Botchan (Master Darling) — Soseki Natsume

In Soseki Natsume's 1906 novel Botchan, the title character moves from the modern Tokyo to the more traditional city of Matsuyama to pursue a position teaching mathematics. Botchan interacts with a scheming colleague and mischievous students, and the reader questions, throughout the novel, whether he will stay true to his moral self or become corrupted by his fellow teacher. The novel alludes to an increasing westernization of Japan, and is an engaging foray into the consequences of such a change.