📚 Recommended Book Explained in 5 Minutes: 'Hishiki' (Sawako Ariyoshi / Kawade Shobo Shinsha)

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The pain and strength of living
as a 'non-color' rather than a 'color'
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※Contains spoilers

Introduction + Book Content
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The title 'Hishiki' (Non-color) refers to

'color'in other words,

existence that falls outside the roles, charms,
and value standards that society demands of women.

This story depicts the life of a woman treated as'non-color'with
a quiet, sharp, and profound touch.

Beauty
Youth
Family background
Marriage
Social value

The moment one falls outside those standards of 'color',
how is that person treated?

How do they go on living?

The protagonist's life is
tossed about by the values of the era,
yet her struggle to desperately protect her own heart is deeply moving.

As is typical of Sawako Ariyoshi's work,
human weakness and strength,
and the cruelty and warmth of society
are depicted with great care.

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Aftertaste
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After finishing it,
I sat quietly with the book closed for a while.

・The weight of the word 'non-color' remains in my heart
・I understand painfully how much social values can hurt people
・The protagonist's choices are heartbreaking, yet powerful
・I realize that even as times change, this theme continues today

Sawako Ariyoshi's pen
gently illuminates the
'reality we don't want to see'deep within the reader's heart.

And then,
'What kind of values am I bound by?'
such questions quietly emerge.

📚'Hishiki' Author: Sawako Ariyoshi Publisher: Kawade Shobo Shinsha

Three highlights of this book
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① The sharpness of the concept of 'non-color'
How are people treated the moment they fall outside social values?
Its cruelty and realism are deeply striking.

② A deep perspective on how women live
The heart wavering within the historical background is depicted with great care.

③ The strength of Sawako Ariyoshi's writing
Though quiet and matter-of-fact, it deeply shakes the reader's heart.

Afterword
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"Hishoku" was a story about a woman who, while on the verge of being crushed by the values of her time, continued to look at herself nonetheless.

It is not right to be treated as a "color".

It is not inferior to live as a "non-color".

It is just that society's standards are always cruel, and within that, people desperately try to protect themselves.

After finishing it,
you will want to gently re-examine your own values.

That is the kind of book it is.

📚"Hishoku" Author: Sawako Ariyoshi Publisher: Kawade Shobo Shinsha

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Thank you for reading until the end.
I will continue to deliver "stories that move the heart" to you in your spare time.

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