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Journal . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Journal . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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THE INVISIBLE ARCHITECT: TRANSLATION AS A CREATIVE AND CULTURAL FORCE IN THE FICTION OF HARUKI MURAKAMI

Authors: Mr. Jagtap K.R.;

THE INVISIBLE ARCHITECT: TRANSLATION AS A CREATIVE AND CULTURAL FORCE IN THE FICTION OF HARUKI MURAKAMI

Abstract

The global literary ascendancy of Haruki Murakami is as much a phenomenon of translation as it is of authorship. This paper argues that translation is not merely a secondary process for Murakami's work but a fundamental, constitutive element of its very form, style, and thematic core. Moving beyond the traditional view of translation as a neutral conduit, this study examines how Murakami’s unique position as a writer deeply influenced by Western literature, and his own practice as a translator, shapes his original Japanese texts. Through a close analysis of select fiction—including Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and Kafka on the Shore—this paper explores three key facets: the "translated style" of his prose, which creates a sense of cultural liminality; the thematic preoccupation with crossing boundaries between worlds, consciousness, and realities as a metaphor for the translational act; and the complex cultural dynamics at play when his "Japonisme" is re-imported to the West. By synthesizing translation theory, particularly the concepts of Lawrence Venuti, with literary analysis, this paper concludes that Murakami’s fiction exemplifies how translation in the contemporary globalized literary landscape acts as an invisible architect, constructing narratives that are inherently hybrid and whose very meaning is negotiated in the space between languages and cultures.

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
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