Pathway to Japanese Literature
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| Original Title | 青春の逆説 |
|---|---|
| Author | 織田 作之助 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In bustling early 20th-century Osaka, Hyōichi, a young man of fierce intellect and brittle vanity, navigates a world determined to humble him. Haunted by his mother’s sacrifices and the shadow of a miserly stepfather, he strives for academic excellence, only to find his pride repeatedly wounded by poverty and societal expectation. His expulsion from a prestigious high school thrusts him into a brutal job market, where each failed interview and menial task further erodes his delicate self-esteem. As he grapples with the complexities of love and ambition—from a fleeting infatuation with a schoolgirl to a passionate, jealousy-fueled entanglement with a troubled actress—Hyōichi is forced to confront the stark realities of his own character. Will he find the dignity he craves, or is he destined to remain trapped in a paradox of self-loathing and unfulfilled longing? |
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