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This dissertation investigates the concept of “fairness” and how this concept works in literary texts of Haruki Murakami. While critics mainly discuss main male characters, I focus on female character’s activities. The reason of choosing female characters to discuss is that in texts of Haruki Murakami, I found that fairness is mentioned by female characters frequently. And the concept of “fairness” is seldom explored. However, I argue that this concept can’t be ignored when discussing female characters. The definition of “fairness” is “the quality of treating people equally or in a way that is right or reasonable” by the dictionary. Of course in the texts of Haruki Murakami, female characters want to be fair in all relationships, but they failed in the end. Some of them chose to suicide, and some of them run away from the reality. I would like to analyze how they pursue “fairness” in relationships and how they work the concept in relationships by the background of texts(1960s’~1980s’) and analytical psychology. This dissertation includes three chapters. Chapter one, I’ll discuss the concept of “fairness” in Norwegian Wood. The late 1960s is the start of Zenkyoutou(全共闘), which is started by students who pursue fairness and protect rights of studying. I wonder that the background influences characters the most. I analyze the concept of “fairness” by activities of Naoko, Midori, Reiko, and Hatsumi, and the concept is based on relationship which they pursue. Chapter two, I’ll focus on Yumiyoshi, Yuki, Kiki, and other prostitutes in Dance Dance Dance. The background of the text, 1980s’ is the period of highly developed of economy in Japan, and it is referenced strongly in the text. In this chapter, I’ll investigate how those female characters act fairness in the society of capitalism and consumerism . Chapter three, by analyzing Simamoto, Izumi, Yukiko in South of the Border, West of the Sun to discuss the concept of “fairness”. The background is the same as Dance Dance Dance. However, the concept of fairness is not realized in Dance Dance Dance. In this chapter, I would like to analyze how do characters face the failure of cannot realize the concept of fairness. And finally consolidate the concept of “fairness” in Haruki Murakami’s literary texts.
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