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The Koshuku FamilyAuthor: Miyamoto Yuriko
| Original Title | 小祝の一家 |
|---|---|
| Author | 宮本 百合子 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Female Author |
| Summary | In a frigid Tokyo winter, Tsutomu and Otome Koshuku endure poverty’s relentless grip. Their cramped tin-roofed home, lit by a single electric lamp, becomes a battleground of familial tension when Tsutomu’s father threatens to return their young daughter, Mitsuko, by parcel unless they send money. Tsutomu, a resolute activist recovering from a brutal ear injury, clashes with his father’s bitter pragmatism while Otome navigates guilt and desperation, taking demeaning café jobs to survive. The arrival of Tsutomu’s impoverished rural family—his stubborn father peddling candies, his weary mother stitching rags, and his siblings grappling with exploitation—deepens their struggles. Amidst debt collectors and police scrutiny, the couple’s quiet defiance against a society indifferent to their suffering unfolds. Hints of solidarity emerge as Tsutomu’s ideals slowly permeate his family’s hardened hearts. Yet danger looms: clandestine activities force Tsutomu into hiding, leaving Otome to shield their fragile unity. A haunting portrait of resilience, where love and ideology collide beneath the weight of survival. |
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