47 pages 1 hour read

Natsume Sōseki

Kokoro

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1914

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

In what ways does the novel present Emperor Meiji as the embodiment of a historical moment in Japan?

2.

Characters move between urban and rural areas numerous times. How does Kokoro explore this contrast between the city and the countryside?

3.

The novel includes several depictions of ritual suicide. How does this violent act portray the Japanese interpretation of suicide as inherently different from that in contemporary Western societies? 

Related Titles

By Natsume Sōseki