I was a little surprised by the use of 紡ぐ in 体が紡ぎ出す暗黒の予兆のように (3rd column from left) but could make sense of it through kanji.
Also at this point, I've decided to pretend botanics don't exist so dear Haruki, please find a creative place to stick your 椎の木, thank you very much. It's just 木々 and 花々 to me from now on.
Hi Jon, happy you could join and glad to see you're enjoying the story. Hahah sorry about all the plants...it seems to be a recurring theme in these readings (completely accidental, I promise!). It is quite a bit easier though, right? Curious to read your comments tomorrow.
This story is def not as challenging as the previous ones ^^ For now I have a few questions about the plot and the main characters, which I hope will be answered further in the text. Namely, why does this woman spend her days doing nothing? Is she ill? And is the monster actually a human turned into a monster by some magic? But I quite enjoy the story and the style that I can somewhat appreciate because of how easy the text is ^^
Hi Elena, glad to see you're back! It's a bit more accessible, isn't it? Great questions! I don't think we'll ever know the answer though, as the plot takes a weird turn later on.... Keep on reading, you'll see.
Ah, I guessed so) Mr Murakami leaves answers to trivial quastions to our imagination, as always :D But I'm def quite intrigued about what's going to happen next!
I think the woman is working mentally deeper than ever and she is going through...it's worth reading on, amazingly written. I think some of your questions will get an answer, but not all. I just had to read on...but I won't give it away.
1. I'm also bit uncertain about this verb but here's my take: 紡ぎだす literally means "to spin" or "make a yarn." Check jisho: https://jisho.org/word/%E7%B4%A1%E3%81%90 In this sentence
紡ぎだす here is used to figuratively mean to "make" or "construct" something. So「体が紡ぎたす暗黒の予兆」means "Dark omen which my body creates."
2. すませる is a causative form of this verb 澄む which means "to be clear/understandable." 澄ませる means "make something clear." So「響きに耳をすませる」means "listen carefully to echoes."
I'm glad the story is readable. Not having to look up so much certainly enhances the enjoyment :)
It seems Jimmy already gave a pretty comprehensive answer to your questions! I think the imagery of the verb 紡ぐ is also important here: various smaller strands coming together to form one focused thread (so here, a kind of tension that builds in intensity). This is quite different from just 作る or 生む or 感じる, which Murakami might have also used here. Looking forward to your responses on day 2 ;)
I found this much easier to read then all the previous reading projects, so I'm very happy. I tried not to look up too much, and just keep reading. Yet easier and already reading ahead because I had to know how it finished the theme is very disturbing and hard, yet beautifully written in the style of Murakami with depth and metaphorical and psychological meaning. I couldn't find the name of the tree, 椎の木 could it to be an Oak tree, which also has symbolic meaning in this story I think. At first I liked the description of the this tree, being like an old friend, but now that has changed:私はその椎の木のことをまるで友達のように思ウていた。I like the way it start fairly simple she, unnamed, sitting in a chair by the window, looking out into the garden, looking at the tree, and how Murakami builds up tension along the way.体が紡ぎだす暗黒の予兆のように: could this sentence also be a dark cocoon as a warning sign from her body, that is spinning within, instead of omen, though this is what it literally means Omen, just a thought?
Hi Kavita! Really cool interpretation of the last sentence you mentioned there! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the story and that it's easy to follow, even though the content is quite abstract. 椎の木 is read しいのき, and is a chinquapin tree (which apparently does not grow in Europe).
Thank you, good to know my initial guess was right, but I crossed it out, because somehow an oak tree seemed more appealing to me, as I have never heard of a chinquapin tree and couldn't form an image.
What a murakamiesque little story ! No spoilers but as I write this, I've read through page 4, so I know how weird it gets ;)
Obviously this is much more accessible than our previous challenges, but that doesn't mean it's any less interesting.
FYI here's the vocabulary I learned on this page :
淀みなくhttps://jisho.org/search/yodominaku --> love this, a very visual expression (and easy non-jouyou kanji)
くぐもる https://jisho.org/search/kugumoru
ぼそぼそ https://jisho.org/search/bosoboso
幻聴 (meaning is obvious with kanji, but still, i would not no cluein a spoken context) https://jisho.org/word/%E5%B9%BB%E8%81%B4
I was a little surprised by the use of 紡ぐ in 体が紡ぎ出す暗黒の予兆のように (3rd column from left) but could make sense of it through kanji.
Also at this point, I've decided to pretend botanics don't exist so dear Haruki, please find a creative place to stick your 椎の木, thank you very much. It's just 木々 and 花々 to me from now on.
Your right, it gets disturbingly weird, but amazingly written. Thank you Jon for your insightful comments. I like your 椎の木 comment.
it's a foliage frenzy!
Yes, and I also have creative suggestions about what to do with the foliage, leaves and cellulose.
Hi Jon, happy you could join and glad to see you're enjoying the story. Hahah sorry about all the plants...it seems to be a recurring theme in these readings (completely accidental, I promise!). It is quite a bit easier though, right? Curious to read your comments tomorrow.
