변경의 삶과 자기 정당화의 논리― 이문열의 『변경』론

Abstract

<The Border>, a vivid portray of life under the domination of anti – communist ideology, rarely shows any sign or trace of resistance. Nothing else is found but fleeing around from the police without questioning the anti – communism, or preparing for a police investigation with an alibi at hand. It is only through some articles that cast questions on where the ideology is from and how it comes to oppress citizens. That questioning has little to do with the characters. In – chol chooses literature, through which he believes he can intervene between the two conflicting classes at the border of the empire. That assumes that the two empires are in collision. What it implies is that the two empires are conflicting and Korea, located at the border of the two, has no choice but to fit itself into the antagonism. According to this reasoning, it is just a denial of others that enables one to survive. What the author ultimately pursues in <The Border> might be his self – reflection. Given that his viewpoint is determined by the border theory and he regards any revolutionary actions as a loss, it might be said that the author is not necessarily against the reality where Penal Inheritance System is controlling. Should it be remembered that the focus is on In – chol, the key intention of the novel will be able to be put into a new shape. Since Lee Moon – yeol was representing the conservatives of the time criticizing liberal movements, it calls for a close look at the course where In – chol establishes himself as a novelist. He says that he would be a buffer in the hostile reality; however, it is nothing but the desire for power by which Lee Dong – young was obsessed in <영웅시대>. Then, it can be said to be rather political. In – chol just desires to exercise realistic power in his own way, which leads us to the understanding that <The Border> is the author’s confession and reflection of his own values and standpoint built up over the mid – 1980s through the mid1990s. That explains why this novel is relatively monotonous although it illustrates quite a variety of social events which happened over the period of 10 years.