<崔陟傳>의 虛實相生 기법

Abstract

This paper reviews the narrative significance and pattern of how truth and fiction are juxtaposed in <Choi Cheok Jeon> and looks at the status of the piece’s realistic style from the perspective of the theory on truth and fiction. The following are findings from the study. This piece is based on truth but adds fictitious elements to trigger the readers’ interest and more effectively portray the theme that the author intended to deliver. This has resulted in a juxtaposition of truth and fiction. First, the narrative of Choi Cheok and Ok Young are not entirely made up but based on real life. Their stories are meaningful in that it is a re-enactment and re-composition of their experience as prisoners of war who are existent in real life. They are the artistic agents of such prisoners in real life. Second, the characters are not only carrying out acts that had actually taken place but their actions are a mix of real facts and fiction. Logic and emotion are used as backgrounds for such action so that in literary terms they are persuasive and have verisimilitude. Third, fiction was added to project the author’s desire for a grand and jolly journey, to portray the public sentiment during the scene where the couple meet each other and to realize the theme throughout the piece. Fourth, truth and fiction are brought together but details are added to give a more dynamic feel and make the scenes more engaging. This piece is also a good example of how the theory of truth and fiction which had been a hot topic at the time in the Ming Dynasty’s literary circles is applied to actual creation of literary works. The fact that the theory of truth and fiction that was the first new literary trend in the literary world during the Ming Dynasty is realized through <Choi Choek Jeon> shows that this piece of literature serves as an important turning point in the history of novels in East Asia which should be recognized by the wider region of Asia.