Takiji Kobayashi

“ As I have said, Arisuke was a steady, high-principled young fellow. When such people begin to doubt the value of the work they have put their whole heart and soul into, the result is often serious. Arisuke had become ashen pale all of a sudden.
To come upon such a girl in Tamanoi or in Kameido is nothing very out of the ordinary. ”

“ Have y’got no shame, workers like us to go riding on a scab street-car. Get out and walk, you bastards.”
For two days this went on. Then the third day came, and the situation ceased to be a joke for anyone. It was then the Young Men’s Association, with red badges on the arm of their uniforms, started to man the cars. Not only Arisuke, but one and all wore a proud but strained look, like men who have been picked to make an attack into the enemy’s territory. ”

“ When, for instance, these people have achieved some “supremely glorious” exploit, they feel, more than lesser mortals ever do, a naive desire to kick over the traces. So it happened, rightly or wrongly, that Arisuke went with two or three mates to have just one glass.
“Damn it all, a man wants on an occasion lke this ...” Truly strange sentiments to flow, from his lips. As a member of the Young Men’s Association he had been working for the 4,000,000 citizens of Tokyo, which for the past four days had been a “legless” city. ”

“ Pressed all together into the Overhead, and then emptied out at the station, with nowhere to go, they just mooched about hopelessly. Those with any understanding began to realize for the first time that the work of motormen or conductors was of some importance ”