4.3 Social realism and its impact on Japanese literature

Social realism shook up Japanese literature in the early 1900s. Writers started focusing on the struggles of everyday people, especially workers and the poor. They wanted to show the harsh realities of life and push for social change.

This new style of writing was all about keeping it real. No more fancy, idealized stories. Instead, authors used a more documentary-like approach, mixing fact and fiction to capture authentic experiences and voices.

Realist Literary Movements

Social Realism and Naturalism

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• Social realism depicts the lives and struggles of the working class and lower social strata, often with a focus on social and economic inequalities (factory workers, farmers)
• Aims to raise awareness of societal issues and inspire change through realistic portrayals of everyday life
• Naturalism, a related movement, emphasizes the role of environment and heredity in shaping characters' lives and behaviors
  • Suggests that individuals have limited control over their circumstances due to external forces (poverty, social class)
• Both movements reject idealized or romanticized depictions in favor of unvarnished, often gritty representations of reality

Documentary-Style Writing

• Influenced by the rise of journalism and reportage in the early 20th century
• Incorporates factual, objective observations and descriptions into literary works
• Aims to capture the authentic experiences and voices of real people and communities
• Often includes interviews, eyewitness accounts, and detailed descriptions of settings and events
• Blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction, challenging traditional notions of literary truth and authenticity

Genres and Themes

Shishosetsu (I-novel) and Working-Class Narratives

• Shishosetsu, or "I-novel," is a confessional genre that emphasizes the author's personal experiences and inner life
  • Often written in the first person and draws heavily from the writer's own biography and emotions
  • Explores themes of individual identity, alienation, and the search for meaning in modern society
• Working-class narratives focus on the lives and struggles of laborers, farmers, and other members of the proletariat
  • Depict the harsh realities of manual labor, poverty, and exploitation
  • Highlight the collective experiences and solidarity of the working class
  • Often feature characters who are politically conscious and engage in labor activism or unionization

Political Critique and Authenticity in Literature

• Many realist and proletarian writers used their works to critique the social, economic, and political systems of their time
  • Exposed the injustices and inequalities faced by marginalized groups (women, minorities, the poor)
  • Challenged the dominant ideologies and values of the ruling class and the state
  • Advocated for socialist or Marxist ideas as a means of achieving social change and equality
• Authenticity became a central concern for writers seeking to represent the realities of modern life
  • Rejected the artificiality and sentimentality of earlier literary styles in favor of a more honest, unembellished approach
  • Aimed to capture the authentic speech, behaviors, and experiences of ordinary people
  • Often incorporated dialects, slang, and other markers of social identity to create a sense of verisimilitude