내면의 타자, 그 통합과 초월--토니 모리슨 소설의 종교성 연구

Abstract

This study aims to articulate the ways in which Toni Morrison formulates her religious aspiration in her novels. This particular paper is the introduction of the rather long study and is concerned with defining the religious aspiration in general in this modern age and also with mainly mapping specifically Morrison's revealed in her seven novels without much detailed discussion of each novel. First of all, religious aspiration, as opposed to religion as a certain institution, is defined as an inherent desire to resolve all conflicting inner voices and transcend mere ego toward the ultimate reality. It may be assumed that the modern age of secularization and self-glorification tends to suppress such religious desire into the level of unconsciousness so that religious aspiration inherent to all people needs to be expressed in rather symbolic forms which would be acceptable to the prohibitive modern mind. Toni Morrison as a modern writer is so aware of the suppressive modern temper that she expresses her religious aspiration in rather scientifically or secularly acceptable terms. First, she employs psychological terms to express the need of accommodating the inner Other into a bigger self. Second, Morrison's religious aspiration, which is represented by a search for the ultimate reality, is also expressed in her skeptical attitude towards some current values. She challenges them and attempts to experiment with new ones. Third, she suggests feminine values as a new force which would create an ideal world, perhaps, paradise, and by them she means spirituality which would restore this world to its primitive wholeness. Finally, Morrison again employs mythical terms and frameworks in her novels in order to go back to the archetypal essence of human existence ripped of all irrelevances, which is basically religious.