Short Fiction · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Short Fiction by Tanizaki Jun’ichirō.
Each chapter has a companion in the reader — open a free preview to see notes beside the text.
Chapter 1
Short Fiction
A collection of short fiction pieces exploring themes of beauty, obsession, transformation, and the supernatural through various characters and their intertwined fates.
Chapter 2
Tattooing
The chapter introduces the art of tattooing in Edo-period Japan, focusing on the skilled tattooer Seikichi. It describes his artistic philosophy, his sadistic pleasure in causing pain, and his long-cherished desire to find a beautiful girl to tattoo with his soul. After years of searching, he encounters a young girl whose feet captivate him, and she eventually visits his home, leading to the fulfillment of his obsession.
Chapter 3
A Springtime Case
Tsuya and Shinsuké plot revenge against Seiji for Shinsuké's apparent murder, while Tsuya's past as a geisha and her manipulation of Seiji are revealed. The chapter culminates in a violent confrontation where Shinsuké beats Tsuya after accusing her of infidelity with Ashizawa, leading to her escape and eventual murder on the riverbank.
Chapter 4
The White Fox
A one-act play exploring themes of enchantment, transformation, and the supernatural through the story of a white fox spirit.
Chapter 5
Persons in the Play
This chapter introduces the characters of the play, including Kakutaro, a young man enchanted by a fox; his lover Osayo; Osayo's mother; the fox and its children; a foreign woman and her attendant; a foreign man; and a policeman.
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