Questions tagged [natsume-soseki]
Questions about the works of Natsume Sōseki (1867-1916) or his life as a writer. He was a Japanese author who wrote novels such as "I Am a Cat", "Botchan", and "Kokoro". Use with the tag [japanese-language].
9 questions
1
vote
1
answer
35
views
Meaning of "they were nearly overwhelmed by the concussive stimuli"
From The Gate (1910) by Natsume Sōseki, translated by William F. Sibley (2013):
For the first two or three weeks after their arrival in Tokyo the days went by in a dizzying blur. Along with the ...
- 979
2
votes
2
answers
74
views
Meaning of "As much as they came to revel in their pathos..." in "The Gate" by Natsume Sōseki
From The Gate (1910) by Natsume Sōseki, translated by William F. Sibley (2013):
In any case, the two of them had come this far without either sitting in a
church pew or passing through a temple gate. ...
- 979
2
votes
1
answer
133
views
What is the meaning of O-san having a blank face?
When the cat gets his teeth stuck in a rice cake, we see that eventually O-san has to help him:
O-san looks at the mistress as if to say, “Why not make him go on dancing?” The mistress would gladly ...
- 27.2k
4
votes
1
answer
120
views
How did the cat become well known?
In the second chapter of I Am a Cat, we see this:
SINCE New Year’s Day I have acquired a certain modest celebrity: so that, though only a cat, I am feeling quietly proud of myself. Which is not ...
- 27.2k
2
votes
0
answers
102
views
What is happening in the scene with Coldmoon and the geisha?
In chapter two of I Am a Cat, we see this scene:
As we turned at Hotan’s corner another geisha appeared. She was slim, well-shaped and her shoulders were most beautifully sloped. The way she wore ...
- 27.2k
5
votes
0
answers
88
views
What does the teacher's clothing choice say about him?
In chapter 2 of I Am a Cat we see this chunk of text:
He continues to wear his black cotton crested surcoat and, thereunder, a quilted kimono of hand-woven silk which, supposedly a keep-sake of his ...
- 27.2k
3
votes
1
answer
81
views
Why does the cat call the children 'dear little things' if they treat the cat badly?
The cat in I Am a Cat calls the children 'dear little things':
The children, dear little things, now trot off, day after day, to kindergarten: but on their return, they sing songs, bounce balls and ...
- 27.2k
12
votes
2
answers
383
views
Does this passage in "I Am a Cat" reference a real Western novel?
In Chapter 2 of the 1906 story, I Am a Cat, (full text of this and preceding chapters available here), the cat makes reference to a particular "western novel" in order to draw an analogy ...
- 76.7k
6
votes
2
answers
140
views
Why should a teacher's cat care less about human robbery?
I started reading Natsume Sōseki's I Am a Cat a week or two ago in preparation for this month's topic challenge, and I came across the following paragraph towards the end of the first chapter (whose ...
- 76.7k