Pathway to Japanese Literature
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| Original Title | 犬は鎖に繋ぐべからず |
|---|---|
| Author | 岸田 国士 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a quiet Tokyo suburb reclaimed from rice fields, the Imasato family’s modest life unravels through the antics of their neglected dog, Pesu. Eight-year-old Koukichi, frail and withdrawn, grapples with school absence and neighborhood taunts, while his parents—Nenkichi, a beleaguered English teacher, and Futami, a weary homemaker—struggle to contain Pesu’s chaos. The dog’s latest misdeeds—stealing a neighbor’s prized shoe and fatally attacking chickens—ignite simmering tensions. \nAs complaints mount, the couple faces accusatory visits: a maid demands restitution, a grieving mother insists on chaining Pesu, and a sly opportunist, Momose Kikotsu, manipulates the crisis to position himself as a mediator. What begins as a plea for cooperation spirals into a public reckoning when Kikotsu organizes a neighborhood meeting in the Imasatos’ garden. Residents air grievances far beyond Pesu—petty grudges, class tensions, and whispered scandals—turning the gathering into a battleground of pride and resentment. \nAmidst mounting pressure, Nenkichi and Futami confront their isolation in a community quick to judge yet slow to understand. As dusk falls, the family braces for a confrontation that threatens to expose deeper fractures beneath their fragile suburban harmony. |
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