The Struggle with Poverty

Traces how Yozo's financial dependence and poverty shaped his relationships and his sense of self.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Rich Child's Confusion

The Inability to Understand Hunger The Privileged Upbringing Yozo was born into a rich family. He never knew what it meant to be hungry. He was puzzled by the concept. The Fear of Dependence He was provided for, but he felt a strange guilt. He did not understand the connection between work and food. The Seed of Anxiety His lack of understanding of practical needs made him unprepared for the real world.

The Financial Crisis

The Sudden Need The Allowance Disappears When his father sold the Tokyo house, Yozo had to live on a monthly allowance. It disappeared in two or three days. The Telegrams He sent desperate telegrams to his family, begging for money. He made up absurd stories to make them laugh. The Pawnshop Under Horiki's tutelage, he began to pawn his belongings. This was the beginning of his financial freefall.

The Three Copper Coins

The Humiliation The Open Wallet Yozo opened his wallet and found only three copper coins. Tsuneko looked inside and said, "Is that all you have?" The Shame This was a humiliation worse than any he had experienced. It was the voice of the first woman he loved, cutting him to the quick. The Decision to Die That moment, he determined to kill himself. He could not live with that shame.

The Kept Man's Dependence

The Cycle of Dependency The Reliance on Women Yozo depended on Shizuko and the madam for money. He was a kept man, and he hated it. The Desire for Independence He wanted to make his own living, but he could not. He was trapped in a cycle of debt and dependence. The Return of Poverty Even as a cartoonist, he was always broke. He pawned his wife's clothes for drink. Poverty was a constant companion.

The Final Poverty

The Bare Existence The Run-Down House Yozo's brother bought him a worm-eaten house. He had no money, no possessions. He was cared for by Tetsu. The Lack of Material Needs He no longer cared about money. He had no desires. He was a ghost, existing without purpose. The End of the Struggle Poverty was no longer a problem because he had no wants. He had become nothing.

childhood

college, when he moved to lodgings

the morning of the suicide with Tsuneko

after the suicide attempt, with Shizuko and the madam

in the country, after the hospital