No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai is a novel about a young outcast named Yozo Oba. Yozo is a troubled young man who struggles with extreme angst and feelings of alienation from society. He attempts to fit in and be accepted by the people around him, yet he consistently fails. Yozo's life reveals the profound loneliness and emptiness that exists within him, as well as how society often fails to understand those who suffer from such feelings.
Chapter 1 begins with Yozo describing his situation and environment. He lives in a boarding house in Tokyo and is unable to find comfort in the city's busy atmosphere. He feels like an outcast and is deeply aware of his loneliness and emptiness. Yozo states, “I’m a human being… nothing more than a doll made of wood.” This quote perfectly encapsulates how Yozo views himself and his position in the world.
In Chapter 2, Yozo reflects on his childhood and the rejection that he faced from his classmates due to his sensitive and timid nature. He also remembers his parents’ attempts to get him to be more outgoing, such as having him spend more time with his rough and boisterous cousins. Despite this, Yozo still felt like an outsider. He was so desperate to fit in that he became more and more invested in clown-like behavior and often forced himself to laugh and smile to mask his inner turmoil.
Chapter 3 focusses on Yozo's current state of mind and his interdependent relationship with Matsuzaki, a girl he met at school. Matsuzaki attempts to help Yozo break out of his shell, but his feelings of alienation and loneliness prove to be strong forces that keep him from opening up. Yozo finds solace in Matsuzaki's company, and desperately wants to be accepted by her. He is aware of his limitations, and in this chapter, he states, “No matter how far I tried to run from myself, I couldn’t get away”, symbolizing his futile attempts to escape his inner turmoil.
In Chapter 4, Yozo is on his own again and recalls his self-destructive behavior during his teenage years. He would often blackout and destroyed the people around him in the process. Yozo's depression had such a negative impact on his life that it eventually cost him both his job and his friends. Despite this, he still continued on, his feelings of alienation and emptiness growing by the day.
Chapter 5 begins with Yozo reflecting on his life during his college days, as he continues to search for any form of human connection or acceptance. He meets a new girl named Murasaki, and despite his inner turmoil, begins to develop romantic feelings for her. He also begins to attend parties and engage in superficial activities for the mere purpose of trying to fit in.
The novel's climax is reached in Chapter 6. Yozo has an internal breakdown and finally concedes to his despair. He realizes how his miserable life situation has been brought on by his own self-destructive behavior, and the emptiness he has been feeling all along finally catches up with him. He states, “I don’t want to be a person anymore… I want to be empty, like nothing”, a powerful statement that signifies the depths of his depression.
The novel wraps up in Chapter 7 with Yozo deciding to move away from Tokyo and start anew elsewhere. He realizes that it does not matter what people think about him and resolves to be true to himself no matter what. Yozo finally accepts his loneliness and emptiness and believes that living true to his own feelings is the only way to find peace.
No Longer Human is an emotional and powerful tale of a young outcast’s journey for acceptance. Its narrative provides insight into the mind of a person who suffers from depression and alienation, and can be seen as a commentary on how society often fails to understand those who face such challenges.
