I was cleaning my bookshelf when I discovered my copy of “No Longer Human” by Osamu Dazai, and I remember being incredibly impacted by this novel. I do not wish to make people uncomfortable, so I apologize if this may be too much information, (please let me know if I have shared too much and I will remove this section from the post.) but as somebody who is bedeviled with mental illness, aside from the outdated beliefs and language I found this novel unnerving due to how synonymous some of the protagonist/author’s thoughts overlapped with my own. This was one of the few novels I thought about for days after finishing. I am curious to see what other people have thought about this novel.
Thank you all for taking the time to read and reply, I hope you all have a lovely day.
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I have the manga version illustrated by Junji Ito, not sure how similar it is but I’d imagine he stayed extremely close to the source material. In my opinion, it’s one of the greatest representations of mental illness in literature. It can be an uncomfortable read and it’s even more haunting once you read about Dazais life.
I didn’t like the manga. It’s overly tragic in a Junji Ito kind of way where every character goes insane or dies in an almost supernatural way.
Literally just finished it right now. I felt conflicted with the novel the entire time. I can relate to feeling like a spectator to other humans lives but it’s hard to like Yozo. I loved the novel but the selfishness, self loathing, and disgust he had for the world around him made it difficult for me to sympathize for a man who created all his problems. I’m just glad he points it out but is then conflicted with being an egoist or the complete opposite. A man who is never sure of himself but somehow always is with the decisions he makes.
Page 157-158 where he acknowledges his self destruction is what made me love this novel
You’re not supposed to like him. It’s a tragic story, him being abused as a child spiraled him into a truly contemptible man, not just some sweetheart with a few flaws.
His trauma just slowly builds up over time as his life gets sadder and sadder and he punishes himself more and more for something that isn’t his fault. He’s terrified of being himself, because he thinks he’s not human and that in turn, manifests into him truly losing touch with humanity.
It deals with mental illness in such a raw way, and the self destruction is so irrational, but that’s exactly how it works. His hatred for humanity is just his hatred for himself, and his attitude towards women (turns out that the guy who hates everyone hates women too). He’s terrified of loving someone in a productive way, and sabotages any potential relationship.
I loved the novel but the selfishness, self loathing, and disgust he had for the world around him made it difficult for me to sympathize for a man who created all his problems.
Sorry, but anyone that’s dealt with mental illness first hand knows that people only care when it’s making you a victim. Everyone is supportive when you tell them you have xyz, but when it makes you miss plans, act out, then suddenly they have no real compassion. People like the idea of mental illness as a vector for their virtue signalling. Not when it actually manifests.
Mental illness is truly part of you, and makes you do reprehensible stuff. I could easily empathize with him, even if I cannot justify any of his thoughts or actions, and think he’s horrible. Sadly mental illness isn’t just quirky tik toks and being sad sometimes. It manifests negatively all the time, and Yozo took it to the extreme. Falling through every crack imaginable.
Sorry for a barely related rant, but I think your comment is a symptom of something bigger. The novel is being criticized for having an unlikeable character when that’s quite the point. And if you’ve never had any of those thoughts he’s had, I’m jealous.
Thank you
Strongly agree with you. Anyone who read this book and find it unrelatable is having a blessing of a lifetime which they don’t know they have.
It’s an incredible read. The antonym of crime scene and the last paragraph of the book were some of the best pieces of literature I’ve read.
I loved the part about tragic and comic nouns.
Although i think it’s a weaker, but more emotional Underground Man, I still loved it. The descent into self destruction was something to behold, and it just kept getting worse.
Had to stop myself and think about my initial reaction of trying to rationalize what he’s doing.
I love it for its role in Japanese literature overall. No Longer Human is basically the definition of a Watashi Shōsetsu. An entire genre came from this (I mean there were others before, but Dazai really gave it the shape it had forever since). But like other works in that genre, it’s kinda rough reading this knowing it’s basically autobiographical, and one can speculate whether Dazai specifically focuses on all the negative stuff and dark thoughts.
This comment has made me want to read it. Sounds like notes from the underground. “Masochistic Glee” would be a great album name
This is without a doubt the darkest story I’ve ever read.
I first read it in a Junji Ito manga adaptation before purchasing the original book by Osamu Dazai.After reading, it truly made me think about death and how a person feels so ‘alienate’ that they withdraw from society, as if I had been depressed for the entire week.
The story depicts Yozo, who is incapable of revealing his true self to others and instead maintains a facade of hollow jocularity. His attempts to reconcile himself to the world around him begin in early childhood, continue through high school, where he becomes a “clown” to mask his alienation,later involved in alcoholism and drug abuse which eventually lead to a failed suicide attempt when he’s an adult.
The only issue I had was with the main character, Yozo.He talks about how frightening people are, doing things solely to satisfy their own emotions, and how scary they are to him, but he is exactly that. Everything he does is motivated by his own emotions. He exploits nice people and justifies it by claiming that humans are animals.While in reality,he is exactly the animal he describes, controlled by his own fear.
(Trigger warning;suic!de) Even though I have a love-hate relationship with the character, the saddest part was learning that the book was heavily inspired by the life of Osamu Dazai. The character Yozo was a ‘self insert character’ that portrays Osamu tragic life. Osamu was suicidal and suffered from mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction. He,much like Yozo are detached from society.On June 3rd, 1948, he and his wife eventually committed suic!de which they drowned themselves in the Tamagawa River.
This made me really sympathize with the author, and he is still one of my favorite authors to this day. The book he wrote really portrays a sense of isolation, loneliness, and alienation from society that it always gives me a sense of odd,yet grief whenever I read his book.
I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted. Thanks for this summary. I do think this sounds like a good read.
You’re welcome. It is an enjoyable read,I highly recommend it to everyone.
I read it about a year ago and enjoyed it. It was a sad but thought provoking book.
I think what stood out to me the most in the book were the struggles of faking “normal” and the main character’s inability to notice that there truly were people that liked him.
It was definitely a look on mental illness that few authors ever touch on.
For me, one of the most shocking parts was to read about the author’s life afterwards. Things that strained credulity in the book are taken directly from his life.
I think it’s good, but not great. Those who are totally blown away by it should read some Camus, Cioran, Ligotti, etc…
That is a fair opinion, I found the novel more impactful because of how it’s many sections of it resonated with me personally. I have only read Camus, may I trouble for a few recommendations from any of the other authors you have mentioned?
Thank you so much for your time and reply.