4.2 Key authors and works of the proletarian literary movement

The proletarian literary movement in prewar Japan saw writers like Takiji Kobayashi and Yuriko Miyamoto expose harsh working conditions and class struggles. Their works, such as "The Crab Cannery Ship" and "The Street Without Sun," vividly portrayed the exploitation of workers and women.

These authors used a style called proletarian realism to depict working-class life authentically. They aimed to raise class consciousness and inspire action against capitalism, often drawing from their own experiences to create powerful, socially conscious literature.

Key Authors

Prominent Proletarian Writers

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• Takiji Kobayashi played a central role in the proletarian literary movement, using his writing to expose the harsh working conditions and exploitation of the working class
• Yuriko Miyamoto was a proletarian writer and activist who focused on the struggles of women workers and the intersection of gender and class oppression
• Sunao Tokunaga wrote proletarian literature that depicted the lives of farmers and rural workers, highlighting the challenges they faced under the capitalist system
• Denji Kuroshima was a proletarian writer and journalist who wrote about the experiences of soldiers and the impact of war on the working class
• Ineko Sata was a proletarian writer who explored the lives of women factory workers and the gender-based discrimination they encountered in the workplace

Notable Works

The Crab Cannery Ship by Takiji Kobayashi

• The Crab Cannery Ship is a seminal work of proletarian literature that exposes the brutal working conditions and exploitation of workers on a crab-canning factory ship
• Kobayashi's novel draws from his own experiences working on a factory ship and vividly portrays the dehumanizing nature of the capitalist system
• The book became a symbol of the proletarian literary movement and inspired workers to organize and fight for their rights

The Street Without Sun by Yuriko Miyamoto

• The Street Without Sun is a proletarian novel that follows the lives of women workers in a textile factory, highlighting the oppressive working conditions and gender-based discrimination they face
• Miyamoto's work sheds light on the double oppression experienced by women workers, who were exploited both as members of the working class and as women in a patriarchal society
• The novel demonstrates the importance of solidarity among women workers and the need for intersectional approaches to class struggle

Literary Style

Proletarian Realism

• Proletarian realism was a literary style that emerged during the proletarian literary movement, aiming to accurately depict the lives and struggles of the working class
• Works in this style often featured vivid, unvarnished portrayals of the harsh realities faced by workers, including poor working conditions, exploitation, and oppression
• Proletarian realist writers sought to raise class consciousness among readers and inspire them to take action against the capitalist system
• The style emphasized the collective experiences of the working class rather than focusing on individual characters or psychological introspection
• Proletarian realist works often incorporated elements of reportage and documentary-style writing to lend authenticity to their depictions of working-class life (The Crab Cannery Ship)