Murakami’s narrative. From fantastic realism to Raymond Carver

Abstract

The work tries to recognize in Murakami’s narrative -primarily, in the short stories-some constants that give it its own brand, which would range from the appearance of fantastic elements to certain spells -range of characters, plot twists...- whose referent could be found in the stories of Raymond Carver. For this reason, it is traced in the Murakami’s pages to determine to what degree the indicated mechanisms and influences are manifested. In this investigative journey, it is essential to refer to both recognized works and authors (Strecher, Rubio, Atkins) as well as to the statements of the same author in this regard. From the comparison of Murakami’s texts with the theoretical analyzes of fantastic realism (Roas, Oviedo) and the texts and principles assumed by Carver, it can be concluded that both labels are perceptible in the characterization of this narrative. It is verified, then, that the flow of the subconscious material significantly configures these stories when transferring them to the fantastic environment and, likewise, that Murakami’s types of characters, among other features, can resemble those of the American writer.