Pathway to Japanese Literature
Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.
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| Original Title | 牢獄の半日 |
|---|---|
| Author | 葉山 嘉樹 |
| Genre | War & Social Literature |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | Imprisoned as a "proletarian" in the unforgiving Nagoya Prison, our narrator endures a stark existence of hunger, confinement, and walls that dictate his every move. Yet, his spirit burns with a fierce, crimson defiance against the oppressive system. Then, on September 1, 1923, a massive earthquake rips through the prison, transforming an already brutal reality into a terrifying fight for survival. As guards vanish and structures threaten to collapse, the protagonist and hundreds of inmates are left to their fate, their desperate pleas for freedom met with chilling silence. Injured and enraged, he confronts the utter indifference of a system that would rather see them buried than released. Can one man's fury ignite a rebellion against a "bourgeoisie's giant" and reclaim their fundamental right to live, even from within a crumbling cage? |
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