I made a wordlist see link. Hope you are able to read my handwriting and please ignore my stroke-order and balance of the kanji's. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QWYQC-mFVLPsYfwveqC6UXxl7BicGk5j?usp=sharing
Thanks so much for these lists :) they're a big help for many in the community.
Thank you, I notice a mistake on the last page of my wordlist:鍵, is of course is かぎ .
Just had a quick look, and it looks great! One small detail: 無目的 is read as むもくてき.
Good you spotted that!, thank you.
This story is def not as challenging as the previous ones ^^ For now I have a few questions about the plot and the main characters, which I hope will be answered further in the text. Namely, why does this woman spend her days doing nothing? Is she ill? And is the monster actually a human turned into a monster by some magic? But I quite enjoy the story and the style that I can somewhat appreciate because of how easy the text is ^^
Hi Elena, glad to see you're back! It's a bit more accessible, isn't it? Great questions! I don't think we'll ever know the answer though, as the plot takes a weird turn later on.... Keep on reading, you'll see.
Ah, I guessed so) Mr Murakami leaves answers to trivial quastions to our imagination, as always :D But I'm def quite intrigued about what's going to happen next!
Haha yes he has that tendency.
I think the woman is working mentally deeper than ever and she is going through...it's worth reading on, amazingly written. I think some of your questions will get an answer, but not all. I just had to read on...but I won't give it away.
Right, no spoilers please :D
Hello! I just finished reading the 1st page, and ふ threw me off a bit as the sentence starts with ふと気がつくどこかずっと… Does it have a specific meaning?
https://jisho.org/word/%E4%B8%8D%E5%9B%B3
Thank you! Didn't realize I should look it up with the と as well! I should probably start using Jisho too :)
Thanks for sharing Jimmy!
気がつく
perceive
どこか
somewhere
ずっと
always
気
mind; will; life energy; gas; air; active energy; ki; vital energy
どこか
somewhere
遠くの
distant
方
shift; way
ぼそぼそ
whispering; subdued; murmuring; muttering
Maybe this could mean, it came from somewhere far away?
Perhaps in a metaphorical way, yes!
Good evening,
I'm happy to be able to read with you again. The story looks pretty light. I can understand it so easy! What a difference from the previous readings:)
My questions:
1. how to understand the verb 紡ぎだす
2．what means: 響きに耳をすませる。 (am I reading it correctly？: すませる？）
regards、Danuta
1. I'm also bit uncertain about this verb but here's my take: 紡ぎだす literally means "to spin" or "make a yarn." Check jisho: https://jisho.org/word/%E7%B4%A1%E3%81%90 In this sentence
> 体が紡ぎたす暗黒の予兆のように。
which modifies the previous sentence
> 最初のうちそれは（体が紡ぎたす暗黒の予兆のように）まるで私自身の体の中から聞こえてくるように思えた。
紡ぎだす here is used to figuratively mean to "make" or "construct" something. So「体が紡ぎたす暗黒の予兆」means "Dark omen which my body creates."
2. すませる is a causative form of this verb 澄む which means "to be clear/understandable." 澄ませる means "make something clear." So「響きに耳をすませる」means "listen carefully to echoes."
Thank you for your clear explanation, I only learnt this causative form vaguely by self-study, but one sees it all the time when reading.
Thanks for these elaborate replies Jimmy, I think you're spot on :)
Hi Dana, welcome back!!
I'm glad the story is readable. Not having to look up so much certainly enhances the enjoyment :)
It seems Jimmy already gave a pretty comprehensive answer to your questions! I think the imagery of the verb 紡ぐ is also important here: various smaller strands coming together to form one focused thread (so here, a kind of tension that builds in intensity). This is quite different from just 作る or 生む or 感じる, which Murakami might have also used here. Looking forward to your responses on day 2 ;)
I found this much easier to read then all the previous reading projects, so I'm very happy. I tried not to look up too much, and just keep reading. Yet easier and already reading ahead because I had to know how it finished the theme is very disturbing and hard, yet beautifully written in the style of Murakami with depth and metaphorical and psychological meaning. I couldn't find the name of the tree, 椎の木 could it to be an Oak tree, which also has symbolic meaning in this story I think. At first I liked the description of the this tree, being like an old friend, but now that has changed:私はその椎の木のことをまるで友達のように思ウていた。I like the way it start fairly simple she, unnamed, sitting in a chair by the window, looking out into the garden, looking at the tree, and how Murakami builds up tension along the way.体が紡ぎだす暗黒の予兆のように: could this sentence also be a dark cocoon as a warning sign from her body, that is spinning within, instead of omen, though this is what it literally means Omen, just a thought?
Hi Kavita! Really cool interpretation of the last sentence you mentioned there! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the story and that it's easy to follow, even though the content is quite abstract. 椎の木 is read しいのき, and is a chinquapin tree (which apparently does not grow in Europe).
Thank you, good to know my initial guess was right, but I crossed it out, because somehow an oak tree seemed more appealing to me, as I have never heard of a chinquapin tree and couldn't form an image.
I'm struggling with 窓切 ＝まどきり？ I couldn't find an English definition..
I get it, so many kanji that look alike! Hope you're enjoying the story :)
Wrong kanji. It's 窓辺（まどべ）
Thanks Jimmy.