Abstract

SORTE JUNIOR, Waldemiro Francisco. A Critical Appreciation of Japanese Youth during the Postwar Period. Analysis of the Story "An Odd Job" by Kenzaburō Ōe. Lit. teor. hist. crit. [online]. 2019, vol.21, n.1, pp.297-319. ISSN 0123-5931.  https://doi.org/10.15446/lthc.v21n1.74878.

The article analyzes the story "An Odd Job" (kimyō na shigoto) by Kenzaburō Ōe ( ), published in 1957, in which the author carries out a critique of postwar Japanese youth. As Ōe witnessed World War II, the ensuing Japanese defeat, and the period of American occupation of his country, his childhood and youth were marked by the conflict between traditional Japanese values and Western ideals. The analysis of selected parts of the story shows that the author uses both characters and narration to denounce the apathy, absence of commitment to political and social issues, and lack of aspirations for the future of some of the members of his own generation.

Keywords : social critique; existentialism; postwar generation; Kenzaburō Ōe; Japanese literature; Shōwa period.

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