‘호모소셜’의 경험을 통한 남성 성장의 실패 : 김영하,『너의 목소리가 들려』를 중심으로

Abstract

Considering I Hear Your Voice, by Kim Young-ha, as a bildungsroman, a novel of personal development, this article interprets the novel with the concept of ‘homosocial’ established by Ueno Chizuko. Two male protagonists have grown together in the solidarity of men instead of family and school, affecting each other. Their growth seems a failure, as they both die. However, as they commit suicide, that is, they choose their own death, they are subjectifying themselves in some ways, and it is therefore difficult to regard their growth as a complete failure. Nevertheless, their growth is limited, as it is made in ways to oppress and exclude women. However their growth is limited, as it is made in ways to opress and exclude women. That is, growth of protagonists in I Hear Your Voice by Kim Young-ha means that there have been women objectified by them in the process of men's growth. Furthermore, it could be a work to show that a "man's growth", which is impossible without a woman shall fail. The growth of these men is problematic, as the novel could be read as a kind of bildungsroman. This novel could follow bildungsroman that a protagonist recognize one's identity or role through various experiences in the process to grow from a child to an adult. However, the 'growth' in this novel focuses on just men who sexually abuse and objectify women. Accordingly, this novel reveals the facts that "mens's growth" shall fail as well as that "growth" is just recognized as a thing belonging to men only.