Classical masterpieces and historical happenings are reinterpreted in these stories. Gesaku zanmai ("A Life Devoted to Gesaku"), Kareno-sho ("Gleanings from a Withered Field"), Jigoku hen ("Hell Screen"), 1918, Hokyonin no shi ("The Death of a Christian," 1918), and Butokai are examples of these stories ("The Ball," 1920). Ryunosuke Akutagawa was a famous Japanese writer who used the pen name "Ryu." His work, which has been called "neo-classical" fiction, was widely read during his day and influenced many later writers. Akutagawa's own life was filled with tragedy, including the death of his wife and daughter, but he continued to write about social injustice and corruption in Japan's modern world. He published his first story in 1908 when he was 26 years old. This was a tale about a man who tries to win over his jealous wife by writing a novel that is said to be based on their real-life marriage. This story was followed by others about men who try to triumph over adversity by using their brains rather than their brawn. These tales made Akutagawa one of the most popular authors in Japan at the time. In 1918, shortly before his death, Akutagawa wrote nine short stories titled after parts of the body. The last story in this collection is called "Butterfly," and it tells the tale of a man who realizes that happiness cannot come from material things.