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Book 3, Chapter 7
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Reality and Subjective Experience
Free Will
Desire and Irrationality
The Personal Impact of War
Social Alienation
Summary
Analysis
Toru ventures into the depths of the recently constructed well. As he embraces the darkness, he contemplates the contrast between those who dwell in the illuminated world above and himself in his current state. While meditating, Toru’s mind returns to Room 208 and the mysterious woman residing in the darkness. Toru firmly believes she possesses vital knowledge, and he patiently awaits the opportunity to hear her revelations. However, each time he enters the room and senses the woman's presence, interruptions in the form of knocks on the door disrupt his meditative state, dragging him away from the immersive dream-like experience.
Apparently, Toru does not need one well, in particular, to access the alternate reality where Room 208 lies. Presently, there are two key figures in this alternate reality: the mysterious woman and whoever keeps knocking on the door. At this point, the novel has associated the mysterious woman with Creta and Kumiko. Meanwhile, the threatening nature of the knock at the door suggests that whatever lies beyond is related to Noboru, as he is the novel’s central antagonist.
Themes
