| NOTA |
(*)(trans. by Akira Miura) (★)(1.´Twenty-four Eyes´bears powerful witness to the perversion and inhumanity of modern war. A deeply pacifist novel, it follows the growth of twelve innocent children from their early school days to their attainment of adulthood in a period of jingoism and corrupt values. It is the story of Miss Oishi, a young school teacher who learns the meaning of natural purity from the simple loving devotion of her pupils. As time passes, those dreamlike years at the village school are blown by the cold winds of reality. Random tragedy strikes one child´s family, shattering her life and her future ; and as the war tears creep ever closer, the children and their teacher slowly awaken to a harsh world of cruel priorities. Throughout the novel, the bond between teacher and pupils stands as a symbol of inner innocence which endures despite the forced adaptation to changing times. As the twelve mature, their morals are tested, though the outcome remains unjudged. One adult of the child may have fallen to prostitution. Did Misako make her wealth from the misfortunes of others? In the feverish climate of war-torn Japan, the boys are more attracted to the army than to becoming honest fishermen or carpenters. ´Human lives were compared to cherry blossoms and children were taught to believe that the ultimate goal and infinite honor for youth was to fall in battle.´Twenty-four Eyes was first published in Japanese as ´Nijushi no Hitomi´in 1952 and immediately became a bestseller. Shortly thereafter it was made into a film by the movie director Keisuke Kinoshita and was enthusiastically received by all ages. This is an idealistic novel, offering a rather naive kind of pacifism based simply on hatred of war and love of humanity. Yet it is the authoress´ clear-visioned simplicity which lends such purity and directness to her message. 2.Sakae Tsuboi, the authoress, was born in Shodo Island in the Seto Island Sea in 1900. After finishing grade school, she worked as clerk in the post office and the village office of the island for about ten years. In 1925, she moved to Tokyo, where she married Shigeji Tsuboi, a poet. Later she became acquainted with such women novelists as Yuriko Miyamoto and Ineko Sata, and through their encouragement she began writing fiction. Since the war, she has produced a number of novels. She is widely regarded as being particularly adept at stories which include children as their principal characters. For some of the works of this kind she has received literary prizes.) |
BASE de DATOS, Biblioteca del Centro Cultural de la Embajada de Japon
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