홍콩작가 류이창(劉以鬯)의 소설 ≪술꾼(酒徒)≫의 가치와 의의

Abstract

In his novel The Drinker(酒徒), Liu Yichang(劉以鬯) establishes ‘a drinker’ as the main protagonist, who alike the author himself, is a dual status character that possesses both outsider’s view as an immigrant and insider’s perception as a resident. Furthermore, through an efficacious execution of the strengths of stream of consciousness novels, he reaches beyond the inner realm of the narrator, skillfully depicting complex and contradictory situation of Hong Kong. It is to be noted that the significance of The Drinker in Hong Kong literature is not restricted to its relatively early attempt at delineating various faces of Hong Kong such as its city environment, lifestyles, social phenomena and cultural state, with the city as its setting. It is crucial that Liu Yichang’s work also prognosticated the possibility of immigrants’ Hongkongization(香港化) by describing their identity crises and unstable mentalities. The Drinker embodies a profuse amount of key themes and characteristic styles that has been marking Hong Kong literature since 1950s. For example, a deep contemplation into the problems of commercialization of literature and popularization of culture as well as conflicts and affinity between pure and popular literature are captured in the book. Moreover, as it can be similarly observed in ensuing works by Xi Xi(西西) or Yesi(也斯), the novel employs the method of listing a myriad of diverse objects and issues, distinctive places and items, and fragments of everyday life of this city called Hong Kong to give an impression that the city itself is the main character. The intimacy between The Drinker and Hong Kong is even partly connoted in the story’s protagonist’s (au fond, Liu Yichang) assessments on Chinese modern literature(Chinese new literature) writers and their works. His evaluations were not limited by the conventions of contemporary Mainland China that either prioritized enlightenment and salvation of the nation or highlighted realist and romanticist literature. In addition, the creative process of some of the authors eulogized by him were in close connections with Hong Kong, having worked or published in the city. Lastly, it is also to be noted that The Drinker adroitly portrays a critical perception on capitalistic, popular-consumeristic modern civilization, unbounded by its specific regional or national background of Hong Kong or China.