Poétique de la souffrance et quête de sens dans L’âme Brisée de Akira Mizubayashi

Abstract

This thesis analyses the novel Broken Soul by Akira Mizubayashi, focusing on the representation of trauma and the process of personal reconstruction. Through a combination of narratological, thematic, and existential approaches, the study explores how the narrative transforms a traumatic experience into a meaningful continuity of life. The analysis demonstrates that the narrative structure reflects the effects of traumatic memory, while the Japanese concepts of mono no aware and kintsugi shed light on the symbolism of loss and repair. Furthermore, Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy provides a framework for understanding the protagonist’s search for meaning. The study concludes that the novel presents reconstruction as a process based on memory, transmission, and the integration of suffering into a meaningful life trajectory.