Taufiq Yves's Reviews > South of the Border, West of the Sun

I remember when I first saw Haruki Murakami’s South of the Border, West of the Sun, I was as curious as you probably are: Where exactly is “south of the border”? What’s “west of the sun”? Why did Murakami put these two places together?

After reading it, I realized the story doesn’t actually have much to do with the title.

The protagonist, Hajime, experiences his first love with his elementary school classmate Shimamoto, who has a limp. As only children, they shared a special connection, going to school together and listening to Nat King Cole records. At 12 years old, a brief ten-second hand-holding moment gave him his first taste of warmth, making him feel confused, puzzled, and sad. He didn’t know it was love at the time. This brief moment with Shimamoto left a mark on his heart that stayed with him throughout the years they were apart.

Next came his high school girlfriend, Izumi. No longer young and naive, their love was genuine. A passionate young man craving physical connection, Hajime ended up having sex with Izumi’s cousin after Izumi rejected his advances. This caused their relationship to crumble, deeply hurting Izumi - a pain he only understood many years later.

His third girlfriend was Yukiko, whom he met during a trip at age 30. Both had been through emotional hardships and were attracted to each other, eventually marrying. With his father-in-law's help, Hajime opened a bar, had two daughters, and led a peaceful and happy life.

If the story ended here, it would be an insult to Murakami’s artistic talents. At 37, Shimamoto reappears in Hajime’s bar, disrupting his peaceful and mundane life. Seeing her again felt like old times; he was once again that nervous boy who would get anxious for days after she touched his hand. Facing Shimamoto, just one word from her would make him abandon everything to be with her. Yet, when he finally decided to wait for a beautiful tomorrow, Shimamoto disappeared without a trace.

Murakami is writing about a man's journey through life and analyzing love.

Shimamoto represents everyone's first love. a first love that stays with you forever. First love is like the sea, with emotions flowing like streams - sometimes turbulent, sometimes calm, but never ceasing.

Murakami doesn't depict the female lead as flawless. While Shimamoto is beautiful and noble, she has a limp. In Hajime’s eyes, this flaw is also beautiful, as her walk creates a “pretty curve.” Even when they meet years later and Shimamoto mentions that her limp was corrected through surgery, Hajime’s tone carries a hint of regret.

It’s not hard to understand - if it weren’t for her unique walk due to the limp, how could he have recognized her in a sea of people?

Initially, I didn’t understand why Murakami made Shimamoto such an enigmatic character. She’s elegant and high-class but never worked; she had a child who died young but never wore a ring; she always appeared in Hajime’s bar on rainy nights; they went to the ideal river together but didn’t see each other for months afterward; she never talked about her job or family...

Later, I realized that first loves are mysterious because of the time and distance. Through the lens of love, everything about her is beautiful. For the sake of his beloved Shimamoto, Hajime kept waiting, just as he said, ”No need for apologies. I’ve said before, this is a bar, you’re a customer, come when you want. I’m used to it. I’m just talking to myself, don’t mind me.” His heart is like that bar, always reserving a spot for her. Although he harbored resentment towards her, the joy of their reunion overshadowed it.

In this novel, it's undeniable that Hajime’s love for Shimamoto is profound, but I believe it doesn't compare to Izumi's deep love for Hajime. Their high school romance began beautifully but ended in betrayal. When Hajime saw Izumi years later, she was no longer the lively, enthusiastic girl; her face was expressionless, even scaring innocent children. If it weren’t for her deep love, she wouldn’t have been hurt so badly, right?

1 wrong decision caused Hajime to lose someone who truly loved him. Some mistakes can be fixed, but not those with a loved one.

Shimamoto’s sudden departure had signs. She once said, ”After a certain time, many things become hard and solid, like cement in a bucket. That means we can never go back. Your cement has already hardened completely, and there’s no other you but the present one, right?” This beauty eroded by time is a poignant kind of beauty.

Everyone has a past, so everyone has memories. Experiences make you grow, so when you make the same choices again, your decisions will consider the lessons learned from your growth. Another way to deal with the past is to "forget." Sometimes, people’s worries come from having a good memory.

Returning to the title South of the Border, West of the Sun: “South of the Border” first brought to mind poetic images, but it's just a simple Mexican song; as for “West of the Sun,” I still don’t know what it means. Perhaps it means nothing. In life, everyone, like the Siberian farmer, easily suffers from “hypochondria,” fantasizing that “West of the Sun” lies their dreams, constantly chasing until they collapse and die.

Everyone is waiting and chasing. In the end, you might find that what you pursued was lost in time.

4.6 / 5 stars

My other reviews of Murakami's Work:
The City and Its Uncertain Walls
Norwegian Wood
1Q84
Hear the Wind Sing
Kafka on the Shore
Sputnik Sweetheart
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
South of the Border, West of the Sun
After Dark