The Winds' Own Private Thoroughfare

“Most of the afternoons I would pass looking out at the pasture. I soon began seeing things. A figure emerging from the birch woods and running straight in my direction. Usually it was the Sheep Man, but sometimes it was the Rat, sometimes my girlfriend. Other times it was the sheep with the star on its back.

In the end, though, nobody ever materialized. Only the winds blowing across the pasture. It was as if the pasture were the winds' own private thoroughfare. The winds raced across the pasture, never looking back, on missions of utmost urgency.” - Haruki Murakami

Every once in a while during a nice reading session, I stumble upon a passage, description, or just a sequence of words that stun and inspire me. I end up just sitting there, allowing the words to soak in, and then I wish I had written what I read. These moments provoke my thoughts and emotions, which I find to be the mark of a great author’s exquisite craftsmanship.

Specifically, paragraphs five and six of “The Winds’ Own Private Thoroughfare” in A Wild Sheep Chase, set the theme and atmosphere of loneliness that persists for the rest of the story,, reinforced the fantastical setting, and revealed Boku’s emotional state while reinforcing his existentialism – all in 97 words. While isolated from society for days, Boku’s hallucinations that come from staring at the empty pasture manifest in two forms: what he is looking for and what he has lost. Both types of hallucinations serve to increase Boku’s sense of isolation as he is stuck near the end of his mystery but unable to make meaningful progress. Additionally, we know that this sheep ranch is an otherworldly setting, which could be an explanation other than loneliness for these hallucinations. Finally, Boku’s description of the pasture being “the winds’ own private thoroughfare” and the winds being “on missions of utmost urgency” stuck out to me as being a very unique train of thought. The phrasing and word choice seems perfect for someone that has had nothing to do but sit and think for days.

The best way to learn is through your own experiences, mistakes, and ruminations. The second best way to learn is by other’s experiences, mistakes, and ruminations. These two paragraphs show how to tie multiple aspects of a story together in a concise manner and are an exemplary example of the principle of “show, don't tell.” Connor Friedman