Kenzaburo Oe, a Japanese literature who was a Nobel Prize winner sadly passed away at the age of 88. His darkly poetic novels were built from his childhood memories during Japan’s postwar occupation and being the parent of a disabled son has gone from this world leaving his family and an entire community shattered. Kodansha Ltd, his publisher confirmed the passing of the literature through a statement on Monday that Oe had died of old age on March 3. Due to his work, he won the Nobel Literature Prize in 1994, with judges praising his “darkly poetic” novels for their disconcerting pictures of the human predicament”.
Since the news of the Japanese literature was officially announced by his publisher, his loved ones and even the community are mourning the passing of the Japanese writer and giving their deep sorrow to the family members who are passing from a difficult time as they lost their beloved family member. A tweet reads,” Kenzaburo Oe‘s death was announced today and it’s pretty sad. I love how he told the Japanese far-right in the post ww2 period to fuck off and was even attacked by far-right nationalists for it. He also participated in the Anpo protests. RIP to a humanist badass”.
Who Was Kenzaburo Oe?
Born as Kenzaburo Oe on January 31, 1935 in Ose, Ehime. He was the third son of the family out of seven children. He learned art and oral performance from his grandmother but his grandmother passed away in 1944 and at the same year, his father also died in Pacific War. His mother became his primary educator and bought him books such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, whose impact Oe says “he will carry to the grave”.
He attended high school in Matsuyama and he made his first trip to Tokyo at the age of 18. Following those years, he started learning French Literature at Tokyo University under the direction of Professor Kazuo Watanabe, a specialist on Francois Rabelais. He later started publishing stories in 1957. He was also a part of Anpo Protests against the US-Japan Security Treaty as a member of a group of young writers, artists, and composers called “Young Japan Society”. Memushiri Kouchi, Sevuntiin, Kojinteki na taiken, Hiroshima noto, Pinchiranna chosho, Jinsei no shinseki, Kaifuku suru kazoku, Torikae ko, Atarashii hito yo mezame yo and more are some of his books which is also available in English language. He will be always remembered by his family and friends.