｢술취하다｣(“Drink”)에 나타난 고통과 상처

Suffering and Being Hurt in “Drink”

“Drink” explores a quiet, gentle, and unassertive Tom Foster who goes unnoticed by the villagers. Tom is unable to forget the enticing expression and alluring scent he encountered when entering the room of a prostitute in his neighborhood. This experience distorts his perception of women and sexuality. Moreover, it leads him to associate personal, emotional, and intimate relationships with pain and being hurt when attempting to connect with others. Consequently, he becomes grotesque, avoiding active relationships and understanding the world only within his own thoughts. After relocating to Winesburg, Tom romanticizes his relationship with Helen White only in his thought. Despite dreaming of love with Helen in his fantasies, nothing happened, and what he wants to release through alcohol is his desire for an emotional and intimate relationship with Helen. Despite the pain, he is determined to engage in acts of love. Tom’s story can be viewed as his initial attempt to escape his way of life, but the adventure ends abruptly overnight. Ultimately, the question remains about the significance of Tom's story in relation to George’s growth. As the short stories in Winesburg, Ohio progress, George matures through encounters with various grotesques, expanding his perception of the world and humanity. While other episodes show a fixed pattern of grotesques visiting George at night, in “Drink,” George actively seeks out and engages with the intoxicated Tom, revealing George's proactive and mature side. Therefore, “Drink” becomes an important stage in George's growth as it marks his increasing interest and observation of the people around him, a crucial step toward becoming the writer he aspires to be.