He expresses frustration in Sensei’s unwillingness to open up to him. In Part I, Sensei and I, the unnamed student narrator gives his account of meeting Sensei and their growing friendship. Those two deaths are a vital element of Kokoro- however indirect - and is mentioned in both Parts II and III. It was also written two years after the death of Emperor Meiji and the suicide of General Nogi. He points out that Kokoro was one of Soseki’s last novels, written two years before his death. In the foreword, McClellan gives us a little background about the author, Natsume Soseki. Okay, so there are actually four parts if you count the Foreword from the translator, Edwin McClellan. The book is divided into three different parts: Sensei and I, My Parents and I, and Sensei and His Testament. He has no trust in humanity, including himself, and it is not revealed why until his testament at the final part of the book. Though the two manage to become very close friends, Sensei proves to be a secretive, reclusive, emotionally guarded and cynical man who has withdrawn from the rest of society apart from an occasional outing with what few acquaintances he has or taking a vacation with his wife. Perhaps in hopes of filling some unknown void within himself, the young man (who is never named) looks to Sensei as a mentor. Kokoro, which translates into: “the heart of things”, tells the story of a young university student who befriends an older man he calls “Sensei.” Translated to English, “Sensei” translates into teacher. Kokoro is a story that focuses on loneliness, guilt, betrayal, love, and the struggles of individuals feeling isolated from the rest of society. And it could very well be that reason that had the most influence on how many stars I awarded it. This Japanese classic, despite being written in a time and culture in which I’ve never been a part of, serves in many ways as a mirror to my own psyche. Not sure if that is something to be happy about, but it’s true.
There’s just so many treasures to examine here! If someone were to ask me what favorite book I would pick that best represents me as a person, it would probably be Kokoro. Set in the early twentieth century, when the death of the emperor Meiji gave way to a new era in Japanese political and cultural life, the novel enacts the transition from one generation to the next in the dynamic between Sensei, who is haunted by mysterious events in his past, and the unnamed young man, one of the new generation’s elite who will inherit the coming era.Ĭonsidering this is a classic, my review may read more as a discussion or study guide than a book review. Kokoro, meaning ‘heart’, is a tantalizing novel about the friendship between a young man and an enigmatic elder whom he calls Sensei. Genre: Japanese Literature, Classic, Historical Fiction
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