Modernism: A Lonely Step Forward
by Corneisha McCorkle, English Minor and English Honors Student
Homo sapiens, more commonly known as humans, are a very social species. Just like their fellow primates, humans congregate and form tight-knit circles for the sake of their own survival. Humans rely on one another for not only physical needs, but spiritual and emotional support as well. Humans have one of the longest gestation periods, with an average of about nine months, along with an extremely lengthy nurturing period that is legally set at eighteen years. Despite the pull of human nature, it seems that in recent years humans have become more and more introverted. Natsume Soseki's Kokoro and Jean-Paul Daoust's "The Objet d'Art" are both contemporary works that showcase humanity's newfound alienation from their fellow man. Upon examination of Kokoro and "The Objet d'Art," one can see the different types of isolation in each work, the affects of alienation on those closest to the main characters, and the consequences of such self-inflicted solitude. Despite their stylistic differences, both works highlight the increasing egocentric nature of humanity.
Soseki's Kokoro is a novel filled with secrets kept from the characters and even from the reader. The main narrator is never named throughout the entire novel, which only adds to the work's mystery. The narrator spends the entire novel trying to unravel the mystery of Sensei which is made apparent when he says, "No, sir, I am simply being sincere. And in all sincerity, I wish to learn about life." To which Sensei replies, "Even to the extent of digging up my past" (68)? The narrator is a young man and instead of trying to experience life for himself he is trying to learn everything through Sensei. Ironically, the narrator is seeking life's secrets from a man who has practically shut himself away from the rest of society. One does not experience life alone and attempting to live life vicariously through others is not living at all. Instead of seeking the company of his peers, or finding a post after graduation, or even spending more quality time with his parents, the narrator becomes wrapped in the mystery of Sensei's alienation. He does not keep in steady contact with his classmates from the university or with his parents and siblings. Sensei becomes his sole companion and even Sensei does not completely reveal himself to the narrator until just before he is to take his own life. This is revealed to the narrator and the reader when Sensei writes, "So long as my wife is alive, I want you to keep everything I have told you a secret—even after I myself am dead" (Soseki 248). When Sensei reveals himself to the narrator, he does not have a heart-to-heart conversation face to face. He pours his heart out on paper since he is virtually incapable of allowing such emotion to be expressed directly to another human being. As a result of the narrator's inquisition into the source of Sensei's alienation, he inadvertently becomes an introvert. After Sensei's death and the death of his biological father, the narrator is alone in a Japan torn between the tradition of the old Meiji Era and the influence of Western philosophies and ideas.
Daoust's "The Objet d'Art" exposes the reader to a different type of alienation. Like in Kokoro, the main character's name is never revealed to the audience. Since this information is kept from the audience, one is left to wonder who, if anyone, really knows the characters in each work. In "The Objet d'Art," the reader is made painfully aware of the main character's own loneliness when the narrator says, "One is never cured of a problem of the heart. One recovers. That is all. She was in a period of convalescence" (3). Her loneliness is what pushes the main character to finally leave the four walls of her apartment. However, once in the company of other human beings she pushes everyone away and focuses her attention upon an inanimate object. As life floats around her, the only thing she is capable of forming a bond with cannot return her affection. Her affection for the object quickly develops into an obsession which makes one wonder if her relationship with her lover died because of that same obsessive nature. One can only wonder if her compulsive urge to hoard the Objet d'Art, as the piece is called, also transcended into her relationship with her ex-boyfriend. After twelve years, he could no longer stand her constant need to hoard him away from the rest of the world, so he left. Before she even encounters the Objet d'Art, she had already found another inanimate thing to comfort her: "The wine was good. The wine consoled her. Calmed her. She relied on it more and more" (4). In Montreal's harsh winter, the alcohol gives her a false sense of warmth which she welcomes. Instead of trying to forge and reestablish relationships with people, she pushes everyone away. After she leaves the exhibit she bounces from bar to bar, but never interacts with the patrons around her. When she loses the Objet d'Art and her trip to the South, there is no one for her to confide in or seek comfort from, leaving her broken and alone.
Natsume Soseki's Kokoro is a Japanese novel and Jean-Paul Daoust's "The Objet d'Art" is a French short story, but they are both 20th century works. Each work can be considered an example of modernism, since they highlight the weight of individual choices and the resulting loneliness that may follow each decision. The language and style of each work differs and yet the reader can perceive the loneliness that oozes from each page. Literature often represents the particular time period in which it was written in spite of the author's intention. Whether it is for monetary gain or a self-inflicted punishment or a defense mechanism after a bad breakup, humans are becoming more introverted instead of seeking the aid of their fellow man. Readers do not even know the characters they read about anymore, so how can one expect to possibly know their fellow man? Soseki and Daoust wrote in opposite regions of the earth and yet they both propose the same question. As humans, is it possible to go against nature, survive, and live life free of any other human contact? Staying true to their modernistic undertones, each work leaves the reader to contemplate the answer alone.
Works Cited
Daoust, Jean-Paul. "The Objet d’Art." Class Handout.
Soseki, Natsume. Kokoro. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing Inc., 1957.