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Literary Devices
Definition of Allegory
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... read full definition
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Well:
The very first scene that Toru recounts, he is walking in a meadow with Naoko. In Chapter 1, as they walk, Naoko talks about a well that’s known to be nearby—a well that takes on allegorical significance in the novel:
“It’s really, really deep,” said Naoko, choosing her words with care. She would speak that way sometimes, slowing down to find the exact word she was looking for. “But no one knows where it is,” she continued. “The one thing I know for sure is that it’s around here somewhere.”
The well, here, is something that Naoko knows could swallow her up, causing a painful death. (“It’s a terrible way to die,” she later says.) She knows that it’s nearby, but she doesn’t know where, so she can’t avoid it. Instead, she must keep walking with the knowledge that she might drop into it at any moment.
This well is an allegory of sorts for the presence of death in Naoko’s life. Her boyfriend, Kizuki, dies by suicide before the beginning of the novel. Her grief shapes every aspect of her life, including her relationship to death. Death and suicide become ever-present forces that, like the well, Naoko believes she could fall into at any moment. She is characterized by her solitude and her withdrawn nature. Her lifelessness is emphasized by her time in the sanatorium, a place that blurs the lines between life and death. The precarity of walking by the well is the same precarity that follows Naoko as she moves through the world, navigating the constant threat of suicide.
Toru references the symbolic nature of the well: "I have no idea whether such a well ever existed. It might have been an image or a sign that existed only inside Naoko, like all the other things she used to spin into existence inside her mind in those dark days." In addition to drawing attention to the metaphorical interpretation of the well, Toru’s comment sheds light on his understanding of her mental state. If Naoko spun the well into existence, it would imply that she viewed the world as a risky and uncertain place. The well becomes a construction that represents the fact that she did not feel safe anywhere. Naoko’s consciousness is filtered through Toru’s imagination and memory—but her ultimate suicide adds narrative conviction to Toru’s interpretations.
Related Themes:
Chapter 6
Explanation and Analysis—Sanatorium:
In Norwegian Wood, the sanatorium or Ami Hostel is an allegory for the relief that seems to be offered in spaces near death. The Ami Hostel is surrounded by thick woods, which set it off from civilization. To get there to visit Naoko, Toru must walk through these woods, as described in Chapter 6:
There was a trailhead near the bus stop, according to Naoko, and if I followed the trail for twenty minutes I would reach Ami Hostel. If it was that deep in the mountains, no wonder it was a quiet place!
The sanatorium itself seems to be a sanctuary within these dark woods. The Ami Hostel offers a refuge, where life is near-perfect for residents. The “quiet” that Toru notices marks this separation from the bustle of the real world. Reiko explains the unique paradise-like quality of the sanatorium:
“Just living here is the convalescence,” she said. “A regular routine, exercise, isolation from the outside world, clean air, quiet. Our farmland makes us practically self-sufficient; there’s no TV or radio. We’re like one of those commune places you hear so much about.”
Life at the Ami Hostel is so compelling that residents struggle to leave and reenter the real world. Even though Reiko doesn’t have anything particularly wrong with her, she has been staying at the sanatorium for seven years. The placid ease of living at the Ami Hotel makes normal life more challenging for residents. As a result, they are held in this space proximal to death, still alive but unable to truly live. The allure of the sanatorium represents the allure of death for these characters—they must work hard to resist its pull. Naoko is in the Ami Hostel because of her suicidality, so the pull of death has literally brought her there. And while she shows signs of improvement at the sanatorium, she ultimately succumbs—she dies by suicide in the woods around the hostel.
Related Themes:
