Abstract

This paper will study the portrayal of the Moon in the short story 「灰色の月 (Hai irono Tsuki) 」 “The Ashen Moon,” January 1946, by Shiga Naoya. There are ample research works that establish the connection between Shiga Naoya and Nature, such as “Shiga Naoya and the Literature of Experience” (1977) by Stephen Khol, “Connecting Rhythms: Nature and Selfhood” in Shiga Naoya’s “Reconciliation” and “A Dark’s Night’s Passing” (1993) by Ted Goossen. It is well-established that he is a great observer of nature, which can be sensed in his writings, such as literary works, diaries, and essays. Most of the works are based on his life experience and observation. He portrays and uses nature to propound the philosophy of life learned through his experiences. This paper will try to discover Shiga Naoya’s views about the Moon and how his life experiences and observation of his surroundings moulded his ideas and thinking about the Moon. In addition to this, this paper will also try to understand the portrayal and meaning of the Moon in the story “The Ashen Moon.” As his literature is a “Literature of Experience,” the knowledge of his views about nature and various natural elements will help him understand the meaning of his works, which is not easy to decipher without background knowledge. His works help readers realise the true essence of humans; hence, his works of literature are of great value irrespective of time, age, and generation. That is why it is important to scoop out Shiga Naoya’s philosophy of life from his works. This paper aims to understand the importance of the Moon in his work “The Ashen Moon.”

Keywords: Nature, Shiga Naoya, Loneliness, Depression, Beauty, Hope.

Notes on Contributor
*Research Scholar, Centre for Japanese Studies, SLL&CS, JNU, 110067, E-mail: aparnasvtjapu@gmail.com, Mobile number: +91-8130586332