BOOK REVIEW Rashomon and Other Stories

It is a sad reality that a surprising number of famous Japanese authors have been both rumoured and confirmed to have died from suicide: Osamu Dazai, Yukio Mishima, Yasunari Kawabata, and also Ryuunosuke Akutagawa.

Ryuunosuke Akutagawa is a well known Japanese author of numerous short stories, of which the collection Rashomon and Other Stories is the only collection to be translated and printed into English. Akutagawa's most well-known stories are "In a Grove," and "Rashomon." There is a famous 1950 movie directed by Akira Kurosawa that takes the plot from "In a Grove," and the plot from "Rashomon," which is usually the primary reason Western readers are inspired to seek out his work.
Like any good short story collection, Rashomon and Other Stories needs to have a majority of well-written, well-liked, memorable stories. Such stories can be found immediately with "In a Grove," about conflicting testimonies regarding a rape and murder in a bamboo grove and "Rashomon," about a poor man who considers theft. Those were my two favourite stories from this collection. The characters and moral dilemmas presented stay with the reader long after the stories are finished.

These two are quickly followed by other favourites such as "Hell Screen" about a court painter putting his entire being into painting the eight scenes of Buddhist hell for his lord, and "" about a Japanese woman in feudal times ostracized by her village for joining the Christian religion. There is a sense of awe and horror left with the reader regarding humanity's devotion to theological deities and the depravity of human behaviour resulting from intolerance for others' religious devotions.

Some less poignant but still likable stories include "The Nose," humourously about a priest obsessed with having an overly long nose. Unfortunately, the collection falls apart near the end with the stories published very close to Akutagawa's death. The final story, "Spinning Gears," in his collection is one that is a kind of fragmented, stream of consciousness narrative that does little more than confuse the reader. They also serve as a sad reminder of the author's failing mental health at the end of his life.

Despite the lackluster of the final couple of stories, I would strongly recommend Rashomon and Other Stories for those who are interested in Japanese culture or history, or those who enjoy short stories with meaningful moral dilemmas.

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