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 but as somebody who is bedeviled with mental illness, aside from the outdated beliefs and language I found this novel unnerving due to how synonymous some of the protagonist/author’s thoughts overlapped with my own.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.
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.
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