Kokoro
The book Kokoro is a novel written by Natsume Soseki. This novel was written in 1914, which is when the drastic change in Japanese culture was taking effect. The book is set into three different parts. The book is explained throughout the book by a narrator who the reader does not know the identity of Sensei. The book deals with the transition from the Japanese “Meiji Era” to the “Modern Era.” Throughout the book it is exploring the friendship between an adolescent man and an older man he calls 'Sensei' who are accustomed to different eras they live in. Throughout the novel we see the changing roles and relationships of women in society, various values that are changing, and the entire identity of older Japanese values.
The first section begins with the narrator who is a college student, approaching the independence of an adult life but with weak emotions. The narrator begins a friendship and fascination with Sensei. Sensei lives a lives a life of solidarity and tries to avoid other people and will only socialize with friends during special occasions. Sensei has a wife, but he treats her very poorly throughout the book. The student notices that Sensei is secretive and wants to find out more about him.
The second section of the book shows the narrator mostly with his family and away from Sensei. The narrator’s father is sick and he stays bedside with him. The parents think that the narrator is their family's future to carry the family into further generations because of his intelligence. Sensei and a previous student known as “K” are in the middle of a love triangle over a young women. Sensei believes that he had caused “K” to commit suicide because of the love triangle.
The final part of the book shows Sensei's monolog. He talks about being betrayed and betraying others. We see that Sensei becomes very depressed, and his emotions drastically change after the death of General Nogi Maresuke who committed “junshi” after...
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