The 1950s – Years of Disorientation for Japan World War II was one of the most devastating catastrophes humanity had to endure. Admittedly, the 1950s could be called the years of disorientation, despair, and search. It is necessary to add that the winners of the war found themselves in a bit better condition as they knew that they achieved their goals and saved the world from aggressors. As for such countries as Germany or Japan, those nations were defeated, people did not know what could be done. Those people had nothing but emptiness. Beliefs of many were destroyed, and many Japanese people had to find new ideals and new goals to reach. This disorientation of Japanese people is revealed in the short story by Abe Kobo, “The Magic Chalk.” The author tells a story about the artist who tries to create his own ideal world. However, he fails to do it as he makes two major mistakes: he fails to set particular goals, and he fails to find the proper way to change his life for better. The two mistakes turn the artists into a shadow with no aims, no strength, and no future. The First Mistake: The Artist Has no Clear Goals The protagonist of the short story, “poor artist, named Argon,” faces severe financial constraints (Kobo 64). He does not have money to buy any food. He has to sell his furniture; he has to accept his friend’s gesture (sharing a bank worker’s dinner), he even has to eat sewage which he actually steals from a restaurant. The artist does not know what to do and how to change his life. The devastating aftermaths of the war have paralyzed the artist just like they have paralyzed many other Japanese people. The poor artist surrenders his fate and simply drifts with the stream. More so, when he finds at least some way out, he is not sure what to do with it. He finds out about the magic properties of the chalk but can simply create some ordinary things, the things to satisfy his physical needs (Gessel 3). It is really important to mention that the artist starts by drawing food. Later he decides to change his life, and he starts creating various projects, but all of his sketches remain nothing more than mere drafts. Eventually, the lack of goals makes the artist draw a door to an unclear future. The artist is ready to accept any world. However, he sees that some hypothetical sketches are not enough to build a new, better world. Likewise, many Japanese people who lived in that period did not understand what can come of their effort. They were disoriented and did not have particular aims. The Second Mistake: The Artists Fails to Choose the Proper Way to Change His Life It is important to note that the artist does want to change his life, but he is not active enough. He simply sits and waits for something. It is possible to assume that he is waiting for some supreme power to help him. Eventually, he acquires the object which can change his life in a magical way. Argon is happy to have such a tool that promises to change his life for better (Kobo 67). At that, he does not need to do anything special. Some magic force is working instead of the artist, and he does not mind such an option. Argon relies on some unknown force to build his world. Interestingly, when he feels that creating th