Chapter 267: The Philosophy of Mono no aware

After seeing Akiyama Emiko off, Akiwara Yuto and Asano Aiko returned to Tokyo and began to arrange the promotional work for the book "Snow Country."

However, compared to the previous promotion for "Astrology," this time the promotion was much more frugal.

Not only were there no promotional posters pasted at various train stations, but even large-scale newspaper advertisements were not done.

They only provided relevant recommendations for this book in some school newspapers and professional journals.

Yet, in the circles of traditional literature, this content caused a "huge uproar."

University of Tokyo, Literature Department office.

Tokuda Takashi, as an associate professor of literature, held a journal containing a book review of "Snow Country."

Looking at the author column of the review, he frowned deeply.

Isn't this Akiwara Yuto's work?

Why would Ms. Akiyama Emiko write a book review for him?

He hesitated for a moment, but continued reading.

"In Japan's traditional culture, 'Mono no aware' has a very profound influence."

"'Mono' is the object of perception, while 'aware' is the subject of perception, the subject of emotion; it carries a sense of exclamation. It does not just refer to feelings of 'sorrow,' but also includes 'joy,' 'sympathy,' 'praise,' 'love,' and other sentiments."

"In another sense, Mono no aware represents us Japanese people ourselves."

"In Akiwara Yuto's 'Snow Country,' I see a profound depiction of this philosophy: the relationships between people, the relationship between people and the outside world, and the relationship between people and fate are all 'futile'."

"The endurance and struggle within this 'futility' are the very source of the sense of sorrow, just like the fruitless feelings between the three people, causing one to fall into melancholy..."

"Akiwara Yuto's 'Snow Country' undoubtedly writes Mono no aware to the extreme..."

After reading the entire content, Tokuda Takashi fell into a long silence.

At this moment, he was somewhat confused.

As a member of the traditional literature circle, he had dealt with the Kyoto Literature Research Association, where Akiyama Emiko belonged, many times, and knew that the other party was a literary critic who regarded the word "traditional" very deeply.

But Akiwara Yuto was not only from a mystery writing background, his literary education was only a high school graduation.

Not only that, he even rejected Mr. Yoshikawa Yuichiro.

Why would someone like this, who had absolutely nothing to do with the word "traditional," be helped by her to write a book review?

Could that "Snow Country" really be that good? Or were there other hidden reasons?

Knock, knock, knock!

Just then, the office door was knocked, and after Tokuda Takashi said "come in," a female student walked in.

She was Tokuda Takashi's graduate student, Liu Ai.

Upon seeing her teacher, Liu Ai took out three journals and placed them on the table, pointing to the title on the cover of one of them and asking: "Professor Tokuda, have you read Mr. Akiwara Yuto's 'Snow Country'?"

Tokuda Takashi looked in the direction she pointed and saw the title on the cover read: "'Snow Country,' a new representative work of aesthetic literature!"

Seeing this sentence, Tokuda Takashi was stunned, and then immediately became furious!

The term "representative work" is not used lightly; it often implies the pinnacle of a genre.

And this journal was shamelessly touting Akiwara Yuto's work as a representative work of aesthetic literature.

Where does this leave Mr. Yoshikawa Yuichiro!

As a loyal follower of Yoshikawa Yuichiro, he no longer had the mood to answer his student, so he waved his hand and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Next, he was going to buy a copy of Akiwara Yuto's "Snow Country" to see if he really had such great ability!

If not, he would certainly criticize Akiwara Yuto severely in the school newspapers and journals under the University of Tokyo, making him tuck his tail and crawl back to his mystery world!

Running all the way, he soon arrived at a bookstore and found "Snow Country" in the literature section.

After paying, he walked out of the store, tore open the packaging, and stood there reading it, ready to "pick faults."

Time passed bit by bit, and soon an hour had gone by; just as he felt his feet going numb, he finished this novella of about 80, 00 characters.

And after finishing it, only one sentence remained in his mind.

Incredible!

This "Snow Country" was impeccable in its choice of words and phrasing, especially the descriptions of the scenery and characters, which seemed to transport people back to that world of heavy snow.

Besides that, the depiction of the feelings between the three people was also just right!

Especially the character Yoko; although she didn't have many lines, she was vividly portrayed! It formed a sharp contrast with Komako!

But why write that Yoko "dies" in the end?

Tokuda Takashi frowned, falling into confusion again.

As a traditional literature writer, he naturally had the will to get to the bottom of this.

After recalling a series of clues in his mind, he suddenly realized a possibility.

That is, Yoko might not be real; she might be Komako's "second personality," or "former personality."

Because when Yoko appeared, Komako was often there too.

And Yoko's dream was exactly Komako's former dream.

When the protagonist refused to take Yoko to Tokyo, it also meant the shattering of Komako's dream of going to Tokyo, so this personality of hers, Yoko, "died"!

Thinking of this, Tokuda Takashi suddenly understood.

In that case, the actions of the three characters could be completely explained!

But could such a work really be conceived by Akiwara Yuto, that mystery writer who hadn't even finished college!?

Could it be that he found a ghostwriter?

Tokuda Takashi was suspicious for a moment.

But after thinking for half a day, he helplessly discovered that there was really no possibility of the other party finding a ghostwriter.

Not to mention whether one could find a ghostwriter of such a high level, even if one could really write such a work, what reason would there be to give it to someone else instead of publishing it oneself?

Perhaps Akiwara Yuto had been studying traditional literature all along outside of the mystery field!

It seems he might have misunderstood him before; the other party was not just a newcomer who rushed into this field!

Perhaps Akiwara Yuto had been studying traditional literature since he was young!

As for mystery, it was just something he wrote casually!

By this time, he had completely forgotten his initial "disdain" for Akiwara Yuto and began to accept him from the bottom of his heart.

Not only that, he also forgot his previous questioning of the claim that it was a "representative work of aesthetic literature"! He began to agree that this work had such strength!

He put down the book, paced back and forth twice, and then made a decision.

He would recommend this book to his mentor, Mr. Yoshikawa Yuichiro!