안수길의 『통로』, 『성천강』 연작을 통해 본 근대전환기 문화의 메타모포시스

Abstract

This paper analyzes cultural metamorphosis during the transitional period of modernity by focusing on Ansu-gil’s serial novels Passage and The Seongcheon River. Through the concept of metamorphosis, the paper emphasizes cultural transformation during the modern transition period, which goes deeper than general social changes. It also analyzes the transition to modernity as a complex process involving overlapping heterogeneous spatiotemporal properties, cross-cultural influences, and competition among various subjects. Chapter II delves into the multilayered spatiotemporal experiences of the modern transition period, rather than a linear shift from tradition to modernity. It identifies Wongu’s spatial orientation towards the “foreign land” not as a blind pursuit of western modern civilization, but in alignment with the “nostalgia” experienced by the colonized who have lost their “place in the world,” as per Arendt’s term. Additionally, it analyzes Wongu’s adaptation to modern times as a voluntary choice to attain independent modernity, rather than a unilateral submission to colonial power. Chapter III examines Wongu’s writing training stages to acquire a Korean-Chinese style, shaped through cross-cultural practices where traditional Chinese and new modern knowledge interplay. Chapter IV explores changes in customs within the ‘contact zone’ of different cultures, focusing on aspects like marriage and divorce, modern medical care versus shamanism, and the shift from traditional hairstyles to western- style haircuts. The analysis underscores that cultural metamorphosis during the modern transition involved heterogeneous subjects choosing specific cultural practices aligned with their lives and political goals, often through conflicts and negotiations.