Description A rite of passage through youth, this is a representative work of Japanese decadent literature. The novel depicts the downfall of a gentle young man who longs only for purity, as he is destroyed by the hypocrisy and cruelty of humanity. It is the work of Dazai Osamu, a leading figure of modern Japanese literature whose sudden death in 1948 at the age of thirty-nine sent shockwaves through Japanese society. Through the record of defeat of a protagonist who struggles to fit into society, places his hopes in purity and innocence, and seeks connection with others—only to be betrayed by everything and become disqualified as a human being—the novel offers a sharp indictment of modern society. The accompanying short story 'Judas' sheds new light on the human side of Judas through the author's uniquely distinctive perspective.