Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916)

First published in 1914 and set during the end of the Meiji Restoration, the novel explores how changing Japanese society profoundly effects an older and a younger man as they strike up an unlikely friendship. The novel was initially serialized in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper over the course of five months. The serialized novel was titled Kokoro: Sensei no Isho, though this was shortened for the print run of the novel to simply Kokoro, which translates variously as heart, mind, affection, courage, and resolve. Kokoro is one of the best-selling novels in Japan and has been hailed as one of the country’s most important works of 20th-century literature.
Perhaps my favorite Soseki novel, Kokoro is a reflective, quiet book. At times poignant and touching and as with all his work, beautifully written.

For further reading on Natsume Soseki's life and work here is an article I put together recently
https://quizlit.org/natsume-soseki-and-modern-japanese-literature… (more)

Very interesting. Told in the first person by our young narrator, then transitioning to a letter told in the first person by the other central character, Sensei. Written in the early part of the 20th century and describing the struggle to find meaning in the new open Japan. Also an odd seeking for a father figure that I didn't quite understand, as our narrator's father was still alive, though very provincial, and I guess he was seeking a father figure more in tune with how our narrator saw himself. He didn't find it. The section describing his father's terminal illness was moving and realistic, though as you will see generated a major plot element that I won't describe. The transition to the letter from Sensei was a bit of a weak section but picked up and became powerful towards its conclusion.
Overall a fascinating read, a solid 4.0… (more)

I felt like reading Kokoro because the characters in The Great Passage talked about it. Yes, I will take book recommendations from fictional characters now, thank you very much ;)

The writing is like looking at the sea, seeing the waves come and go. The rhythm lulls you and you follow along, almost despite yourself. It feels both light and heavy, simple and very intricate.

This short novel has 110 chapters. The reader can take a breath in between, reading slower, reflecting, letting thoughts settle for a moment. I liked that.

There are three stories here:

📖 The unnamed young narrator who meets and comes to admire an older man he calls Sensei. “Admire” is the wrong word, though, it is more of an intellectual obsession born out of loneliness and an undefined youthful longing for “something else”. A very strange, yet compelling, friendship dance follows, with the narrator always wanting more, and with Sensei always drawing back.

“...whenever some unexpected terseness of his shook me, my impulse was to press forward with the friendship. It seemed to me that if I did so, my yearning for the possibilities of all he had to offer would someday be fulfilled.”

There are hints of tragedy and dark secrets in Sensei’s past, and his marriage is a melancholy thing. Sensei seems to fear the young man’s admiration.

“The memory of having sat at someone’s feet will later make you want to trample him underfoot. I am trying to fend off your admiration for me, you see, in order to avoid your future contempt.”

📖 The narrator coming to his parents’ home to be with his dying father. These are harrowing chapters. Young man’s time with Sensei has corrupted him somehow, I feel, made him less of who he should be. The decision he makes at the end of Part 2 is impulsive and rash. We never see its aftermath, making it all the more tragic.

📖 The third story is Sensei’s letter, his confession. The love story has a lovely beginning. “Whenever I saw her face, I felt that I myself had become beautiful.” I found the portrayal of romantic love in a misogynic society interesting. How does a clever, sensitive man reconcile romantic love with his contempt for women in general? (He tries. He doesn’t, not really.)
With the love triangle in place, the story turns ugly. It is about people unable to express their feelings and talk to each other about them. This evolves into an emotional impotence and an inability to act when you need to (it gets tedious for the reader, though).Words said and words unsaid destroy everyone involved.

“Words are not just vibrations in the air, they work more powerfully than that, on more powerful objects.”

Sensei does a vile, dishonourable thing. After that, his life is but an imitation of one.

It’s interesting how things authors don’t show you can still be powerful – we never see the young man’s reaction to the letter, but just thinking about it hits you hard.

I feel melancholy after finishing, but I liked the experience of reading this classic.… (more)

A complicated book that sits in the bottom of your stomach for time after reading it. The hearts of the characters remain separate even if driven by each ofher. And we are left not knowing how deep this loss is.

While it is a symbolic story, it is also a historical document of Japanese society 19th century. One can recognise the traces of this confucius imbued social sense even today.

For me this was a particularly unpleasant novel that I am glad i read but that has left me depressed… buyer beware!… (more)