The Paper Door and Other Stories by Shiga Naoya

by Naoya Shiga, Lane Dunlop (Translator), Donald Keene (Preface)

No modern Japanese writer was more idolized than Shiga Naoya. "The Paper Door and Other Stories" showcases the concise, delicate art of this writer who is often called "the god of the Japanese short story." Doyen of Japanese letters Donald Keene ranks some of Shiga's stories "among the most brilliant achievements in this genre by any twentieth-century Japanese writer." Shiga's unique style is concise and simple, with no unnecessary words. With the subtlest of gestures, he evokes the fullness of experience.

Lane Dunlop's masterly translation of seventeen of Shiga's finest stories has provided English readers their first overview of the author's work. Now back in print, the book is augmented by Donald Keene's new preface contextualizing Shiga's awesome literary gifts. Dunlop has chosen stories that aptly represent Shiga's range and virtuosity. With selections spanning forty years, from the fable-like "The Little Girl and the Rapeseed Flower" to the psychologically complex "A Gray Moon," this collection delineates the development of Shiga's rare genius.

Genres: Short Stories, Japan, Fiction, Japanese Literature, Literature, Asia, Short Story Collection

173 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1987

About the author

Naoya Shiga (志賀 直哉) was a Japanese novelist and short story writer active during the Taishō and Showa periods of Japan.

Reviews

[L.S. Popovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naoya Shiga's short story collection, translated by Lan Dunlop is a condensation of a career, a well-translated, well-written, well-selected enticing collection. In Japan, Shiga is hailed as "god of the novel." His only novel-length work was the morose A Dark Night's Passing, but in Japanese, apparently, the term 'novel' refers to short stories as well. I would not rate his stories higher than Akutagawa's, but they are so varied and careful, I am tempted to compare them to the work of Soseki. You get a lot of variety in this small collection, and I only wish the rest of Shiga's oeuvre would get translated.

I would suggest reading this before attempting his 400-page novel, because you can absorb them more easily and get a feel for his unadorned style. There are traces of brilliance and after reading all the stories I can see why the author inspired a fanatical following. They are distinctly Japanese, and if you are a fan of Chekhov, Maupassant and Akutagawa you will probably enjoy this book. I know I will be adding it to my Japanese Literature shelf. Especially good examples are "Han's Crime," and "The Shop Boy's God." In these two stories you can see the range he covers in his style. The first is representative of his storytelling art. Simple, straightforward, riveting, old fashioned tale in the fashion of Pu Sungling. The latter is a subtle, indulgent character study, a relatable anecdote with memorable charm.

In short, this is an important piece of J-Lit in translation, which will hopefully, at some point, be made obsolete by a complete collection of the author's short pieces.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

i wish i could describe how these stories make me feel without going into silly "japan" cliches. brilliant in their clarity.

[Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Having enjoyed reading "A Dark Night's Passing" (Kodansha, 1981) by Naoya Shiga last year, I looked forward to reading this book and I found his seventeen "finest stories" (back cover) arguably amazing and sentimental due to his unique realistic and psychological writing style. For instance, "Rain Frogs" (1923) portrays remote village life of a young couple named Sanjiro who has graduated from middle school and Seki a farm girl who has no education. Sanjiro has a close friend, Takeno, who has studied literature at a private university in Tokyo. Invited to the town hall for a lecture from the playwright S and the novelist G from his friend, Sanjiro can't go so he tells his wife to attend instead. What has happened might have been dictated by fate to innocent Seki, it's beyond words to be in detail. In brief, it's a cunning case of sexual exploitation in the guise of smart pseudointellectuals who in fact are horrible predators. If this story's written based on any truth, how should we do to prevent such a premeditatedly shameless sinful venture that, ultimately, has no right even in the mind to exploit a young wife like Seki?

To continue ..

[Gertrude & Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Paper Door and Other Stories is a remarkable achievement of story telling. Shiga Naoya's narratives are characterized by their simplicity and directness. If concision is a genuine virtue of a gifted writer, Shiga is without peers. Alongside Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Shiga was one of the greatest short story writers of Showa and Taisho Japan.

In this collection of stories, 'Han's Crime,' is one of the most outstanding pieces and a representative work. It recounts the story of a Chinese juggler who kills his assistant-wife during a show in front of an audience of three-hundred. Thereupon he is arrested by the police and subsequently brought to trial for his 'crime.' Several witnesses are called to testify, each one relating what they saw. Finally, Han gets his chance to tell his side of the story.

