/lit/ - Literature

This is the first and only Murakami novel I've read so far and I want to understand it better. I think I understand the general theme of personal quest and the search for oneself and their place in life, but there are a few things I'm confused about;
>Who/what were they and what purpose did Johnny Walker/Colonel Sanders serve? Were they just there to make sure the characters did what they were supposed to?
>What exactly happened to Nakata on that field trip to make him able to talk to cats and have half a shadow?
>Was the forest near Oshima's cabin a kind of metaphor for the sensation of loss and misdirection that Kafka was feeling? What did that little village with the young Saeki represent? A longing to relive the old days?
>What did the two WW2 soldiers represent?
>Was the boy named Crow some sort of alter ego of Kafka? The kind of person he wanted to be?
>Why did Nakata believe he killed Johnny Walker only to find it was Kafka's father? Why did he see someone different?

>>6939404

The UK editions of Murakami are class.

Hey guys, I just finished reading this book and I had some questions if anyone wanted to discuss.
1. Nakata and Kafka were parallels right? When Nakata killed Johnnie Walker, it was somehow Kafka killing his father?
2. What was the connection with Crow mauling Johnnie Walker in one of the final chapters?
3. Why did Nakata need to see Miss Saeki after he opened the entrance stone?
4. What was the being that came out of Nakata supposed to symbolize?
5. What is the entrance stone concept supposed to mean?
6. Why are the concepts of Johnnie Walker and Colonel Sanders important?

Murakami is really beyond me in terms of me trying to interpret but I really enjoy all his works that I've read. Thanks guys

how to into murakami?