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we all know how hard it is to get in this man’s mind, right?
first, let’t take a look on what makes a character complex:
• conflicted or contradictory motives • change or grow as a result of the story’s actions • decisions advance the story’s plot • create conflict in the story’s plot or theme • learn something about themselves
it fits Dazai perfectly, right? now let’s take them one by one.
1. Conflicted or contradictory motives
• to die/to find meaning/to save others/?what the audience is given to realize is that Dazai wants salvation through death. his desire to die comes with a shade of humor to hide how sad and tragic it really is. other than that, one motive of his is the promise he made to his friend who died on his arms. you see it right? Dazai’s motives are contradictory because he saves people but can’t really save himself. although Dazai is on the side of ‘good’ which is actually something that doesn’t really exist in bsd world because everything is more like in a gray area, his motives are more focused on others rather than himself. while on the mafia, his focus was on himself, his doom and suffering. that’s what made him so miserable. people aren’t sure whether dazai has changed, and they question his conflicted motives. but in reality, it’s very simple. Dazai has no hidden motives other than the ones we already know. he’s not the type to aim for power and fortune. Dazai just wants a bit of happiness, he wants to answer questions that are impossible to answer. i’d like to quote a Dostoevsky saying:
• “Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
2. Change or grow as a result of the story’s actions
Dazai’s growth is something people fail to see. i’ve read thoughts on this matter and some claim that Dazai hasn’t changed at all. that is partly true. before Oda’s death, Dazai was not open to people (and still isn’t) but the difference stays on how he dealt with it. in the dark era, Dazai drowned himself in misery, seeing only darkness and claiming that this is how it always has been for him. whilst in the time being, Dazai hides his misery behind a smile and happy facade. back then, he made no attempt to change, nor did he tried to look things differently. Dazai was alone, completely. there were times he was surrounded by people he genuinely cared about, like Oda. now, the thing is, without Oda, Dazai may have never gotten the development he got. hardly would the things lead differently if Oda was still alive.
with Oda, Dazai felt comfortable, not judged. he felt like he could open up with him because Oda would always listen to Dazai without joking around or judging him. that’s the reason why Odasaku was the only person that came close to understanding Dazai, because he was the only one Dazai opened up to. i believe that is becuase in reality, Dazai trusted Oda. we know how easily he can see through people. perhaps, he saw in Oda that kindness and goodness that intrigued him. he saw such integrity and selflessness that made him lower his guard.
