経験派The Empiricist

Read a sample in Japanese

What you'll learn

A novelist, who is a poor writer, decides to write about pickpockets. To see a real pickpocket, he goes out but doesn't find any. On the way home, he realizes his wallet is missing and is happy, thinking he got pickpocketed. However, when he returns home, he finds the wallet on his desk—he had forgotten to bring it. He then changes the title of his story from 'Pickpocket' to 'The Careless Person' and begins writing about a careless person instead.

Key vocabulary

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～たさに N2Means 'because of wanting to see/hear/do something'. Used with 見たさ、聞きたさ, etc. Here: 掏摸の顔を見たさに (because he wanted to see the face of a pickpocket).
  掏摸の顔を見たさに、町へ出た。
• ～はずだ N3Indicates expectation: 'it should be that...'. Here: 掏られたはずの財布 (the wallet that should have been stolen).
  掏られたはずの財布がちゃんと、のっている。
• ～（の）だ N4Explanatory or emphatic 'no da'. Adds reason or explanation. Here: 忘れていたのだ (it was that he had forgotten).
  持って出るのをうっかり忘れていたのだ。
• ～まえに N5Meaning 'before doing something'. Here: 悲しむまえに (before getting sad).
  彼は悲しむまえに喜んだ。
• ～ように N4Means 'like, as if'. Here: 飛ぶように家へ帰った (he returned home as if flying).
  彼は飛ぶように家へ帰った。

Cultural notes

• Mystery Writer TropeThe story plays on a common trope of writers researching their subjects. In Japan, there is a tradition of writers immersing themselves in real-life experiences to add authenticity.
• The 'Bumbling' AuthorThe protagonist is a '下手な小説家' (poor novelist). This self-deprecating character is common in Japanese literature, often used for humorous effect.

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Topics & grammar

Short Storycomedyironyexperiencehumorousaozora bunko〜はずですsupposed to / should beようにso that / in order to