남정현 소설과 탈식민주의 - 담화 전략과 여성 표상을 중심으로

Jung-hyun Nam"s Novels and Post-colonialism

&nbsp;&nbsp;Jung-hyun Nam&quot;s novels dealt mainly with the legacy of the Japanese colonialism, the new colonization by the USA, the Korean national identity, the division of the Korean peninsula, etc. He used satire, humor and allegory to address these issues. This was a great way for him to show his resistance to imperialism and dictatorship as well as his post-colonial tendency. This paper aims to discuss the colloquial style and female image shown in Jung-hyun Nam&quot;s epistolary novels Bujujeonsangseo(부주전상서) and Bunji(분지) and to explore the possibilities and limits of post-colonial criticism of Nam&quot;s literature.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;The first person speaker of Bujujeonsangseo and Bunji is an &quot;unreliable speaker&quot; with a satirical edge, keeping a certain distance from the implied author. He shows a logical and critical attitude in representing his argument and thinking. Here he is construed as conforming to the standards of the implied author. By employing a colloquial style in which the speaker refutes the hearer&quot;s answer and reaction, the author leads the hearer to sympathize with the speaker. As a result, these works are seemingly conversational, but actually they can be viewed as enlightening and monological novels. They are assessed as negative in light of post-colonial criticism because they, rather than being directed to decentralization and deconstruction, represent an aspect of the establishment and strengthening of a new center.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;In Bujujeonsangseo, women are regarded as lower animals or as subordinate to men and exist only as sexual objects. Those in Bunji have a dual image of defamation and purity. As the defamed mother is recovered in imagination, the fatherland under new colonial rule by foreign powers should be recovered. This is an example of patriarchal ideology in which women are used as a metaphor for nation. The false dual image of women, which has been produced from the viewpoint of men, reflects the logic of colonial imperialism.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;In conclusion, Jung-hyun Nam&quot;s novels present a monological and violent colloquial style as well as a false and colonial image of women. This testifies that Nam&quot;s ardent nationalism is not only directed to post-colonialism but similar to the imperialist colloquial style.