현대 일본 사회의 청년 캐릭터 고찰 - 가키야 미우(垣谷美雨), 무라타 사야카(村田沙耶香)의 작품을 중심으로

Abstract

This paper will examine young characters in the works of Gakiya Miu and Murata Sayaka, for the better understanding of the young generation in modern Japanese society. Investigating how the youth is portrayed in the novels of the two authors will give an understanding of how the youth is represented and the structure of modern Japanese society. Also, we’ll be able to identify discrimination and gaps inherent in Japanese society and we’ll see how the young generation accepts these difficulties in their lives. The younger generation in Japan live with excessive competition, job failure, temporary positions, and also suffer from anxiety about the future. Gakiya Miu and Murata Sayaka deal with both universal and personal problems facing the younger generation, such as marriage, work-related issues, and human relationships in their novels. Therefore, these two authors raise questions about the problems facing today’s Japanese society such as an aging population, youth unemployment, and an increase in single person households. This paper will analyze the Japanese youth through the characters who live in a ‘gap society’ - unlike the previous generation. Additionally, we’ll also examine the pattern of how these young characters turn into ‘mutant creatures who do not rage’ as they adapt to the ‘gap society’. The works of Gakiya Miu and Murata Sayaka realistically portray the lives of a young generation who suffer a harsh reality. We’ll be able to understand how the young Japanese feel about their lives by looking at the expression of their agonies and perceptions. The problem of understanding the young generation will serve as an opportunity to demonstrate how conditions of life are changing to ensure survival in a multi-layered life.