![]() ![]() I already knew of Dazai’s life story and it was striking to identify those autobiographical aspects as I read our tormented protagonist’s story. It shows us why putting on a mask for social acceptance doesn’t work, but conformity is pretty crucial for Japanese social norms. The notebooks trace his alienated, terrified, and miserable meandering as he suffers to adapt to the forceful collision between traditional Japanese culture and Western modernization. Putting aside for a second the endless and depressing speculation over whether it’s an autobiographical work, No Longer Human is a timeless piece that portrays the sense of isolation of Oba Yozo, born into a wealthy political family in rural northeastern Japan, who left behind three notebooks a confused child who became a troubled man unable to show his true nature to most people, a man disqualified as a human being. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |