Abstract: “Personalism” is a modern Japanese cultural ideological trend that emphasizes the pursuit of a sound and independent personality, manifesting across various fields such as philosophy, sociology, ethics, and literary studies. Soseki Natsume was an explorer, founder, and architect of “personalism”. His ideas are not only reflected in his literary theory and civilization theory but also in his literary works, particularly in the “late trilogy”. In sharp contrast to the idealistic depiction of personality in the literature of Japans “Shirakaba school”, Soseki portrays the opposite: selfish, dark, narrow-minded, hypersensitive, divided, abnormal, petty, hypocritical, and cowardly personalities—those are unsound. By focusing on such characters, Soseki aims to reflect the discomfort, pathology, struggle, and distortion experienced by ordinary Japanese people during the transition from traditional to modern personalities, set against the backdrop of the Meiji eras “Culturalization” and the clash between Eastern and Western cultures. However, within the stark portrayal of pathological personalities lies an implicit positive pursuit of the ideals and values of “personalism”. More importantly, through the depiction of such pathological personalities, Soseki elevates his critique and healing of the national character. Examining Sosekis works from the perspective of “personalism” not only transcends the limitations of pure literary studies but also reveals the philosophical, ethical, and sociological values embedded within his literature.

Key words: Soseki Natsumes literature, personality, personalism, morbid personality, healing of national character