Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
← Back
Last YearAuthor: Itō Sachio
| Original Title | 去年 |
|---|---|
| Author | 伊藤 左千夫 |
| Genre | War & Social Literature |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | A man grapples with the chasm between his life of relentless struggle and a distant friend’s carefree existence, their bond strained by irreconcilable worlds. Burdened by poverty, he toils to sustain his eight children and weary wife, each day a battle against economic collapse and encroaching despair. When borrowed money fractures friendships and pride crumbles under necessity, he clings to literature as both salvation and torment—a lifeline for survival, not luxury. Tragedy strikes relentlessly: a daughter’s drowning, a sister-in-law’s sudden death, and the grim spectacle of mass cattle slaughter mirror his unraveling spirit. Yet amid anguish, fleeting moments of tenderness—a newborn’s innocence, his wife’s quiet resilience—anchor him to fragile hope. Haunted by contradictions, he questions whether farming or escape might offer peace, even as duty binds him to familial love’s exhausting grace. This introspective journey through loss and survival paints a raw portrait of human tenacity, where every breath is defiance against a world indifferent to silent battles fought in shadows. |
← Return to List← Return to TOP