Chris Baterna > Recent Status Updates

Idk what nonsensical sunlit bouncy castle I've just found myself in, but I am so excited.

im dedicated to this idealism but... i hope there's some attainable solutions in the next half

Oh im emotional

Every year... I am struck with the desire to re-read this so suddenly and forcefully, that I find myself opening lectures from years ago, just to fully immerse myself in this party.

"I was burning out the infection in front of someone I cared about, and that made all the difference."
Lives changed. Earth shaken. Get me to my therapist.

not yet done with the book but BY GOD I better buy ten copies of it to cry over in rivers.

[Intro + The Beefeater - Kanagaki Robun]
A fairly comprehensive introduction into the historical context influencing the development of Japanese literature, making me realise how much room there is left for movement.

The Beefeater: hahahaha yeah don't let the weebs get a hold of this one

或阿呆の一生 (The Life of a Stupid Man)
This is the most haunting piece of writing I've ever read and I am so not ready to read the final story. Akutagawa's sensitive immersion and poetry in each section is insanely exposing; I think most people would say they 'know' him personally with this.

点鬼簿 (Death Register)
Although it's not a fictional work, this one is just a lyrical and heartbreaking as the others. Really feeling the pull towards death now, and it's hurting.

子供の病気　(The Baby's Sickness)
in support of his writing concerns from 文章、 Akutagawa's recollection of this anxiety-filled event is a lot more striking than some of his works intended to be literary. Here, his superstitions - and meta-superstitions, are so honestly layed out as a father's guilt and anxieties

文章 (The Writer's Craft)
sometimes writing and its worldly conditions do really prohibit a writer like that.

Re-reading this because I’m once again emotional about Dazai’s life

大道寺信輔の半生 (Daidouji Shinsuke: The Early Years) - I’m in tears… this is definitely in my top 5 Akutagawa stories so far. The traces of his own identity are so heartwarming but tragic as Rubin puts it in the notes: “Had he lived longer, Akutagawa might have come to realize that he was far from alone.”

馬の足(Horse Legs) - I, too, would like to gallop away from my responsibilities. Akutagawa is so real for this one

ネギ(Green Onions) - Akutagawa’s tone in this is hilarious but makes me so curious as to what his critics were saying for him to write with such spite and energy. A wildly different pace to his other short stories, but retains the classic Akutagawa irony and clever charm

Finished Purgatorio. Interesting to see all the action left in Inferno, and certainly less compelling but oh well

Finished Inferno… Personally, my mother would never punish her children like this

首が落ちた話 (Story of a Head that Fell Off) - not his best, but still made me sit and stare at a wall in thought about life and universality for like 2 hours.

忠義 (Devotion) - I wonder how much of the symptoms into madness were reflective/didactic of Akutagawa’s own life…
Also, I really appreciate the kanji nuance. 忠 for loyalty, and 義 for righteousness/morality. There’s always a divide since the very start of the story.

おぎん(O-gin)
Honestly felt this one HARD with the “I’d go to hell if that’s where my loved ones are” agenda…Really interesting questions on the nature of religion and its interpretation.

尾形了斎覚え書 (Dr Ogata Ryousai: Memorandum)
Another wonderfully frustrating criticism on the fine line between religious loyalty and fear of foreign practice. I think Shino best understood the paradox at play, choosing to prioritise the tangible and human benefit, over the subjectively enforced religious impositions

(地獄変- Hell Screen) This was crazy…
Suuuper interesting discussions to be had on animal instincts vs human intellect/rationalisation - especially in an artist/religious/scholar’s dedication to mastery and fine human work.

Very helpful and comprehensive introduction and notes by Murakami and Rubin.
Using these short stories to break up larger novels - and so far they are the most fascinating insights. 藪の中 (In a Bamboo Grove) and 羅生門(Rashomon) are my favorites so far: they open up a whole world of moral and ethical discourse

Chomei is so much more digestible, and most of Kenko is… questionable but there’s little gems of insightful philosophy in different segments so I’ll pull through.