Shiga Naoya's talent lies in his ability to reveal much by giving away little. He neither overwhelms the reader with inessential details, nor does he confounds him with pretentious diction. The structure of his stories is simple, yet sophisticated. Underlying his straightforward manner and clear prose is a subtle humor and a certain wit, which enhance each story. These brilliant works of art should be read by those who love Japanese literature.

[Novia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished Paper Doll and Other Stories by Naoya Shiga about 4 days ago, I usually wrote my review straight away while I still remember all the details although I often keep it for awhile before publishing it…but this book left me wondering for several days, I really didn’t know what to say. It’s good but it’s not great. I like some of the stories but I love none of them. This kind of situation always makes me lost for words.

I chose this book out of many books in the library because I want to read new to me author for 2 challenges at once. I had picked up Kitchen by Banana Moshimoto (?) but when I read the blurb on the back cover of Paper Door, I was intrigued. It said;

Often called “the god of the Japanese Short Story”…

Amazing sentence, isn’t it? At that time, I thought if Takashi Atoda, who is NOT the god of short story, had written such beautiful short stories…the god must have written heavenly stories. I put Kitchen down and chose Paper Doll.

Did it meet my expectation? Unfortunately, Takashi Atoda’s The Square Persimmon is FAR better than the god of short stories.

I am not saying that Naoya Shiga wrote bad stories, in fact they are quite good and some are memorable. But as a whole, let's just say that I am not going to do some promotion spree like I did with The Square Persimmon. Maybe the mistake lies on my self, my expectation was too high and when it failed to deliver I was left disappointed more than when I didn't expect anything out of a book.

Continue reading http://bokunosekai.wordpress.com/2011...

[jeremy wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of the purest representatives of modern japanese literature, from an author i hadn't actually heard of! this collection blends all the usual attributes of the 20th century japanese short story (harsh brevity, a soft eye for nature, semi-autobiographical confessions, simple prose) with an immense range of subjects. in naoya's hands (and lane's), we make heroic leaps from a little children's tale about a rapeseed flower (the little girl and the rapeseed flower) to a record of the weirdly agitating exploits of an undercover samurai retainer (akanishi kakita) to a trio of stark confessions about adultery (a memory of yamashina, infatuation, kuniko). in some ways, the collection appears to actual trace out the author's own autobiography, in little observational tales.

there's some incredibly interesting psychology on display here. we see superhuman resilience (as far as abashiri, kuniko) and some truly bizarre moral acrobatics (han's crime, the shopboy's god), and through it all runs an odd fascination with evil, at scales both large and small. is it possible that this has something to do with naoya's inner struggle with christianity? apparently, he had some issues with lust, both in terms of homosexuality and adultery, which make appearances in these stories. regardless, i hope his faith allowed God's grace to lift this burden from him at the end of the day.

[David Haws · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting collection of short stories (most of them short-short). They were perhaps a little self-referential, but he does it in an acknowledged way, and I enjoyed the keenness of 志賀さん’s introspection. I think my favorite is the second story, To Abashiri (網走まで) which was a pretty amazing story for a 20-something. The voyeurism—from the woman breast-feeding on the train to his desire to read the mother’s postcards as he was putting them in the mail—is treated very tenderly. I think I want to read his novel now, and have found a used copy.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah, these were great. So adorable I just wanted to pop each one in my mouth. Much more satisfying than A Dark Night's Passing.

[Eadweard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I finally was able to read something by him, these short stories were great.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different era. Different culture. Great writing betrayed by a word-for-word translation. Misogyny. Autobiography stirred in with fiction.

I have a love-hate relationship with Japanese literature. So much of it combines brutal honesty with high craftsmanship that one is driven to admire it despite the emotional pain that comes with reading it.

Admiring the craft underlying Naoya Shiga's stories requires little effort. "As far as Abashiri," "The little girl and the rapeseed flower," "The shop boy's god," and "Rain frogs," for example, are imaginative, engaging, and thematically varied. "Akanishi Kakita" reads like a traditional Japanese historical story and might even have made a good novel. Common Japanese dramatic themes such as loyalty, deception, and virtue masked by ugliness are prominent in Shiga's stories. What his stories sometimes lack in originality, however, they make up in small surprises and interesting character development.

Japanese is one of those languages in which what is not said and the way something is said are at least as important as the actual words that are used. We Americans put the onus on the speaker to say what they mean. It's the speaker's fault if there is a failure of communication. In Japanese, the speaker often expects the listener to figure out what they are saying. Artful communicators imply as much as (more than) they say. Of course, skilled writers in English do this, too, but for Americans it is a practiced, learned, intentional overlay to the language. In Japanese, it's built into the culture. This makes translation from Japanese to just about any other language difficult, and word-for-word translation (the way Americans are taught second languages) only compounds the problem.

