“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn’t something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside of you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn’t get in, and walk through it, step by step. There’s no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverized bones. That’s the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.
And you really will have to make it through that violent, metaphysical, symbolic storm. No matter how metaphysical or symbolic it might be, make no mistake about it: it will cut through flesh like a thousand razor blades. People will bleed there, and you will bleed too. Hot, red blood. You’ll catch that blood in your hands, your own blood and the blood of others.
And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka On The Shore
This quote is from Haruki Murakami’s novel “Kafka on the Shore,” a work renowned for its intricate blend of magical realism, existential questions, and deep philosophical inquiry. The passage uses the metaphor of a sandstorm to explore themes of fate, self-discovery, and transformation.
The “sandstorm” is depicted as an unavoidable, ever-changing challenge or conflict that one cannot escape by simply changing direction or running away from it. This metaphor suggests that the struggles we face in life are not external forces randomly happening to us but are deeply connected to who we are. They stem from within, from our desires, fears, conflicts, and unresolved issues. The storm chasing the individual regardless of the direction they take symbolizes the inevitability of confronting these personal challenges.
Murakami suggests that the only way to deal with this metaphorical storm is to surrender to it and go through it, implying that growth, understanding, and transformation come from facing one’s inner conflicts and challenges head-on. Closing one’s eyes and plugging up one’s ears as one walks through the storm represents a form of acceptance and a willingness to experience the turmoil fully, without resistance, acknowledging that it is a part of one’s journey.
The absence of sun, moon, direction, or time within the storm signifies the disorienting, all-consuming nature of these personal battles. They can feel timeless and directionless, overwhelming one’s sense of reality and self. The “fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverized bones” evokes a sense of mortality and the fundamental, often painful transformation that comes from these experiences.
Surviving the storm is described as a profound, albeit harrowing, process that fundamentally alters one’s identity. The experience is so intense and consuming that it might not be fully remembered or understood, but it leaves an indelible mark on the individual. Emerging from the storm, one is no longer the same person; they have been transformed by their experiences and the trials they have endured.
This quote reflects Murakami’s broader themes across his works, where he frequently explores the complexities of the human condition, the unconscious mind, and the process of self-discovery and transformation. It underscores the idea that personal growth and understanding often come from the most challenging and painful experiences, and that facing our inner turmoil is a necessary part of the journey toward self-realization and transformation.
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