Desire and Irrationality Theme Analysis

In The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, desire and irrationality play a significant role in unraveling the complex relationships and motivations of the characters. As it explores these themes, the novel delves into the depths of human longing and the frequently self-destructive consequences of pursuing forbidden desires. Early in the story, Toru discovers that his wife, Kumiko, is having an affair with a man at work. When Kumiko describes the affair to Toru, she cannot explain why she had sex with another man—all she can say is that she had an irrational desire to have sex with him repeatedly. Later, Kumiko reveals that she has had sex with many men, not just one, due to the same irrational and uncontrollable desire. Kumiko knows that her behavior will damage her relationship with Toru, yet she chooses to act on her irrational impulses anyway. Noboru, Kumiko’s brother, represents another, much more sinister example of the same phenomenon. He is a respected public intellectual turned politician who holds one of the highest offices in Japan, meaning his life is constantly subject to public scrutiny. Despite this, he repeatedly acts on his darkest impulses, which include rape, torture, and possibly incest.

With Kumiko and Noboru, the novel sets up a dichotomy between two worlds: the external world of controlled, rational thought and social order, and the internal world of uncontrolled, irrational desire. When thinking rationally, both Kumiko and Noboru know that their behavior will likely bring about significant consequences, which could ruin their lives. However, in the moment when desire kicks in, their irrational side completely consumes them, and they act on their impulses, regardless of what consequences may come their way. Through Kumiko and Noboru, Murakami demonstrates the interconnectedness of desire and irrationality. Furthermore, the trajectory of the novel—which ends with Noboru dead and Kumiko alone—asserts the incompatibility of irrational desire and social order. In the novel, strong desires are often strongly irrational, will prevail over the rational, conscious thought, and are therefore dangerous. In order to function in society and maintain healthy relationships with others, the novel seems to suggest, it’s necessary to keep one’s irrational desires in check and maintain a healthy balance between irrational desire and rational discipline.