The Interpretation of Japanese Literature under the Literary Criticism Theory
—A Case Study of Yokomitsu Riichi’s The Fly

This paper integrates an understanding of the methodology of literary criticism, outlining the selection and evaluation perspectives of New Criticism’s close reading approach. It analyzes the tension presented in The Fly from the perspective of metaphor and discusses the necessity of applying Western literary criticism theories to the interpretation of Japanese literature. Furthermore, it explores the rationale of engaging New Criticism theory in the study of Yokomitsu Riichi, a representative writer of the New Sensationist. This is a valuable attempt to interpret Japanese literature through the lens of literary criticism theory and contributes to deepening research on Yokomitsu Riichi’s works.