Kafka on the Shore: Style 1 key example

Kafka on the Shore is written in a variety of styles that range from the epistolary to the colloquial to the dramatic monologue. The novel is split stylistically between chapters, with half of the novel told in the first person from Kafka Tamura's point of view and the other half told in the third person as well as through a collection of letters and documents. In all chapters, the writing is eloquent and makes frequent use of figurative language, creating the dreamlike atmosphere that the novel is regarded for.

 Being with her I feel a pain, like a frozen knife stuck in my chest. An awful pain, but the funny thing is I’m thankful for it. It’s like that frozen pain and my very existence are one. The pain is an anchor, mooring me here. The girl stands up to boil some water and make tea. While I’m sitting at the table drinking it, she carries the dirty dishes out to the kitchen and starts washing them. I watch her do all this. I want to say something, but when I’m with her words no longer function as they’re supposed to.

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