Interplay of fate and freewill: A focus on Haruki Murakami's postmodern novel Kafka on the shore

Abstract

Postmodernism presents a complex view of self-identity, challenging traditional notions of a stable, coherent self. According to postmodernism identity is fragmented and constructed through social interactions, discourses, and cultural influences. Similarly, protagonist Kafka Tamura’s search for self identity is intricately woven into the fabric of the narrative throughout the novel. “Kafka on the Shore” is a postmodern novel written by Haruki Murakami in 2002 with diverse insights of human experience and multiplicity of perspectives, with the concepts of fate and free will. This paper aims to focus on the surreal world of Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore and its teenage protagonist Kafka Tamura’s experiences on his transformative journey in search of self-identity and the fear of the prophecy explained by his father. It begins with a battle between Kafka’s fate, which presents itself through his desire to live a meaningful life on his own. Also the text focuses on the interwoven lives of the other characters with Kafka using free will and developing their experiences in the story with the theoretical elements of postmodernism.