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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1 is about the introduction of the research. It consist the Background of the
study, problem Statement, Objectives of Study, Benefit of the study, and Paper
Organization.

1.1 Background of the Study

Literature is the expression of anything poured into writing. Literature is an entirely
aesthetic or creative textual expression, claims Mario Klarer (2004). The term
"literature" may not apply to all written works. According to Mario Klarer (2004), the
words "aesthetic" or "artistic" are used to set literary works apart from texts that are
used on a regular basis, such as phone books, newspapers, legal documents, and
scholarly literature. Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) as cited from Hans Bertens (2001)
views literature, in addition to its aesthetic and appealing aspects, also has lessons for
us to learn that were known in antiquity and have been repeated time and time again
throughout history. David Carter (2006) stated literature includes all genres, such as
history and philosophy. He added that literature is whatever a particular civilization at
a certain period perceives it to be. To learn about the history, civilization, philosophy,
ideas, and culture of that era, it implies that literary works will reveal to us a particular
society in a certain moment. Carter also points out that literature, in all of its forms,
discusses human life, including its nature and problems as well as its method of
existence, modes of coexistence, and systems of thought. From the definitions above
can be conclude that besides its aesthetic aspect, literature depicts particular society in
a certain moment to be learned from time to time.

In textual studies, Mario Klarer separated literature into four main genres: fiction,
poetry, theater, and film. Novels are a type of fiction writing. A novel, according to
Abrams (1981), is a wide range of texts that share solely the characteristic of being
lengthy works of fiction published in prose. It has a wider range of characters, a more

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complicated plot, a more fully realized atmosphere, and a more thorough examination
of character and motivation.

Numerous novels have been written in several languages. Novels are frequently
translated into different languages in order to reach a wider audience because of the
limitations of language that people can understand. Translation, according to Hatim
and Munday (2004:6), is the process of converting a written text from the source
language (SL) to the target language (TL). On the other side, translation is a process of
replicating the nearest natural equivalent meaning of the receptor language from a
source language, according to Nida and Taber (1982: 12). These definitions reveal that
a translated novel is one in which the language has been moved from the source
language to the target language with an equivalent meaning.

No longer Human is a novel written by a Japanese writer who is known as the best
fiction writer in Japan in the 21st century named Osamu Dazai. Osamu Dazai was born
on June 19, 1909 in Kanagi, Japan with the name Shuji Tsushima from the family of
the Tsushima clan which was bloody art and full of luxury. He has shown his writing
talent since his youth by participating in writing poetry in literary magazines. In his
work in the literary world, Shuji makes writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa his role model.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa's death by suicide then affects Shuji Tsushima's life. Shuji was
in such deep pain that he was trapped in alcohol and prostitution which led to an
attempted suicide in 1929 while he was still studying at university. In 1948, he
published an autobiographical novel entitled “No Longer Human” before taking his
own life.

Due to its popularity, “No Longer Human” is translated in many other languages
including English. The English version of novel “No Longer Human” is translated by
Donald Lawrence Keene. Donald Lawrence Keene is an intellect, historian, writer,
translator of Japanese literature, and also a Shincho Professor Emeritus of Japanese
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Literature in Columbia University. He had translated Japanese books in English

including a novel “No Longer Human”.

“No Longer Human” is a novel that tell story about Oba Yozo, a man that has a
gloomy character who likes to pretend to entertain another people but then trapped into
alcohol and prostitution. The novel written in the first person point of view. The story
begins with a note from the main character, Oba Yozo, which he sends to a bar along
with three pictures of himself which a customer reads on the recommendation of the
barkeeper. The first photo is when Yozo was a child, where he wasn't smiling and had
an inexplicable expression. The second photo is of Oba Yozo during his school days,
where he looks handsome but still shows an inhuman smile. The third photo shows his
unsmiling face and looks much older than his age. Yozo's note consists of three parts,
each of which tells the phase of his life according to the three photos. The first record
contains Yozo's childhood, where he felt isolated even though he was with his own
family. The second record contains Yozo's school days. The third note contains two
parts. The first part tells of Yozo's condition after the incident in Kamakura. The third
record of the second part contains the destruction of Yozo's life.

