Haruki'Murakami:'The$Elephant$Vanishes'
Lesson&Focus:&Symbolic)Animals)
The Elephant Vanishes is the title piece of the short story collection, but Murakami saves this story till
last. By now, the reader has encountered many animals scattered throughout the anthology, some
lost or disappeared, others appearing only in dreams or fantasy sequences. The purpose of this lesson
is to understand the symbolism of aspects of the natural world in the short story anthology.
Knowledge&Check&
Try to answer these questions from memory:
1. What time does the narrator’s alarm clock wake him
up in the morning?
a) 6.02
b) 6.13
c) 6.37
d) 6.54!
2. Who was the last known person to see the
elephant?
a) The narrator.
b) School children.
c) The zoo-keeper.
d) The town mayor.
3. What is one of the only defining characteristics of
the elephant?
a) His long trunk.
b) His sturdy legs.
c) His circular ears.
d) His white tusks.
4. Which of these is not one of the problems in
explaining the elephant’s disappearance?
a) His enclosure gate was too small for the elephant to
pass through.
b) The steel cuff was still fastened to his leg.
c) The route of escape was blocked by a high fence.
d) There were no tracks left by the elephant.
5. What job does the lady in the story have?
a) Zoo-keeper.
b) Newspaper reporter.
c) Kitchen designer.
d) Editor of a magazine.
6. What is the most important point in today’s kitchen
designs?
a) Beauty.
b) Function.
c) Unity.
d) Price.
&
Understanding&and&Interpretation&
These questions require a little more thought. Skim and scan to find the relevant information, and try to
express your ideas in short answers.
1. What is the media reaction to the story of the disappearing elephant?
• Significance:
