56 pages • 1 hour read
Osamu DazaiA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai follows Yozo Oba, a man plagued by feelings of alienation and despair from childhood through adulthood as he struggles with self-identity, addiction, and societal expectations, ultimately leading him on a tragic path marked by self-destructive behavior and deteriorating mental health.
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai offers a penetrating exploration of alienation and despair. Positively noted for its raw emotional depth and complex protagonist, some critics find its unrelenting bleakness overwhelming. While the nihilistic themes can be discomforting, the novel’s powerful prose and introspective narrative make it a compelling, albeit dark, read.
A reader who would enjoy No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai is typically introspective and interested in existential themes, similar to those found in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground and Camus' The Stranger. They appreciate deeply personal narratives that explore alienation, identity, and the human condition.
Recommended
Lexile Level
1070LJapanese Literature
Realistic Fiction
Philosophy
Depression / Suicide
Mental Illness
Philosophy
Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Identity: Mental Health
Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Asian Literature