Kenzaburo Oe
Kenzaburo Oe
Kenzaburō Ōeis a Japanese writer and a major figure in contemporary Japanese literature. His novels, short stories and essays were strongly influenced by French and American literature and literary theory. They deal with political, social and philosophical issues including nuclear weapons, nuclear power, social non-conformism, and existentialism...
NationalityJapanese
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth31 January 1935
CountryJapan
writing style fundamentals
However, please allow me to say that the fundamental style of my writing has been to start from my personal matters and then to link it up with society, the state and the world.
grew half hardships japanese large latter life living relationship society suffer twentieth
As I grew up, I was continually to suffer hardships in different realms of life - in my family, in my relationship to Japanese society and in my way of living at large in the latter half of the twentieth century.
culture modern open thoroughly understanding west
On the other hand, the culture of modern Japan, which implied being thoroughly open to the West or at least that impeded understanding by the West.
country course far follower genius humble living merely poetic presume rank
Of course I would not presume to rank myself with the poetic genius Yeats. I am merely a humble follower living in a country far removed from his.
asian driven isolation japan socially
What was more, Japan was driven into isolation from other Asian countries, not only politically but also socially and culturally.
engaged few last literary trilogy wish
During the last few years I have been engaged in writing a trilogy which I wish to be the culmination of my literary activities.
war forever world
After the end of the Second World War it was a categorical imperative for us to declare that we renounced war forever in a central article of the new Constitution.
war principles morality
The Japanese chose the principle of eternal peace as the basis of morality for our rebirth after the War.
reality support half
Even though we now have the half-century-old new Constitution, there is a popular sentiment of support for the old one that lives on in reality in some quarters.
military japan years
In the recent years there have been criticisms levelled against Japan suggesting that she should offer more military forces to the United Nations forces and thereby play a more active role in the keeping and restoration of peace in various parts of the world.
children firsts married
After I got married, the first child born to us was mentally handicapped.
reading sleep night
By reading Huckleberry Finn I felt I was able to justify my act of going into the mountain forest at night and sleeping among the trees with a sense of security which I could never find indoors.
japan views asia
From another point of view, a new situation now seems to be arising in which Japan's prosperity is going to be incorporated into the expanding potential power of both production and consumption in Asia at large.
reflection wish serious-work
I am one of the writers who wish to create serious works of literature which dissociate themselves from those novels which are mere reflections of the vast consumer cultures of Tokyo and the subcultures of the world at large.