インチキ文学ボクメツ雑談A Chat on Exterminating Phony Literature

What you'll learn

The narrator receives a letter requesting an article on eradicating fake literature, but laughs uncontrollably. He reflects on the state of Japanese culture, dominated by men, and praises the rise of women in politics and literature. He admits his own inadequacy and declines the request.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～から N5Indicates starting point in time or place. Here: 'from breakfast time'.
  本日朝食の折から一通の速達が舞いこんできた。
• ～べし N1Classical/literary form of べきだ: 'should' or 'must'. Indicates obligation.
  インチキ文学撲滅論を書くべし云々とある。
• ～てくる N4Indicates movement toward the speaker in time or space. Here: 'came flying in'.
  速達が舞いこんできた。
• ～かというと N2Used to ask 'as for whether...' or 'speaking of...'. Followed by explanation.
  どういうわけだか、突然笑いがこみあげて、これが却々とまらない。

Cultural notes

• アマテラス大神 and 卑弥呼Amaterasu is the sun goddess in Shinto mythology, considered the ancestor of the imperial family. Himiko was a shaman queen of Yamatai in ancient Japan. The author uses these historically female figures to contrast with the male-dominated literary world.
• デモクラシー and 婦人代議士After WWII, Japan adopted democracy and women gained suffrage in 1946. The author references the newly elected female diet members (婦人代議士) to highlight the shift in gender roles.
• プレシュウズ (Précieuses)Refers to the Précieuses, a 17th-century French literary movement of intellectual women. The author sarcastically imagines a similar group of female scholars replacing male academics.

Try a comprehension question

Read a sample in Japanese

Topics

Articleessayliterary critiquehumorhumorousphilosophicalaozora bunko