The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: Book 3, Chapter 27 Summary & Analysis

Toru’s attempts to access more documents from “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” are denied, and he cannot explore further. He starts to suspect that the chronicle is a collection of stories that Cinnamon created. Recognizing that Nutmeg couldn’t have known all the details about her father’s experiences, Toru concludes that the stories are partially fictional.

Toru wonders why Cinnamon wrote these stories and why he chose to name them a “chronicle.” Toru knows that Cinnamon is unaware of Toru’s nickname, Mr. Wind-Up Bird; nevertheless, he feels connected to the chronicle. He wonders if Cinnamon meant for him to find it. Given Cinnamon’s skill with computers, Toru decides this must be the case.

Toru thinks about the striking similarities between himself and Nutmeg’s father in chronicle eight. Both characters bear a mark on their faces, have encountered or witnessed the violent swing of a baseball bat, and have heard the cry of the wind-up bird. Moreover, the lieutenant’s presence in the story reminds Toru of Lieutenant Mamiya, who was also in the Kwantung Army Headquarters in Hsin-ching in 1945. Contemplating these parallels, Toru questions whether these details are genuine connections or if Cinnamon inserted elements from his own life into these historical narratives.