Having read through “A wild Sheep Chase” with the notion that nothing really ever has to make sense (and in Murakami’s case, it almost never does), I decided to re-read the last section trying to come up with some sort of reasonable explanation for Boku’s actions, starting with “The Sheep Man Cometh”. The main section I wanted to look through was Boku’s interaction with The Rat, and the strange dream Boku had after their conversation. It is quite clear that Boku had gone insane by this point, as he had a meaningful conversation with his dead friend. However, what struck me most during their conversation was the amount of alcohol consumed. After all, if The Rat wasn’t really there, and was still drinking more than Boku, wouldn’t Boku actually be the one drinking? In other words, during his revealing conversation with The Rat, Boku drinks enough for two and in his drunken stupor, blows up the house.
In a novel so abstract, so mentally straining, could the end be so simple? Could Boku’s steady diet of whiskey, beer, and even more whiskey finally come back to haunt him? In a novel that poses many questions and offers absolutely no answers, could the outcome really be so simple? I wouldn’t put it past Murakami to lead us in circles only to show us an apathetic drunk pissing his life away.
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Interesting post. So does the apathetic drunk have a revelation on the beach, one that could lead to change and character development? I hope that Murakami isn't so much of a prude to write a text about the dangers of alcohol!
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