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A Factory Worker's MemoirAuthor: Miyachi Karoku
| Original Title | ある職工の手記 |
|---|---|
| Author | 宮地 嘉六 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | A young boy’s life is shaped by a legacy of familial strife, trapped in a cycle of neglect orchestrated by a cruel stepmother and a father swayed by her whims. Yearning for escape, he flees his Saga home at thirteen, driven by defiance and a desperate need to prove his worth. His journey leads him to the gritty world of Sasebo’s shipyards, where he endures backbreaking labor, bullying, and the harsh realities of industrial life. Amid rusted machinery and suffocating iron pipes, he clings to pride in his work while wrestling with lingering guilt over his fractured relationship with his father. As years pass, fleeting reunions with family reveal unresolved tensions and bittersweet affection. Yet the boy’s resilience hardens into resolve, steering him toward a future among awakened laborers fighting for dignity. This raw, unflinching memoir traces a soul’s struggle against abandonment and exploitation—a testament to the cost of survival and the flicker of hope in a world that grinds down the vulnerable. |
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