실재에 접근하는 언어, 그 가능성과 한계 - 김훈의 『흑산』을 중심으로

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the meaning of ‘language’ in Kim Hoon’s Heuksan in relation to ‘reality.’ The focus is on two contrasting forms of language presented in the novel: the empty language of the powerful and the language of the oppressed that approaches reality. Through this, the study examines the possibilities and limitations of language depicted in the novel. To achieve this, the paper first analyzes the language used to represent the suffering of the characters. While the novel suggests that individual human suffering cannot be fully expressed in language, it simultaneously portrays suffering through language. The irony of verbalizing the ineffable is revealed here, along with the fate of the writer who has no choice but to verbalize the ineffable. In Heuksan, the language that approaches reality is expressed as the language of experience, which conveys the suffering of the common people. This language aligns signs with their meanings and is connected to Jeong Yak-jeon’s writing, which is based on his experiences. However, in the process of exploring a language that approaches reality through experience, the novel also raises issues of fetishizing personal experience and rejecting theoretical approaches. The significance of this study lies in its in-depth analysis of the themes of language and reality as presented in Heuksan. Additionally, by examining the problem of articulating human suffering, the research also contributes to an exploration of both the possibilities and limitations of language in novels.