The Best of 'Botchan'

Last month my sister in law came back from Japan. She brought a one very popular novel in Japan. The title is 'Botchan' by the author Natsume Soseki. She said, the book is for me! Wow! This is what i'm waiting! I immediately read this book. But, actually its to hard to finished! My baby always interrupt my reading! But i'm so happy to finished 'Botchan' on 10 days! So long! What is proud of this book is - published on 1906 (one year before the author pass away). But, the English version just published on 2005. And i'm the lucky one!

In 'Botchan' the narrator recounts his life, focussing mainly on the short period he spent as a teacher in the Japanese country side. His childhood wasn't particularly pleasant, with his older brother the favoured child, and the only person he has any ral affection for is the family maid-Kiyo. She looks out for him - and is the one who calls him 'Botchan'. First, his mother and his father dies, and Botchan at least receives enough from the inheritance to make himself independent. He vacillates between setting up a business and getting an education, and eventually decides on getting a degree.

Botchan is entirely unimpressed by the people he has to deal with. He's also as he's the first to admit - a bit slow on the up take so he's never entirely sure where he stands as the other teachers (and his landlords and students) manoeuvre around him. He's also a man of honour - and, as far as he can tell, no one else around him is. Told to consider his career before taking a decisive step he is outraged: "Who cares about my record ? Doing what's right is more important." But it's definitely not the prevalent philosophy and, needless to say, Botchan's attitude - amplified by an against-the-grain mentality (keeps him in considerable trouble). Botchan is a loner, though he can get along with others when he has to. He claims; "I had already come to the conclusion that I wasn't the kind of person that anybody could like", and while that's probably not true he certainly does make it hard for people to take to him, his rectitude and quick temper (and urbanite sense of superiority) making him anything but an easy-going guy.

The descriptions of school life and politics are entertaining. The narrative shifts around, the emphasis on specific episodes such as the pranks the students pull on him and some of the affairs of the other teachers. A sympathetic narrator, prone to rash acts, Botchan's story of his life as a teacher is bumpy (and comes to a fairly quick and somewhat simplistic conclusion) but entertaining. And despite Botchan's negativism (and quite a few bad things that happen), it's also surprisingly cheerful, a nice mix of the serious and comic that help make the book particularly winning. A bit rough in its telling, Botchan is a quick and enjoyable read.

So, anyone like to read this book? Can call me, haa... Sesekali baca buku sasterawan luar negara, i feel a few different. Ada ke buku sehebat ini di Malaysia - yang dipasarkan ke luar negara dan diterjemah ke bahasa asing? Any suggestion? DBP's editor (yang otai-otailah! atau dalam bahasa yang lebih telus 'ketua-ketua jabatan') should study about this - how to produce a good novel to market outside. How to introduce our sasterawan negera's book! At the same time, we introduce Malaysian culture and our mental disposition. So, hows?