Norwegian Wood is a novel written by Haruki Murakami that was published in 1987. The story revolves around the life of Toru Watanabe and his relationships with two women: Naoko and Midori.
The book is filled with beautiful quotes which perfectly capture the essence of the story. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best Norwegian Wood quotes from the novel!
About Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami, a Japanese author, was born on January 12, 1949. His novels, essays, and short stories have been bestsellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and selling millions of copies outside of Japan.
He has been recognized for his accomplishments, including the Gunzou Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, the Franz Kafka Prize, and the Jerusalem Prize.
He was born in Kyoto, Japan, during the post-World War II baby boom and grew up in Nishinomiya, Ashiya, and Kobe. He is an only child.
His father was a Buddhist monk, and his mother was the daughter of an Osaka merchant. Both were Japanese literature professors. His father served in the Second Sino-Japanese War and suffered greatly as a result, which would have an influence on Murakami’s writing.
He is widely regarded as one of the most significant authors writing in Japanese. His notable works include Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002), and 1Q84 (2009–10), with 1Q84 ranked as the best work of Japan’s Heisei era (1989-2019) by Asahi Shimbun’s survey of literary experts.
About the Novel Norwegian Wood
The novel is a coming-of-age story about loss and budding sexuality. Toru Watanabe, the protagonist, narrates his experiences as a university student in Tokyo from the first-person perspective.
Watanabe’s narrative reveals how he became close with two very distinct females: Naoko, a beautiful yet emotionally disturbed woman, and Midori, an extroverted young lady—all within the span of six months.
The narrative takes place in late 1960s Tokyo, when Japanese youth, like their counterparts around the world, were ranting against the status quo.
Norwegian Wood was a huge hit among Japanese teenagers, and Murakami became a celebrity in his native country.
Here are some of the finest of Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood Quotes
If you’re a fan of the book, you’ll love these Haruki Murakami quotes from one of the best of his works, Norwegian Wood. They perfectly capture the essence of the story and its characters.
Whether you’re looking for motivation or just want to appreciate the beauty of Murakami’s writing, these quotes are sure to hit the spot. Enjoy!
1. “A gentleman is someone who does not what he wants to do, but what he should do.”
It has been said that a gentleman is someone who does not do what he wants to do, but what he should do.
In other words, a gentleman is someone who is always mindful of the needs of others and puts their well-being above his own desires. This is certainly a noble ideal to strive for, but it can be difficult to live up to.
We all have our own wants and needs, after all. However, I believe that it is important to at least try to act like a gentleman.
It sets a good example for others and makes the world a better place. After all, if we all tried to do what we should instead of what we wanted, imagine how much happier and peaceful the world would be.
2. “Not that we were incompatible: we just had nothing to talk about.”
3. “I wonder what ants do on rainy days?”
4. “But who can say what’s best? That’s why you need to grab whatever chance you have of happiness where you find it, and not worry about other people too much. My experience tells me that we get no more than two or three such chances in a lifetime, and if we let them go, we regret it for the rest of our lives.”
5. “Despite your best efforts, people are going to be hurt when it’s time for them to be hurt.”
As anyone who has ever been in a relationship knows, breakups are hard. No matter how amicable the split, there is always some degree of pain and heartache involved.
And, as much as we might want to, we can’t always prevent our loved ones from getting hurt. Sometimes, no matter how much we care or how hard we try, people are going to be hurt when it’s time for them to be hurt.
It’s an unfortunate fact of life, but it’s also a reminder that we need to cherish the good times while they last.
So, next time you find yourself in the midst of a breakup, remember that it’s not your fault. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, people are just going to get hurt.
6. “I want you always to remember me. Will you remember that I existed and that I stood next to you here like this?”
7. “So what’s wrong if there happens to be one guy in the world who enjoys trying to understand you?”
8. “Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Only assholes do that.”
This quote is often attributed to one of the most successful people in the world, Bill Gates. And it’s easy to see why. When you feel sorry for yourself, you’re essentially wallowing in self-pity and refusing to take responsibility for your own life.
Not only is this unattractive, but it’s also incredibly counter-productive. After all, if you don’t feel sorry for yourself, who will?
Feeling sorry for yourself is a sign of weakness, and it will only hold you back from achieving your goals. So instead of feeling sorry for yourself, focus on what you can do to change your situation.
Be proactive and take charge of your life. Only then will you be able to achieve true success.
9. “All of us are imperfect human beings living in an imperfect world.”
10. “I have a million things to talk to you about. All I want in this world is you. I want to see you and talk. I want the two of us to begin everything from the beginning.”
I read your note over and over again, and each time I feel my heart swell a bit more. I’m so grateful to have you in my life- there’s nobody else I could ever imagine wanting to spend my time with.
You make me feel so alive, and I can’t wait to see you again so that we can pick up right where we left off.
I feel like there’s this never-ending list of things I want to talk to you about, and I can’t wait to cross them all off.
Just know that, above everything else, all I want in this world is you. You’re my everything, and I love you from the bottom of my heart.
11. “What happens when people open their hearts?”
“They get better.”
12. “Only the Dead stay seventeen forever.”
The young never seem to understand how quickly time passes. They believe that they will always be seventeen, that they will never grow old. But eventually, the years catch up with us all.
We may not want to admit it, but we all age. Our skin wrinkles, our hair turns gray, and our bodies ache in ways that we never thought possible.
And yet, there is something beautiful in the aging process. It is a reminder that we are alive, that we have lived and loved and laughed.
We may not stay seventeen forever, but that does not mean that we have to give up on life. We can still enjoy every moment, even as the years continue to pass us by.
