균열과 통합의 여성서사 - 강경애의 「소금」론

Abstract

The purpose of this writing is to examine Woman’s awareness which is represented in Kang Kyong-ae’s 「The Salt」. In this novel, the lower class women get suffered from complex issues such as sex, class and national discrimination. And they realize the class consciousness and feminine identity. However, the important thing is that women’s self awakening is not from their own initiative and their independency, but from rapid and other-directed. 「The Salt」 represents Kang Kyong-ae’s novel’s characteristic very well. In 「The Salt」, Bong Yoem’s mother is living through painful life because of sex, class and national discrimination. She lost her son, daughter and husband. Also, she got raped from Chinese landowner, and got kicked out while being pregnant. She bears her child in a barn, but gets arrested by smuggling of salt. Even though she gets exploited by sexually and financially, she cannot recognize feminine identity clearly. Instead, when she gets caught from smuggling, she realizes that her real enemy is a bourgeois, the capitalist. Even though her feminine identity shows contradiction and a broken phase, her mother’s affection is consistent and unified. She goes through the pain and suffering because of her strong mother’s affection. Her class consciousness is not ideal, but strongly relates with her longing towards her son.