환경동화에 형상화된 동물의 삶과 아동 -2020년, 2022년 환경부 ‘우수환경도서’ 중 국내 창작동화를 중심으로-

Abstract

This thesis focuses on domestic creative books among the approximately 60 children’s books selected as ‘Excellent Environmental Books’ by the Ministry of Environment in 2020 and 2022. This thesis explores the way animals’ lives are depicted in environmental books and diagnoses the perspectives on animals. It also suggests that children actively practice as the main agents of environmental issues by identifying the relationships they have in environmental fairy tales. As a result of the research, there were more creative works that considered the quality of the works selected by the Ministry of Environment in 2020 and 2022 than before. However, due to the nature of environmental fairy tales, they are often developed in a way that accuses, criticizes, and raises awareness of humans who cause environmental destruction, and are often limited to human–centered thinking and presented as solutions that raise children’s awareness of environmental destruction or encourage consumption and recycling. Environmental fairy tales created after 2018 have shown a more diverse aspect in terms of their choice of materials that unfold from the perspectives of objects and animals or reveal the causes of environmental destruction, conscious of their role as literature compared to before. In particular, in the case of picture books, they pointed out the accelerated environmental problems in capitalist society and provided insight into the damage and severity of environmental problems through pictures. In addition, they also showed the view that children can also be the cause of environmental problems, which was a noticeable point because it overturned the position in which children had no choice but to watch the environment being destroyed by adults. The perspective of children’s literature on animals and nature is very important because it is an issue that overlaps with the direction in which children view literature. Since the current issue of environmental problems presupposes the accusation of human behavior, it is clear that it has the limitation of mainly depicting a dystopian world for children, but since this is also an effort to realize a healthier future society, the future course of environmental fairy tales should change. Rather than focusing on just watching the results created by adults and worrying about producing the same results and only giving them a sense of alarm, we should provide opportunities for children to think about alternatives and make changes on their own. Furthermore, we should suggest a new attitude toward plants and animals.