소설 『토지』에 나타난 한·일 문화 인식의 태도 고찰 ― 『토지』 4부를 중심으로

Abstract

The goal of this thesis - limited to volume 10,11 and 12 in part 2 of ToJi written by Park Gyeongli - is to considerate of recognition problematics about cultures of Korea and Japan. Not only Toji is a very long story but also it took long time to write this story. Furthermore, it has been noticed because of dilemmas of the times and issues of genres. In other theses which are based on this novel, it is noticed that volume 1, 2 and 3 are so interested that we can't ease the tension, but after the volumes the tension gradually decreases. But that is a wrong thinking resulted from grasping the story when we focus on the outline. In this thesis 4 volumes which lead last half of the story are considered to disprove the wrong view. Part 4 story is developed on the background of the period from 소설 ꡔ토지ꡕ에 나타난 한·일 문화인식의 태도 고찰 333 China-Japan War(1937) to NamGyeong Slaughter(1938). In historic novels the view of current trends has attracted our interest. But the things which are mentioned in this thesis are not considered in historic point of view about current problems. The main goal of it is finding out the basic reasons which made the situations of the time. The writer seeks for the reasons in the culture. Her wide cognitions and point of views about Korea and Japan culture are revealed in the whole Part 4. In part 4 lots of characters are appeared but the origin of whole story is integrated to “culture”. If it is read with view of culture, we can guess on what position she wanted to place the part 4 in the novel. The writer has her own deep belief about history. She figures out the history from Guhanmal to Defeat of Japan in the novel. And she tries to seek for the reasons of the defeat not from weak military force or changes of world situations but from more basic reasons, “Cultural Weakness”. Especially, writting duration of part 4 is longer than any other parts. It is the proof of her best. In Part 1, 2, 3 she tried to put more precious meanings into the story over a family’s hardships, successes and love stories and she gained “cultural point of views” as one of the methods. What is land? It is not an estate and territory as she said. She said we associate land with concept of possession. However, when it is rethought through part 4 it is valid that land is considered as the place of human standing and origin of life. The Land is the place where everybody stands beyond history and races. It is the place human beings have rooted, been born and been grown up from the beginning of the world. From then, they have sown, born, farmed and lived. Human beings have learnt surviving methods and passed down them on the bases of the land. It is the primitive configuration of culture that is the premise of this thesis. Island country, Japan has made their own culture and Korea have done so. The beginning of culture is from an individual but the culture is what are internalized into a race with time. How could Joseon people overcome the tough time under Japanse control- expanding of Japanese nationalism and fortifying of military-in the situation that nobody could look forward to future? The books asks the readers and the writer herself “what the power overcoming the tough time is”. It is said that culture is the answer and the culture is the great sprit.