No Longer Human (PDF/ePUB) By Osamu Dazai Read Online for free.
No Longer Human PDF/ePub Information
| Book Name: | No Longer Human |
| Author: | Osamu Dazai |
| Pages | 95 |
| Language: | English |
| File Type: | PDF/ePub (Downloadable) |
| PDF Size: | 795 KB |
| ePub Size | 405 KB |
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No Longer Human, the second novel by acclaimed postwar Japanese author Osamu Dazai, is the moving and interesting tale of a young man stuck between the dissolution of his family’s aristocratic traditions in northern Japan and the influence of Western ideas. Since then, he has been feeling “disqualified from being human” (the literal translation of the Japanese title).
This and Dazai s first book, The Setting Sun, were both translated by Donald Keene. Keene said of Dazai s writing, “His world… suggests Chekhov or maybe postwar France, but there is a Japanese sensibility in the choice and presentation of the material.” Dazai books can be read by people from the West, but they are also different in their own ways. People have said that his writing style is like that of Rimbaud and that he is like Yukio Mishima.
Gertrude Huston’s design features a picture by Noe Noje chowiz from the collection of John and Barbara Duncan.
Introduction
The author has looked at three different images of the same man. The first image is a snapshot from the subject’s youth and depicts a young kid in the company of a large number of females. The boy’s mouth is not in a smiling expression, and he is showing an unattractive sneer with his teeth. In the second picture, the youngster is shown as a student; yet, his face does not give off the feeling that it belongs to a real person at all. He is clad in the standard student attire and can be seen sitting on a wicker chair with his legs crossed. The image gives off an overall impression of total artificiality, pretence, insincerity, and fatuousness, and there is nothing that can cover it up.
The last picture is by far the creepiest of the bunch. Given the size of the skull, it is hard to make an educated assessment as to how old the person is. The characteristics of the face are average, and the face itself does not lack expression or originality while having neither. After seeing the snapshot, the only way for the author to forget the person’s face is to shut their eyes. The author is unable to recall the snapshot a second time, and the thought that even a death mask would retain more of an expression and leave more of a memory makes him or her uneasy.
In conclusion, the author’s experience with the images sheds light on the harsh truths about human nature as well as the limits of human expression.
About The Author Osamu Dazai
Osamu DAZAI (traditional Japanese:, born Shji Tsushima) was a renowned Japanese novelist whose works are often cited as examples of the genre. Many of his books are considered modern classics in Japan, including the bestsellers Shay (The Setting Sun) and Ningen Shikkaku (No Longer Human).
Many people have been captivated by Dazais stories because of his semi-autobiographical style and openness about his own life. A number of significant issues, including human nature, mental illness, social connections, and postwar Japan, are brought into focus in his novels.
No Longer Human Book Summary
The narrative of a young man stuck between the dissolution of his northern Japanese aristocratic family’s traditions and the influence of Western ideals is told movingly and fascinatingly in No Longer Human. Someone who is so cut off from the rest of the world that he thinks he has to act like everyone else to avoid being rejected.
Our hero, Oba Yozo, isn’t exactly someone you’d root for. He’s gloomy, dark, and monotonous. He consistently abuses the confidence of those around him, then tries to justify his behaviour by pointing the finger at external factors. But there is a startling sincerity to his reflections on humanity and his sense of isolation. He exposes our society’s inherent ugliness and hypocrisy. How can we define what it is to be human, to belong? Can you trust a human to tell the truth? Capable of donning the appropriate disguise at the correct time?
Osamu Dazai, one of the most influential storytellers in Japanese literature, authored this semi-autobiographical tale just before he committed suicide.
The crushing melancholy that followed the author everywhere he went defines the work. Even though the story is made up, many of Yozo’s traits reflect those of the author.
If you’re not afraid of the dark, I highly recommend skipping this one. This book has a lot of information. I anticipate thinking about that for quite some time.
If you do pick it up, you might have an existential crisis while reading it.