Seeking Self Of The Other’s Circumstances

Abe Kobo is an outstanding representative writer of Japanese post-war literature. Hisnovels influenced by existentialism pay close attention to the predicament of human being’sexistence. After drived out of the survival surroundings that is created by community, selfmoves towards to lose. Self finds his existence in the process of consistently seeking andexploring.The thesis chooses self theme of Abe’s novels as the research object, discusses theproblem of self existence from the angle of existentialism philosophy and aesthetics ofexistence, and researches Abe as a existentialism writer how to express living condition fromthe relationship of self and the other, as well as the issue of seeking self.The preface mainly introduces Abe’s lifetime and works. The body of thesis includingthree parts which is around the relationship between self and the other discusses the brokenequilibrium relation, predicament of existence and how to seeking self.Chapter1introduces the complex philosophic proposition of self and the other firstly,then analyzes this referential concepts. It reveals state of tension that self and the other are in,then tell us that self-construction needs the other. Self is an essential question of existentialism.Existential literature focuses on self’s value and dignity. Self discoveries crisis of existencewhen abandoned, feels lonely and anxiety, and then turnes into empty being or the spirit ofwanderer. This state of existence is due to people who lose their core values of society andsense of self.Abe uses series of image that has mental meanings to express the state of self lost.Chapter2mainly analyzes specific works to explore the state of self in the other’scircumstances. We often see that the image of desert in Abe’s novels to symbolize modernsociety that squeezes and threats self. From Abe’s series of urban novels, we find the image ofmaze, and it reflects sense of nothingness of existence in materialistic and commercial city.Abe uses the image of wall to represent the gap between human being and world, and selfalways fight with the other because they don’t have the way of communication.Abe is deeply affected by Sartre’s existential philosophy. He accepts Sartre’s thinkingthat is existence precedes essence and free choice to tell people how to seek self and how toseek in despair situation. Self needs consistently free choice in order to obtain experience ofsurpassing, which is the way of finding self. Characters in Abe’s novels choose the model of missing or deformation to resist the other, finally they don’t reach a compromise but getsurpassing. The characters don’t put an end to choice but constantly choose in repetition.Through the analysis, thesis reveals the gist of seeking self of Abe’s literature.The last part points out survival predicament of self in the other’s circumstances whichare strange and absurd, and self can constantly free choose to get experience of surpassing toconstruct self.