Written by Japanese writer Osamu Dazai, No Longer Human is a semi-autobiographical novel about a young man who feels disconnected from others and struggles to understand human beings. Written in first-person perspective, the novel contains similar themes to those in the author’s life, such as depression and suicide. The protagonist Oba Yozo acts as a clown and humors others to mask his alienation from society. The story is told in the form of notebooks; the books depict his life from his early childhood to his late twenties. 

Dazai’s personal outlook and beliefs about humans and the world surrounding him are clearly shown in the book. At first, I felt a sense of pity and empathy for Oba; however, as the story progressed, I became disgusted with his repeated affairs and lack of proper communication with others. He deals with his mental and physical issues in illogical ways and reverts to unhealthy substances to distract himself from reality. While flipping every page of this book, I wished for Oba to change his fearful perspective of the world and rebuild his life. 

Oba Yozo never tells others how he truly feels, instead pretending to be cheerful and carefree. He feels misunderstood and fails to comprehend the actions of others. He constantly blames himself for his misery. He fears the world and is disgusted with the two-faced actions of others. He firmly believes himself to be different from society. He claims he is no longer human. Yet, he is just as human as the rest of us. Oba’s constant desperation to please others around him and subconscious desire to be loved makes him human. As a character, he borders on the line between incomprehensible and relatable.

Although Oba made many mistakes, the multiple women in the novel reminded me that he was not all bad. As the narrator, there were good parts of him that he himself was unable to see. It's interesting to see how much the narrator and author’s self-hatred and negativity manage to change my perception of him as well. Mental illnesses and substance abuse caused him to be unable to notice his own strengths, successes, and happiness. 

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to understand themselves and others on a deeper level. One of the most insightful concepts the author emphasized to me was how it is impossible to completely understand others and be understood. I was terrified to discover how I don’t actually know even my closest family and friends. In a sense, perhaps I don’t even know myself. No matter how much I may attempt to explain and describe myself to those around me, they won’t ever be able to understand entirely. I've never felt more isolated in my life. 

No Longer Human showed me how similar yet different all humans are. It made me realize how many people feel alone in this world. Although we come from different backgrounds with various beliefs, the feeling of loneliness is something everyone can relate to. Like Osamu Dazai and Oba Yozo, we all wish to be loved and understood. We are human.