Much of The Paper Door and Other Stories reads like a 4th year Japanese language student working on a homework translation assignment. Lane Dunlop's teachers would undoubtedly have given him a good grade, but as a reader of literature looking for the author's style and intent, the translation is not up to the standards of Seidensticker or Dodd.

Several of Shiga's stories relate the social and psychological abuse of women. Oddly, in "As far as Abashiri" Shiga seems to take a profoundly sympathetic view of a woman on a train with two small children. Yet in the apparently autobiographical triptych "A Memory of Yamashina," "Infatuation," and "Kuniko" the main male character comes across as entirely selfish and indifferent to the suffering he causes to the women around him. I found these stories painful to read not simply because of the psychological suffering of the story-teller's wife but also because the he claims to love his wife even though he feels no regret or guilt for the abuse which arises entirely from self-serving self indulgence.

Despite the weak translations, I recommend Shiga's short stories to anyone curious about Japanese literature. Shiga fills a similar role in Japanese literature as J. D. Salinger in American literature - everyone reads him in high school. His stories are varied, the characters are rich, and Shiga is a master craftsman. Many of the stories are dark and painful, but that should not be a reason to avoid them. Think of them as stark and real. I also recommend Shiga's stories to historians and history buffs seeking a glimpse into life and social structures in pre-war Japan.

[RyeCather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75*

[Andrew]

These are rather spare, elegant little stories, all of them dealing with loss on some level, that can be compared to the films of Yasujiro Ozu in their simplicity and silence. I actually think this means that the collection as a whole is weaker than each story is individually, as these are the sorts of things that you read between other things, not things you marathon. It's best to let them linger, so you can feel the lilting emptiness.

[Raph · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a refreshing read, each stories were like a reflection of my thoughts (except the acts of adultery of course! [not that I'm not there yet but-- no])

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rain Frogs [1923] – ★★★1/2

Translated somewhat crudely by Lane Dunlop, this is a short story of a husband and wife pair. The husband, Sanjiro, a graduate of an agricultural college, and in charge of a sake brewery in his small village, falls under the influence of his close friend and poet Takeno, and begins to be interested in literature. Sanjiro's wife Seki is uneducated and does not much share his passion for all things literary. One day, when an important literary seminar is about to take place nearby, and Sanjiro and Seki are set to attend, Sanjiro's grandmother feels suddenly unwell, and Sanjiro sends Seki alone to the lecture.

Playwright S and novelist G are there to talk, and after the talk, Seki innocently and naively accepts an invitation to spend the night with another female acquaintance at Cloud-Viewing Pavilion, where novelist G also decides to stay. At first, Shiga's narrative is very factual, but the author soon builds much tension as we have to guess what transpired that night with Seki. The simple plot slowly unveils to us one horrifying realisation, as Shiga condemns that "intellectualism" that, in reality, is also linked with predatory behaviour and exploitation.

I read this short story in The Paper Door & Other Stories by Naoya Shiga [translated by Lane Dunlop, North Point Press 1987].

[Tyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start by saying that I am saddened that from what I can tell, this is the only collection of short stories by Shiga available in English. Seldom will you find stories told with such efficiency.

I have seen comparisons to Akutagawa, which I don't wholly agree with. While fans of Akutagawa (which I certainly am) will feel at home in stories such as "The Razor" or "Han's Crime." They will find unfamiliar territory in "At Kinosaki" and "The House By The Moat." Quieter and more reflective works in which Shiga's style and subject combine to give us some real gems. These stories instead remind me of Kawabata, Ogai, from the west Chekhov, or Carver for their realism and clarity. However, the fact that all these different comparisons can be made indicates Shiga's impressive range. He does crime stories, fable-like tales, and grounded realism, yet all are masterfully told and full of humanity.

There are many great stories here, most of them under 10 pages. Not wanting to spoil any of them, I'm simply going to end this now by telling you to at least give the first 3 stories of this collection a shot. 8/10

[Mariko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shiga Naoya is undoubtedly a master of short stories in Japanese literature. I know the original book in Japanese and for that itself I would give five stars without any hesitation. It is unfortunate that this particular book shows a big limit of translation. I must say the quality of translation is poor, almost word-by-word. Thus, three stars.
However, I recommend that you read the following three stories: " As far as Abashiri ", " At Kinosaki " and " The Shopboy's God. " Any translation inevitably lacks nuances of the original. For instance, the word " Abashiri " is a name of the place but for a Japanese person this is a synonym of a famous penitentiary. Therefore the word insinuates something in the story. Translation cannot indicate that but to be fair, this is not translator's fault. But I hope at least you will enjoy the glimpse of Japanese life in old days.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished reading this, my first introduction to the author and by and large I enjoyed them, not all but for the most part I did. The stand out ones for me were Kamisori, Han's Crime, A Grey Moon and the titular The Paper Door.

