JLPT N5 • GENERAL

人間の(にんげんの)本音(ほんね)と建前(たてまえ)(嘘)が恐ろしく(おそろしく)てたまらず、機嫌を(きげんを)取る(とる)ため

'No Longer Human' (Ningen Shikkaku) is an autobiographical masterpiece written by Osamu Dazai during the Meiji/Showa period, portraying the suffering human mind to the extreme. It begins with the shocking opening line, 'I have spent a life of much shame.' The protagonist, Oba Yozo, was terrified of human real feelings and social pretenses (lies) since childhood, and lived performing as a 'clown' (clown) to please those around him.

Practice Question

太宰治の自伝的遺作『人間失格』は、「恥の多い生涯を送って来ました」という有名な独白から始まり、人間の偽善を極度に恐れ、「道化」を演じる男・葉蔵の転落劇です。
Explanation

太宰治の自伝的遺作『人間失格』は、「恥の多い生涯を送って来ました」という有名な独白から始まり、人間の偽善を極度に恐れ、「道化」を演じる男・葉蔵の転落劇です。

English Explanation

Yozo played a clown because he was terrified of human feelings and pretenses: '人間の(にんげんの)本音(ほんね)と建前(たてまえ)...恐ろしく(おろしく)てたまらず、周囲の(しゅういの)機嫌を(きげんを)取る(とる)ために...「道化(どうけ)」を演じて(えんじて)...'.

日本語解説

文章の中に「主人公の大庭葉蔵は、幼い頃から人間の本音と建前(嘘)が恐ろしくてたまらず、周囲の機嫌を取るためにわざと『道化』(ピエロ)を演じて生きていました」とあります。

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