Volume V Special Issue III August 2025

Name of Author : Subhashini G, Dr. T. Alagarasan

Title of the paper : Ontological Drift in Haruki Murakamis Kafka on the Shore

Abstract: This paper delves into Catherine Malabous concept of Plasticity through the lens of folklore, history, and mythology. Haruki Murakamis Kafka on the Shore features an unconventional, alternative narrative intertwining the firstperson narrative of Kafka, a 15yearold boy, and the thirdperson narrative of Nakata, an elderly man who experiences loss of consciousness and gains a new identity, allowing him to communicate with cats. Murakami guides the character through the realm of unconsciousness and the tapestry of history. He further crafts a new identity for Nakata, drawing on Malabous concept of plasticity from her book The New Wounded, portraying Nakata as one who reontologizes trauma into synaptic plasticity using mythological elements. Trauma is typically associated with disruptive plasticity, akin to plastic bombs. However, Murakamis character Nakata undergoes a transformation through the disruption of consciousness and memory. These narratives challenge the ontology of trauma. Freud and Lacan see trauma as a destructive quality, a disorder. However, Malabou add on constructive quality to it. In a sense, the term plasticity embodies its own dichotomy, echoing Derridas notion of Binary Opposition.

Keywords : plasticity, Malabou, identity, realm of consciousness

DOI :

Page Number : 244-247