이창래 소설,『네이티브 스피커(Native Speaker)』연구

Abstract

In the novel "Native Speaker" by Lee, Chang-rae, the author aggressively deals with a minority race in the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic United States of America, especially the matters of identity disorder of the self and communications from which a minority race of Asian descent is currently suffering. However, the author doesn't deal with such a matter as simply personal one, but sublimates this into a macroscopic, universal matter. In short, the work "Native Speaker" bases its main theme[stream] on a subjective social awareness, such as the acceptance of a de-Occidental view of the world, de-Orientalism, and the acceptance of a multi-cultural prospect, and assumes the resistance to dominance discourse. In other words, this novel, through the Asian-Americans' re-definition of the English language and skepticism about an imperialistic attribute represented by English, forms a postcolonial discourse surmounting the despotism of the West-dominant discourse intrinsic in the frame of stability and convention represented by what is called 'WASP'[White Anglo-Saxon Protestant]. Hero, Henry in the work denies things Korean at first as a Korean-American, but he finally ended up affirming things Korean in the midst of trial and error. In this process, Henry finally arrived at a compromise with his father, wife Lilia and with himself above all things. Through this, he gradually regained his lost identity in multi-cultures and also tided over the problem of communications incurred by a language. postcolonial literature seeks compromise and convergence between a dominator and subject while dissolving and denying the colonialistic elements. The author of "Native Speaker" portrays the appearance of an individual immigrant who is positively seeking a way to a compromise without being limited to the role of a victim and batter any more by breaking away from the dichotomous composition of dominance & the subject; at this point, we can find out the significance of postcolonial literature. In addition, a multi-culture in postcolonialism takes on a character of ambivalence, hybridity, and diversity, whereas the work "Native Speaker" is showing the character of a multi-culture as it actually is. In short, linguistic, historical, cultural characteristics between Korea and America are mobilized in his work, which is blending and merging these two cultures. A language stipulates the existence of a human being and endows a human being with his identity as well as opens the way to communications between human beings. As suggested by its book title, 'Native Speaker' is dealing with an issue of a minority race, or an immigrant's identity in which the author addresses the process of cultural conflicts & assimilation and a compromise, but on the other hand, this work is flinging open the possibility of extending the range of discussions all the more by showing modern men's problems with communication, rupture with each other, and consciousness of alienation.