포스트휴먼 시대에 문학교육의 역할

The Role of Literature Education in the Posthuman Era: Reading Death of a Salesman

The purpose of this study is to explore the necessity of literature education in the post-human era where uncertainty is amplified due to the rapid development of science and technology. What is fundamentally necessary in a rapidly changing reality that exceeds the capacity of human consciousness? It involves introspection on the meaning of human life and existence. This is because what can lead the future society in a desirable direction, which is difficult to predict, is ultimately related to human ethical duty. One possible way is through reading literature that encompasses human life. Literature has secured the resources of stories that were difficult for mankind to imagine or guess over countless times, gained persuasive power, and expanded its scope enough to prepare for the shock of a rapidly changing reality. In this context, this study aims to examine the need to reconsider the role of literature education. It does so by introducing aspects of a literature class, particularly focused on Death of a Salesman, conducted as a liberal arts course at a 4-year university in Seoul. This is in response to the reality that the position of literature has been narrowed even within the university curriculum.