Botchan
The School Drama of Evergreen by Natsume Sōseki

Date：03, Jul, 2013
Investigated and Written by Misaka Youhei
About our introductory articles

Tweet

Natsume Sōseki was a Japanese novelist and scholar of British literature in Meiji era, and is still very famous in Japan. Although the period he had been printed on 1,000 yen bills was gone, his novels are still evergreen.

Let me explain why they never become some relic of the past. For instance, his representative novel; Botchan, it still works as a basis of Japanese school dramas. Most of his works are heavy. However, on contents and its writing style, Botchan is a lighter story and more familiar as they have visualized the tale four times in Japan since it has seeds of evergreen.

It goes like this. A young rash teacher; Botchan, he was transferred to a new school and experienced a lot of things. His recklessness made him able to go nowhere day by day. Wonderful popular works always consist of its exquisite balance of humor and pathos. Is he a real Japanese man just like Japanese? Or was he only in an egoistical manner? There is never a right answer and it should depend upon discretion of readers.

It is not only the story to show us the features.

Above written is Botchan is a lighter story and more familiar on its writing style. We find the best point of this novel on the writings. Not roundabout, it goes straight and speedy. Matching with the character of the young teacher, it keeps detachment of readers and a fictional character to a minimum.

Shika-otoko Aoniyoshi, a novel written by Makime Manabu in 2007, is a recent example that is based on Botchan. So Botchan is still evergreen as a popular novel in Japan.