Some of the stories were a chore to get through, mostly the ones that focused on adultery towards the end, especially Kuniko.

Overall it was enjoyable but nothing especially special in my opinion. Some good stories but nothing to shout from the rooftops.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last couple stories dropped off; I think his affairs did ruin his ability to write clean beautiful stories. Besides the final piece, A Gray Moon, the last 3 or 4 stories were entirely about him and his affair. They weren't shit, they were still tactful and interesting, but nothing compared to a story like The Shopboy's God or Seibei and his Gourds. If you read this story collection and ended at Rain Frogs, it would be a perfect collection of short stories. Just classic great writing.

[M.R. Dowsing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection of short stories with a wide range of content. The first one is like a children's fairy tale, but some of those those which follow involve murder, adultery and suicide, although not all are so dramatic. The one thing these stories have in common is that they are all very good, so fans of Japanese literature and / or short stories should definitely check this out. I'm sure I'll come back to this at some point and read them again.

[Sabrina Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed some short stories, but others were kind of boring. It felt like nothing happened in most of them. I was letdown by The Paper Door one because since they used it for the title, I assumed it would be the best one, but it wasn't at all.

If you are a literary historian buff then I do recommend, otherwise. No

[Mary Haynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite stories were The Girl and the Rapeseed Flower (an easily-spotted analogy about a writer and her book), Han's Crime (which poses an interesting question concerning guilt), and The Shopboy's God (a cleverly crafted story). I enjoyed this small taste of Japanese literature.

[Johan D'Haenen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deze bundel geeft een mooi beeld van 40 jaar literaire carrière van "de god van het Japanse kortverhaal". Op enkele verhalen na, zijn dit allemaal pareltjes, zowel qua opbouw, taalgebruik en zinsbouw als qua inhoud.
Jammer dat er zo weinig werk van Naoya Shiga vertaald is.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories were quite good, however, overall I just couldn't quite get into it.

[Miguel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A destacar:

-Han’s Crime
-The Shopboy’s God
-Rain Frogs

[Hammu · Rating 1 out of 5]

It doesn't tickle my fancy.

[Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Especially enjoyed 'The Razor', 'At Kinosaki', and 'The House by the Moat'

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truthfully it took me a while to whittle away at this short story collection, but I wanted to be able to process each one. Glad to finally say I finished it.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

People handle personal situations, and different callings clash.

[Jikan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75*

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the stories of Hemmingway, these stories (1904-45) are beautifully simple and spare, but with plenty going on between the lines. If anything - and, being Japanese, this is a surprise - the ideas expressed beneath the surface of these stories are more crystallised, easier to pin down.

Shiga, in many of these stories, uses observations of animals and birds - frogs, lizards, wasps, rats, cats, chickens, ducks, bird of prey - to express ideas about life, death and what it means to be human. Often the inevitability of death and the natural order of things is ruminated upon, not in a morbid way, but actually in a freedom-giving way: Shiga strives for an understanding of the nature of things, and with such understanding, comes peace.

Five of the stories, three of them from the 1920s, deal with infidelity, on both the woman's and the man's part. It seems that these are quite autobiographical, as Shiga had an affair at this time with a 20 year-old waitress. The infidelity stories are unusual in that they focus on the effect the affair has on domestic life, rather than the object of the affair and any passion associated with it. One of the stories is memorable in its description of the husband's excitement when he thinks of his pretty young wife lying with another man. The last of thre stories, 'Kumiko' is painfully told, with immense humanity, understanding and eloquence.

The last story, 'A Grey Moon' (1945), coming 18 years after the previous one is a bleak conclusion to this collection. It portrays a post-war Tokyo, burnt out and full of starving people scouring the city streets for food and dropping dead of malnutrition.

At odds with their fluid, readable simplicity, the point of view in the stories sometimes switches jerkily between characters, or jumps in time, and sometimes describes the action in an unclear way that is difficult to understand. At first I thought this might be an innate part of the work. Donald Keene, one of the premiere ambassadors of all things Japanese to the Western world, rates Lane Dunlop's 1987 translation highly in his preface to this 2001 edition, and I don't tend to question his views without good reason. However, I have since read some harsh criticism of the translation - 'stilted', 'graceless', plodding' are all adjectives that have been levelled at it by reviewers. I wonder how well, though, these reviewers have been able to compare the original Japanese with its English translation? I suppose I will have to improve my Japanese to the point where I can read the original to find out.