13. “Letters are just pieces of paper,” I said. “Burn them, and what stays in your heart will stay; keep them, and what vanishes will vanish.”
14. “What a terrible thing it is to wound someone you really care for and to do it so unconsciously.”
15. “In his own way, he’s lived life with all the intensity he could muster. ”
16. “If I have left a wound inside you, it is not just your wound but mine as well.”
We are all connected. What happens to you happens to me. If you are hurt, I am hurt. This is not just an idea or a concept.
It is a deep truth that lives inside each one of us. When we see someone in pain, our natural instinct is to reach out and offer help. This is because we know that their pain is our pain. We know that their joy is our joy.
This connection is what allows us to love and be loved. It is the force that binds us together as one human family.
Whenever we see someone suffering, we should remember this truth and offer them our support and understanding. By doing so, we can heal the world one heart at a time.
17. “When you’re surrounded by endless possibilities, one of the hardest things you can do is pass them up.”
18. “I’m not very good at putting my feelings into words. That’s why people misunderstand me.”
19. “Something inside me had dropped away, and nothing came in to fill the cavern.”
20. “Nobody likes being alone that much. I don’t go out of my way to make friends, that’s all. It just leads to disappointment. ”
21. “People are strange when you’re a stranger.”
22. “It’s good when food tastes good, it’s kind of like proof you’re alive.”
There’s nothing quite like a delicious meal to make you feel alive. Whether it’s a gourmet feast or a simple home-cooked meal, good food just hits different.
It’s one of the great joys in life, and it’s amazing how something so simple can bring so much happiness.
When food tastes good, it’s like a little reminder that life is good too. So next time you’re feeling down, just remember: there’s always something to look forward to, and it might just be your next meal.
23. “Now that I can no longer see you, I realize how much I needed you”
24. “I’ve got people I want to understand and people I want to be understood by.”
We all want to be understood. To have somebody know us, to know what we’re thinking and why we’re feeling the things that we feel. It’s human nature to want to be known and to want to know others. And that’s what I want.
I want to understand the people around me, and I want them to understand me. I want to know their stories, and I want them to know mine.
Because when we understand each other, we can connect on a deeper level. We can see the world from their perspective, and they can see the world from ours. And that is a beautiful thing.
25. “If you’re in pitch blackness, all you can do is sit tight until your eyes get used to the dark”
26. “I was always hungry for love. Just once, I wanted to know what it was like to get my fill of it — to be fed so much love I couldn’t take any more. Just once. ”
27. “Whenever I get into something, I shut out everything else.”
Whenever I get into something, I shut out everything else. It’s like there’s this bubble around me that nothing can penetrate. I become so focused on whatever it is that I’m doing that the rest of the world fades away.
It’s almost like a form of meditation. When I’m in the zone, I feel incredibly calm and relaxed, even if what I’m doing is extremely challenging. This state of complete focus is when I’m able to do my best work.
When I’m completely absorbed in what I’m doing, time seems to slow down, and everything else falls away. This is the state of mind that I strive to reach every day.
28. “You’re really cute, Midori,” I corrected myself. “What do you mean really cute?”So cute the mountains crumble and the oceans dry up.”
29. “My arm was not what she needed, but the arm of someone else. My warmth was not what she needed, but the warmth of someone else.”
30. “She was seriously in love, but she never made demands.”
She was in love. It was the kind of love that made her want to be a better person, the kind of love that inspired her to reach for the stars. And yet, even in the depths of her passion, she never made demands.
She wanted only what was best for the object of her affections, and she was willing to give as much as they needed without ever expecting anything in return.
It was a pure and selfless kind of love, and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever experienced.
31. “I don’t mind ironing at all. There’s a special satisfaction in making wrinkled things smooth.”
32. “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”
33. “As long as I kept my body moving I could forget about the emptiness inside.”
34. “When I was with him, I felt as if my life had finally come back to me.”
After years of feeling lost and alone, I finally found someone who made me feel at home. With him, I felt like I could be myself – I didn’t have to put on a mask or pretend to be someone I wasn’t.
He was my best friend, and he made me feel loved and accepted. Being with him was like coming home.
I finally felt happy and whole again. Unfortunately, our time together was cut short when he passed away suddenly.
Even though he’s gone, I cherish the memories we shared together. He showed me that life is precious and that every moment should be treasured. I will never forget the happiness he brought into my life.
35. “People leave strange little memories of themselves behind when they die.”
36. “Just speak your mind honestly. That’s the best thing. It may hurt a little sometimes, and someone may get upset, but in the long run, it’s for the best.”
Being honest can be hard. You might worry about what other people will think of if you’ll hurt someone’s feelings.
But the truth is, being honest is always the best policy. When you’re honest, people are more likely to trust you and respect you.
They may not always agree with you, but they’ll know that you’re being truthful. And in the long run, that’s what really matters.
So next time you’re tempted to hold back, just speak your mind honestly. It may not be easy, but it’s always the right thing to do.
37. “The world is an inherently unfair place.”
The world is not a fair place. It’s an inherently unfair place. The strong prey on the weak. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. The haves has more, and the have-nots have less.
This is the way it has always been and the way it will always be. But that doesn’t mean we should just accept it.
We should fight injustice wherever we see it. We should strive to create a more just and equitable world for all. We should never give up hope that one day, fairness will prevail.
38. “My words did not seem to reach her. Or, if they did, she was unable to grasp their meaning.”
Let’s Wind Up…
Murakami’s words are beautiful, and they offer a unique perspective on the world. We hope you’ve enjoyed this collection of quotes as much as we have.
What is your favorite quote from Norwegian Wood? Let us know in the comments!