In this novel, the author focuses on the life story of the main character, Oba Yozo,
which is very gloomy and dark. Oba Yozo has no motivation in his life and goes with
the flow of life. The main character, Oba Yozo, failed to find the meaning of his
existence. The absence of meaning in the main character's life reflects a nihilistic view
of life. Nihilism, in the researcher's opinion, is a way of looking at life that presumes
there are no values and that life has no purpose. According to nihilism, reality is
arbitrary, irrational, pointless, valuable, and meaningless. The illusions, myths, and
other social and cultural systems that have previously given us safety, hope, and
meaning are destroyed by nihilism. Nihilism, according to Nietzsche (1887), is defined
as suffer, insecurity, and unwarranted humiliation brought on by a person's own
perception that they have done something wrong. According to Nietzsche, nihilism was
first encountered by those who had known for a long time that there was nothing in the
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universe that had any objective worth, meaning, or truth that they sought or believed.
Nihilists can be divided into two groups: those who possess the willpower to do so and
those who lack it. The former are referred to as "active nihilists," whilst the latter are
referred to as "passive nihilists." When faced with nihilism, a person who practices
passive nihilism interprets it as a sign that the hunt for meaning has come to an end. In
other words, people of this kind are powerless to make anything of their life.
Additionally, the active nihilist will invent a new meaning that suits them.

The reason why the researcher analyzes this novel is because this novel is rarely
studied by other researchers, thus avoiding plagiarism. Furthermore, the novel “No
Longer Human” has an interesting story about human life. Finally, the researcher wants
to know more about the values of nihilism and its destructives effect on the main
character.

Based on the reasons above, the researcher decided to examine the main character
in the novel No Longer Human using the nihilism theory by Frederich Nietzsche and
raised the theme of the bad influence of nihilism on the main character's life. Due to
the relation to the main character’s struggle of finding the meaning of existence, this
research will use existentialism perspective. Furthermore, this research is entitled
“NIHILISM AND ITS DESTRUCTIVE EFFECT ON OBA YOZO IN NO
LONGER HUMAN BY OSAMU DAZAI.”

1.2 Research Questions

1. How is the characterization of Oba Yozo in the novel “No Longer Human”?
2. How is the idea of nihilism reflected in on Oba Yozo in the novel “No Longer
Human”?
3. What is the destructive effect of nihilism in Oba Yozo’s life in the novel “No
Longer Human”?
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1.3 The Objectives of the Study

1. To describe the characterization of Oba Yozo in the novel “No Longer Human”
2. To reveal the idea of nihilism as reflected on Oba Yozo in the novel “No Longer
Human”
3. To find the destructive effect of nihilism in Oba Yozo’s life in the novel “No
Longer Human”

1.4 Benefits of the Study

1. Theoretical Benefit
The result of this study is expected to give contribution to the body knowledge,
especially literary study on the novel “No Longer Human” and to provide the
information related to the novel “No Longer Human” and nihilism theory.
2. Practical Benefit

This research is expected to provide and enrich the references in analyzing

novel “No Longer Human” especially for student of English Education. The
researcher also expect the reader to continue another research about novel “No
Longer Human”.

1.5 Research Paper Organization

Research paper organization has an aim to make the research become easier to
understand. The research paper organization of “NIHILIST LIFE OF OBA YOZO
AND ITS DESTRUCTIVE EFFECT IN THE NOVEL NO LONGER HUMAN
(1948) BY OSAMU DAZAI (AN EXISTENTIAL PERSPECTIVE)” as follows:

Chapter 1 is Introduction. This chapter contains background of the study,

problem statement, objectives of the study, benefit of the study and research paper
organization.
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Chapter 2 is Literature Review. This chapter concerns in underlying theory and

previous study. The underlying theory contains the theory about existentialism,
nihilism, the forms of nihilism, and self-destructive behavior.

Chapter 3 is Methodology. This chapter contains the research method such as

the types of research, the object of research, the data and data source, the technique of
collecting data, the technique of analyzing data, and the data validity.

Chapter 4 is Finding and Discussion. This chapter presents the finding from the
data sources and explain the data in the discussion section.

Chapter 5 is Conclusion. This chapter contains the conclusion of the research,

suggestion for further researcher, and the pedagogical implication.