Chapter Two. Wanderings In The Wood Of Human Knowledge

Abstract

After graduating from Tatsuno Junior High School, Miki Kiyoshi was able to take advantage of changes in post-compulsory and higher education which had begun to expand during the late Meiji period. Miki was one of those rare commoners who were able to enjoy the fruits of a university education. In Leo Tolstoy's description of the search for his spiritual 'home', nothing could more aptly describe Miki's own journey to self-discovery and he evidently borrowed Tolstoy's confessional style for The Unspoken Philosophy. Miki sought friendship and belonging through the Reading Circle [Dokushokai] which, along with the influential Debating Club [Benronbu], was important in fostering networks and a sense of camaraderie which often continued into university and beyond. The Unspoken Philosophy and, to a more limited extent, Wanderings through the World of Books reveal Miki's desperate search for emotional response and intimacy.Keywords: Leo Tolstoy; Meiji period; Miki Kiyoshi; Tatsuno Junior High School; The Unspoken Philosophy; Wanderings through the World of Books