미국 중서부 예술가의 초상 - 「성숙」과 「출발」을 중심으로

Portrait of an Artist from American Midwest in “Sophistication” and “Departure”

After experiencing his mother’s death, George Willard realizes the life's limitations and the uncertainty of the future in “Sophistication” and “Departure,” and recognizes that alienation becomes an essential condition of human life. In the moment of maturity he experienced with Helen, he shares the fact that all humans want to contact each other and also want to understand and be understood. Since George comes to recognize the essence of human alienation and the importance of understanding and empathy that makes mature life possible for men and women in modern society through his apprenticeship in Winesburg, his daily life in the small town becomes meaningful enough for his growth and development as an artist. Just as the old writer in the introduction realizes that understanding, empathy, and love are the fundamental secrets of society, George learns the truth of life that understanding and accepting others can solve the problem of alienation in Winesburg, a small town in the Midwest. George’s experience has meaning beyond the background of his artistic works and guides his future life as an artist.