"After becoming professional novelists, our relationship became more twisted, and finally we almost broke up, we didn't see each other for more than twenty years, and we basically couldn't talk or contact each other."
This is the famous novelist Haruki Murakami's description of the relationship between father and son in "Abandoned Cat". What kind of irreconcilable contradictions between Haruki Murakami and his father have led to his failure to speak to his father for 20 years, leading him to never eat Chinese food when he goes to China, and even leading him to decide not to have children in this life?
In the newly published essay "Abandoned Cats When I Talk About My Father" in 2021, Haruki Murakami finally talks about the contradiction between father and son, father, self, memories and cats in its entirety. In the book, it is revealed that because his father once participated in the war of aggression against China, Murakami has always been unable to let go of his father's past. This also had a profound impact on many of Murakami's life decisions, such as going to China not to eat Chinese food because he felt unworthy; deciding not to have children, hoping to stop his father's sins from Murakami's generation.
It is for this reason that Murakami has little contact with his father when he becomes an adult. His understanding of his father and his speculation about the relationship between father and son are formed on the basis of a portrait of information and self-understanding long after his father's death.
Unlike some of the pretentious mysteries in the novel, this 30,000-word prose is more like Murakami's self-analysis and self-reconciliation. The book mentions many of murakami's life lessons.
Below, let's feel the life insights that have benefited us a lot from the book.
First, the path that everyone takes is not necessarily correct
During World War II, there was a notorious "Jewish butcher" Adolf. On the battlefield, he was a cruel sadist, killing without blinking; and in life, everyone said he was a gentle gentleman. As for his actions on the battlefield, Adolf considered himself to be nothing more than "faithfully carrying out the orders of his superiors" like most people.
Adolf the "Butcher of World War II" on the judgment bench
How to explain Adolf's bizarre behavior? A sentence from Haruki Murakami in the book can give us an idea of why. The book reads: "I am afraid that each of us can only breathe the air of different eras, carry the weight of the times itself to live, and can only grow silently in the torrent of the times." ”
In the context of the times, individuals are wrapped in the wheel of history. If history were black, ordinary individuals would become practitioners of darkness by following the currents without thinking. This is the weight of the times that is carried on the individual, that is, the "evil of mediocrity."
In this way, the contrast on Adolf's battlefield is explained: he does not realize that he has been immersed in the "evil of mediocrity".
Look at Murakami's father, who is also a dark practitioner. Because of the weight of the times, he participated in the war of aggression against China. Although fate allowed him to avoid the Nanjing Massacre, he carried the weight of war for the rest of his life, and he could not be at peace and could not break free.
As Voltaire said, "When an avalanche occurs, no snowflake is innocent." "The path that everyone is taking is not necessarily the right one.
Second, no matter how bitter it is, we must keep the bottom line
In the book, there is a chilling sentence: "Killing prisoners who do not resist is a non-humanitarian act contrary to international law, but the Japanese army at that time seemed to think that this practice was extremely natural." The killing of unarmed women and children, and the surrender of soldiers with their hands raised, are disgraceful acts. However, this is what the Japanese army has always adhered to during the war.
On the other hand, in "Chosin Lake", which has recently frequently set box office records, the treatment of prisoners of war by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army makes people sigh at the style of a big country. In the movie, Wu Wanli killed the red eye in the war. Seeing an American general wounded and unconscious, Wu Wanli pulled out a pistol to end the enemy's life, but was desperately stopped by Wu Qianli. Wu Qianli roared out at Wu Wanli, who had lost his mind: "Some bullets must be hit, and some bullets cannot be hit!" ”
"Chosin Lake" broke 5.4 billion at the box office
In the state of war, the volunteer army, even if it persisted bitterly with backward weapons and inferior troops, still did not forget the principle of humanitarianism, which is commendable.
No matter how bitter you are, you can't forget your bottom line. This is also an important reason why China can achieve today's results.
Third, history should always be remembered
For more than half a century, Japan has been running away from the mistakes it made in the past, from its past self. Haruki Murakami wrote in the book: "No matter how unpleasant and undesirable the content of history is, people still have to accept it as part of themselves. If this is not the case, what is the significance of history? ”
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Although Japanese, Haruki Murakami dared to face up to the fact that his father had participated in World War II and bravely admitted the mistakes he had made in the past. Murakami's father rarely mentioned anything about the battlefield. The only thing in my memory is the heavy past of cutting off the heads of captives, and my father did not shy away from it. He always wants his son to understand that even if both sides will have scars in their hearts, they must face the mistakes they have made. Because that's part of itself, and it's part of history.
Some things will be forgotten over time, but history should always be remembered.
summary
After reading this book, Murakami's sad and helpless tone floated in the air for a long time. He borrowed this book to say a lot of heartfelt words: "Probably everyone has some unforgettable heavy memories, we can't tell people in words what it really looks like, but it can't be said, just like this, just live like this, and gradually go to death." 」 "I hope that everyone can face life head-on, reconcile with the heavy memories in their hearts, and live calmly."
I am an orange cat silent, accompany you to read good books.