계급적 공감과 욕망의 기표에 관한 고찰 —김애란 소설을 중심으로

Abstract

Ae Ran Kim’s novels present the existence of class which is invisible inmodern society by showing the desires of subjects and the process whichthose desires are frustrated. Her literature will be effectively understoodthrough Mimetic desire(Rene Girard), Distinction(Pierre Bourdieu) andCapital concept about the classification and variation of desires which sheintensively seeks. The characters of her novels gain a foothold on the position of subjectsinside the mimetic desire which is consist of ‘subject’, ‘object andintermediary of desires’and they persistently long for ‘normal criterion’. But the characters do not exactly knows what the ‘normal criterion’is. And it is not the normal criterion which anyone can reach on average butthe criterion which needs a further. The subject feels satisfied byimitating others who seem like they can reach the ‘normal criterion’because the ‘normal criterion’is not specific. The desires for ‘normal criterion’of her novels is varied to diversecontents. The subject’s desire to rise of rank is transformed to be Seoulite, academy career capital, inheritance capital, and etc. The aspectof desires presents as a individual voice not a group one. They makediverse effort to reach the ‘normal criterion’but it is not successful. Themain reason is the limit of class which is represented as a lack ofinheritance. The subject of desires who can not reach the ‘normalcriterion’in her literature demonstrate the passive escape rather thanthey choose the way to resist the real world. It is apprehended to theexpression of resignation that the desires for the rise of rank have nochoice but to fail in the real world. In this point of view, this seeking forthe rank which is included in neo-liberalism society is a fundamentalcriticism about neo-liberalism which asserts the equality of opportunityand freedom.