami weaves within by Kafka. on the shore or, in allusion to Goethe's words, “[e]verything is a metaphor” (Updike, “Subconscious Tunnels”;Murakami 57). Correlating with Updike's claim, a scientific article from Cornell University titled Conceptualizing a Non-Natural Entity: Anthropomorphism in God Concepts discusses the disparity between "non-natural entities" (Barrett & Keil 219, 237) – as God – and the “professed theological beliefs and concepts” of university students (219). The article's authors raise the question of how humanity, particularly followers of monotheistic religions, can characterize a "non-natural entity" (219) that is "all-powerful, omniscient, omnipresent, and eternal" (220 ) in “the spirit of a limited world”. be like man” (220). The authors' argument specifically reflects the actions and beliefs of Kafka Tamura as a young student whose dependence on metaphysical, non-human beings raises the question of whether he truly trusts these forces for push on his journey or if he simply uses them as justification for his hasty actions, such as the moment when - after the murder of Johnnie Walker - he wakes up to find himself immersed in blood after running away from home (Murakami 37). Furthermore, the authors assert that by attributing anthropomorphic qualities to an entity whose existence is beyond human capacity for comprehension and "ignoring the ontological distance" (Barrett & Keil 221) between God and human society, normal humans developed “an anthropomorphic language”. » in order to grasp the concept of God (221). The concept discussed in this article correlates with the divine entities present in the novel, such as Johnnie Walker who predicted Nakata's arrival and his rage-fueled murder at the hands of the old man (Murakami 77-80, 90- 91). , with Murakami strongly implying that Walker is a supernatural entity, as demonstrated by Johnnie Walker's ambiguous statement "[a] person has to have an appearance and a name, right?" » (68). Additionally, Updike lays out the novel's somewhat arbitrary details and how these details will eventually converge to describe the "lush, light, and...unruly" nature of Japanese society and culture (Updike, "Subconscious Tunnels"). Updike also mentions the fact that various spiritualist religions such as Buddhism and, most notably, Shintoism, have played a crucial role within Japanese society since the 5th century and how these religions were even used as "powerful spiritual weapons" during Japan's imperial wars (Updike, "Subconscious Tunnels"), it is therefore justifiable how these religions influence the formation of Murakami's otherworldly themes and how non-human objects play a considerably powerful role in the character timeline. Furthermore, a vital and dominant component of Shintoism, in particular, emphasizes the concept of "kami" (Updike, "Tunnels of the Subconscious") which, as defined by theorist Motoori Norinaga, deals with "all that which is out of the ordinary.” (Updike, 2005: Norinaga, Motoori), an important element of Murakami's novels. Updike's allegations offer a new perspective in Murakami's application of metaphysical forces and the exercise of their influence on the characters' timelines, in addition to the inevitability of several events that occur in the novel, such as the murders simultaneous - and premeditated - attacks by Johnnie Walker and Koichi. Tamura. Furthermore, given the real impact of Shintoism on Murakami's novels but also on his education, Updike's assertion that "kami" do not exist only in the realm of "heavenly and earthly forces" (Updike, “Subconscious Tunnels”) within Kafka on the shore but also through the.”