8 Haruki Murakami Tropes And What They Really Mean

5. A Whole Lot Of Sex

What It Is: Sex. You don't really need me to explain this one, do you? Sex is everywhere in Murakami's novels. That being said, for all its obviousness, sex through the lens of Murakami can be quite unique. Whether its Oedipal or due to someone looking like a mature Sean Connery, there's much at play when Murakami's characters wind up beneath the sheets. What It Really Means: A lot has been said about the amount of sex that takes place in Murakami's stories, with critics describing it as gratuitous and unnecessary. That Murakami's books feature a lot of sex is true €“ that reality features even more is undeniable. As a writer Murakami is interested in analysing human existence in all its many facets, and when one of those facets is as central to the world as sex, it would be disingenuous to ignore it. Murakami's protagonist's are merely vessels for the writer himself to ponder about the world, exploring the complexity of relationships and the complicated nature of lust and love. When it comes to sex, the reality is complicated. So why should Murakami ignore it?