简介:NatsumeSōseki(1867-1916)sufferedfromcyclicmentaldepressionsthroughhislife,anditwaswhenhewasinthestateofthemostterribleonethathestartedhiscareerasawriterbywritingIAmaCat(1905-1906).TherearesomeevidencebyhiswifeandfriendsthatSōseki’sconditionofdiseasedramaticallyimprovedduringitsserializationonamagazine,andthewriterhimselfadmitedhumorouslyintheprefaceofotherworkthatitwashisdepressionandmaniathatenabledhimtoproduceIAmaCatandotherearlyworks.Thispaperaimsatdescribingtheprocesshowhisactofnarratinghadtherapeuticeffectsonhisstateofmindfocusingontheconstructionofcomplicitousrelationshipbetweenanimpliedauthorandreadersintheworkbytheuniquefunctionsofthefirst-‘person’narrator:ACat.Amongothers,IwillconsidertheinfluenceofLaurenceSterne’sTristramShandy(1759-1767),whichSōsekiintroducedtoJapanforthefirsttime,bydiscussingthefrequentuseofmetalepsisthatthetwoworkshaveincommon.
简介:Longlongago,acatandamouseweregoodfriends.Theyatetogether,playedandslepttogether.Theywerethebestfriendsinthewoods. Butoneday,theyweren'tfriendsforever.Fairieswantedtocampaignforthe12symbolicanimalsassociatedwitha12-yearcycle.Thecatandthemousebothwenttocampaignattheappointedtime.Themorningintheseconddaythemousewasboring:ShouldIgotothecampaignwiththecat?AndshouldIgotocallhim?Thecatwasalazyanimal:Hewasstillsleepingnow.Andthemousedidn'twanttocallhimup.Finallythemousewasthefirstanimalinthe12symbolicanimalsassociatedwitha12-yearcycle.Butthecatwasnot.Sotodaycatsalwayswanttocatchmiceandeatthem.Becausetheyrememberthishistory:Mouseforsookcat!