UFO in Kushiro Response

In general, I think we tell and listen to stories in which bad things happen because the conflict is what makes the story exciting. A story with no conflict would be utterly boring. In a story, I think we all long for some issue or conflict—bad things—to occur so that we can feel something and perhaps connect to the problem, or at least feel for it. We then long for resolution. While some stories are still great stories without resolution, I cannot even conceive a story being a good story without conflict. The bad things captivate our minds. They are more compelling to try and wrap our heads around. In a story with only good things happening, what would we feel? Experiencing bad things in stories is a safe way to feel the emotions that come with tragedy. We can feel these strong emotions in the story while we read it, but then we are able to return to our happier lives as soon as the story is over. And yet it is the bad things that happen which stick with us. They stand out in our minds. Perhaps reading about bad things is also somewhat therapeutic. It can help with releasing “bad” emotions, and at the same time make us feel better about our own lives.

Mystery drives Murakami’s story “UFO in Kushiro”. The mystery peaks our curiosity and forces us to continue reading. When an author leaves something unknown in a story or provides some sort of mystery to be found out, we are driven to want to discover the unknown. We want to solve the mystery, or at least see the mystery solved. While mystery is a great driving factor, it also serves to bring the readers into the story. Mystery leaves the reader to guess the solution to the mystery as they are reading along. It provides for a faster moving story because the reader is dying to know what happens. The ambiguity and vagueness are propelling. Readers of “UFO in Kushiro” ask question after question throughout the story. Why exactly did Komura’s wife leave? Did the earthquake affect her decision to leave? What is inside the box Komura takes to Hokkaido? I read this story faster and faster, assuming that by the time I’d reached the end of the story, I’d have some answers to these questions. But Murakami doesn’t exactly answer any of these questions. Instead, he lets mystery remain the driving force of the story, driving the reader to continue thinking about his work even after they’ve set it aside. I’m still personally wondering what in the world is in that box. Perhaps nothing was in it. And maybe that’s the point. The mystery represents some sense of reality in this story, which makes it even more compelling. In this very realistic story, mystery and coincidence are questioned in the story. I guess ultimately the mystery is a satisfying driving force because Komura is also driven by this mystery. In the end, he doesn’t know what’s in the box either. But it brought him to Hokkaido to meet Keiko and Shimao, and it allows him to think about what’s inside of him. Mystery in this story drives both reader and character and ultimately stays with us. Rather than leaving us with answers, Murakami leaves us with Komura and Shimao in bed together (nice twist although kind of expected) and the bigger question of what lies inside of us. Great story!!!