Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
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PlayAuthor: Mori Ōgai
| Original Title | あそび |
|---|---|
| Author | 森 鴎外 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the quiet dawn of a humid summer morning, Kimura, a meticulous civil servant, begins his day with mechanical precision. His modest rented house, dimly lit and swathed in mosquito netting, mirrors the solitude of his existence. As he navigates the familiar rituals—checking his conductor’s watch, enduring the maid’s chaotic cleaning—the weight of routine hangs heavy. Yet beneath his composed exterior lies a man divided: by day, he shuffles bureaucratic documents in a lifeless government office; by night, he dabbles in literature, a pursuit met with scorn from critics who dismiss his work as devoid of “mood.” \nKimura’s world is one of contradictions—a soul tethered to soulless paperwork yet yearning for artistic expression. Colleagues mock his dual life, while literary circles deride his perceived lack of earnestness. Even his past marriage crumbled under accusations of frivolity. Amidst sweltering commutes and mind-numbing tasks, he clings to a childlike playfulness, treating life’s burdens as mere games. But when a newspaper’s scathing critique intertwines with a looming script-judging duty, simmering tensions threaten to disrupt his fragile equilibrium. \nThrough rain-soaked streets and stifling office air, Kimura’s quiet defiance unfolds—a man caught between societal expectations and the elusive pursuit of meaning, where every choice whispers of compromise and every glance at the gray sky hints at unspoken rebellion. |
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