Mono no aware (物の哀れ) is a Japanese literary term. It means "the pathos of things" in English. Pathos is the power in literature that creates feelings of sorrow, pity and tenderness. Mono no aware is a very important concept when reading old literature, so that the reader can understand the importance and beauty of the literature. It is used to express the keen emotion and pathos of a piece of literature and the feeling it gives the readers' senses, such as the description of a sound or scenery. "The Tale of Genji", said to be the world's oldest novel, is a good example of literature that gives its readers the sense of "mono no aware".