이원수 문학의 본질과 지향점 —해방기 산문 『오월의 노래』와 『숲 속 나라』를 중심으로

Abstract

‘May song’ and ‘Forest country’ which are Won Soo Lee’s long novels for the youth published in Liberation period revealed the essence and direction of his literatures strongly. The common thing of ‘May song’ and ‘Forest country’ is ‘Junior Group.’ In both works, the essence and direction of his literatures were revealed by ‘Junior Group.’ Won Soo Lee initiated to organize Shinhwa Junior Group in Masan in 1925 when was the origin of his literature. The essence of Won Soo Lee’s literature is longing for the lost origin. For young Won Soo Lee, the lost origin was remained within the narrow boundary of hometown and family. Activities of ‘Junior Group’ had worked as the momentum to remind of his homeland and nation. Introduction of ‘our ethnic group = children’ works as the inevitability that longing, an essence of Won Soo Lee’s literature, has to return to the family love. ‘Junior Group’ in ‘Forest country’ is the space that longing returns to the family love and ‘Junior Group’ in ‘Forest Country’ crystalizes the recovered family into the form of nation upon returning to the family love. Then, why did Won Soo Lee recall ‘Junior Group’ in Liberation period? ‘Junior Group’ might be the best useful tool to return to the origin of his literature which was contaminated by Pro-Japanese literatures as the symbol of youth. Because ‘Junior Group’ is the origin of Won Soo Lee’s literature and implicated the essence and direction of his literature.