Botchan
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Botchan (坊っちゃん) is a novel written by Natsume Soseki in 1906. It is considered as one of the most popular novels in Japan. Most Japanese read it during their childhood. It is a story about morals.
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[edit] Background
The story is based on Natsume's personal experience as a teacher being transferred to Matsuyama which sets the stage for this novel. Natsume was born in Tokyo, and dwelling in Matsuyama was his first experience living elsewhere. The novel describes his feelings during that experience, though his hero lives far from where Natsume himself did.
[edit] Main characters
- Botchan: the hero of this novel. He is born in Tokyo, and has the spirit of an Edokko. He graduates Tokyo Academy of Physics, currently Tokyo University of Science, and becomes a mathematics teacher. He has common sense and a strong moral grounding.
- Yamaarashi (Porcupine): A fellow teacher. Yamaarashi (Porcupine) is the nickname for a teacher by the name of Hotta, born in Aizu. Yamaarashi has a great, Samurai-like sense of justice.
- Akashatsu (Redshirt): Another fellow teacher. He is the typical intellectual. He actually represents the continental European intellectual tradition, in its modern form, as it drifts towards collectivism (socialism and communism (thus the red shirt)) and relativism/nihilism. He speaks of morals but is Machiavellian, and immoral. A rumormonger who for a short period of time was able to deceive even Botchan. The battle for the heart and mind of Botchan between Yamaarashi and Akashatsu represents the social and political tensions existing in Japan at the turn of the last century. Soseki clearly rejects Akashatsu and thus the modern Continental intellectual traditions.
- Nodaiko (The Clown): Art teacher. Nodaiko is a Tokyoite, like Botchan. He prides himself with his good taste, but follows others without much thought, which earns him Botchan's contempt.
- Uranari (Green pumpkin): Uranari is a very melancholic, but refined gentleman. Botchan looks up to him. Most agree that Uranari, or some combination of Uranari and Botchan, is Soseki's representation of himself.
- Tanuki (The Raccoon): The principal of the school Botchan teaches at. He has a very indecisive nature.
- Kiyo: Botchan's servant in Tokyo. Now an old woman, she used to take care of him when he was young. She also is a fallen aristocrat, dealing heroically with her new situation.
[edit] Supporting characters
- Geisha: Woman entertainers. They often perform Japanese dances at banquets.
- Students at the school: Botchan thinks they are devious and they often puzzle him.
[edit] Important places
- School: the main stage of the novel.
- Dogo Onsen: Hot spring that Botchan likes to go to. Now, thanks to the novel, the springs are known as a famous sightseeing spot throughout Japan.
[edit] Main themes of the novel
- Botchan's observations and considerations about Matsuyama, on Shikoku, one of the four main islands of Japan. Botchan lives in Tokyo until he goes there. Tokyo is a modern city, but Matsuyama is not, so Botchan is surprised at the odd customs.
- The battle for the heart and mind of Botchan between Hotta and Redshirt. Will Botchan's common sense and moral grounding become corrupted by Redshirt, or will he team up with Hotta to battle the increasing break from tradition and morals, for purely selfish gain, that Redshirt represents? This is the question posed throughout the novel.
[edit] Main scenes and events of the novel
- Botchan goes to Matsuyama: Eight days after Botchan graduates college in Tokyo his principal calls him to his office and tells Botchan that a middle school in Shikoku needs a mathematics teacher. The salary is forty yen a month and Botchan couldn't think of anything else he could become other than a math teacher.
- Botchan is disappointed with his new position.
- Fishing: Botchan recognizes that Akashatsu is a devious man when he and Akashatsu go fishing together.
- Locusts: The students tease Botchan by putting locusts in his bed.
- Uranari's transfer: Akashatsu schemes to transfer Uranari to another school for Akashatsu's own profit by abusing his authority.
- And the end of the novel: Revenge: Botchan and Yamaarashi get revenge on Akashatsu and Nodaiko. Botchan resigns his job and returns to Tokyo. He finds a job as a tramway engineer.
[edit] Adaptations
Jiro Taniguchi adapted parts of the novel into his ten-volume series—published in Japan beginning in 1986—called The Times of Botchan in English. Others translations have appeared in French (Au temps de Botchan), Italian ('Ai tempi di Bocchan) and Spanish (La epoca de Botchan), all published by Coconino Press. There is also a 1935 film adaptation, as well as an adaptation in the series Animated Classics of Japanese Literature.
