Chapter summaries The City and Its Uncertain Walls Haruki Murakami

Chapter 70 Summary: Farewell to the Girl and the Town

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The narrator walks the girl to her door on the final night. Instead of his usual “See you tomorrow,” he says “Farewell.” The girl, puzzled, returns the word slowly. He notices subtle changes in her features but realizes the transformation is actually within his own heart. He speculates that she may vanish after he leaves, an idea that wounds him. He walks home along the river, where spring has arrived. Later, in a dark room deep in his unconscious, he meets Yellow Submarine Boy. They sit by a candle. The boy asks if he has any doubts; the narrator says no. They exchange final words. The boy advises him to believe in his other self. The narrator blows out the candle, and a soft, profound darkness descends.

Key Events

  • The narrator says “Farewell” instead of “See you tomorrow” at the girl’s door.
  • The girl’s expression shows unfamiliarity with the word.
  • The narrator observes changes in her features, then realizes his own heart is transforming.
  • He walks home alongside the river, noticing spring has come.
  • In his unconscious, he meets Yellow Submarine Boy.
  • Yellow Submarine Boy confirms the narrator’s resolve and says they likely will not meet again.
  • The boy urges him to believe in his other self as a lifeline.
  • The narrator blows out the candle, ending the scene in total darkness.

Character Development

  • The narrator: His determination to leave solidifies despite the pain of losing the girl. He accepts that the space containing him is gone and moves toward the next stage. His recognition that the changes are within himself shows growing self-awareness.
  • The girl: Remains enigmatic. She vanishes into her residence as always, but her hesitation and puzzled reaction to “Farewell” hint at her limited understanding of permanent separation. The narrator suspects she exists only for his sake, so she may cease to exist once he leaves.
  • Yellow Submarine Boy: Reveals an inability to feel sadness yet imagines he would be sad if he were normal. He serves as a guide, offering cryptic advice about the other self. The narrator’s gratitude indicates a deep bond, even though the boy is emotionless.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • The absence of tomorrow: The town’s timelessness is emphasized. The narrator’s habitual phrase “See you tomorrow” is meaningless there, and on the final night he must replace it with a word that acknowledges finality.
  • Transformation: The changing features of the girl and the narrator’s realization that his own heart is shifting suggest that identity is fluid. The farewell triggers a deeper metamorphosis.
  • Silence as shared intimacy: Silence between the narrator and the girl is described as the one thing they hold intimately in common. This motif underscores their connection beyond words.
  • Candle and darkness: The candle flame represents consciousness or the boundary between worlds. Blowing it out signifies the narrator’s active step into the unknown, embracing a darkness that is “ever so soft.”
  • The other self: Yellow Submarine Boy’s instruction to believe in the other self reinforces the novel’s exploration of duality and the lifeline that the alternate self provides.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 70 marks the crucial farewell that the narrator has been building toward. It crystallizes the central tension between staying in a timeless, illusory town and moving forward to an uncertain reality. The scene with Yellow Submarine Boy provides the philosophical underpinning for the narrator’s departure: trust in the other self. The act of blowing out the candle is a decisive break, making this chapter a pivot point for the entire narrative. The imagery of soft darkness closes the chapter with emotional and metaphorical weight, setting the stage for the final transition.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does the narrator say “Farewell” instead of “See you tomorrow” on the final night?
    He recognizes that in the town “tomorrow” does not truly exist. Saying “Farewell” acknowledges the permanent nature of his departure, breaking the habitual lie of a nonexistent future.

  2. What does Yellow Submarine Boy mean by “Believe in the existence of your other self”?
    The boy refers to the narrator’s alternate self in the real world. Trusting that other self is equivalent to trusting oneself; the other self will “catch” him when he returns, providing continuity and stability.

  3. Why does the narrator blow out the candle, and what does the resulting darkness represent?
    The candle symbolizes the liminal space between consciousness and the unconscious, or between the town and reality. By extinguishing it, the narrator deliberately ends his connection to the town and enters a complete, enveloping darkness that signifies both an ending and a new beginning.

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