패러디 동화의 현대적 의미와 문제점- 「인어공주」를 중심으로 -

Abstract

A parody that has long been treated as a part of parasitic argument has recently emerged as a means of creative writing and criticism that reforms conventional pieces of work. These days, parasitic writing parodying Folktales has become popular in children’s literature. This paper investigates the contemporary meanings and problems of parodied fairy tales, focusing on ‘the Little Mermaid.’ The parodied fairy tale changes familiar stories and creates new characters. In particular, it questions traditional values and proposes new criteria for beauty, marriage, and love. However, some problems have been observed. First, it is hard for some readers to figure out the story. For example, it would be difficult for young children to understand the meaning between the original text and the parodied text. Second, it is possible for the parodied story to bring didacticism by suggesting other ideology, different from the original intention (to overturn the conventional authoritarianism and awareness). Lastly, parodied fairy tales have limitations in terms of literature. Even though this type of literature brings a social and historical result, the conventional type can sometimes have particular significance at certain times. Actually, it can be said that a parody is a type of literature that corresponds with contemporary awareness of ‘absence of the center’ or ‘depletion of literature materials.’ Therefore, the stories that parody Folktales can be more produced in the children’s literature market.