The Transformation of Despair to Hope as Asserted on Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Shiro (original) (raw)

Psychology in literature is how characters move through relation of body and mind. Shiro is Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s short story about white dog who ignores his friend, Kuro, that being caught. That ignorant deed haunts and makes him try to kill himself but actually he helps many people. One night, he speaks to the moon how he apologizes for everything. Then, how is transformation from despair to hope be asserted on Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Shiro? Through qualitative method, this writing underlines changing condition of Shiro from having despair to being hopeful. Supported by theory of Randolph M. Nesse, the transformation is reflected when Shiro sees others beside himself. He leaves his loneliness and joins others for happiness. He has paid his debt by supporting others’ lives. In conclusion, Shiro’s denial for not helping Kuro changes when experiencing hope from otherness rather than selfness.