오에 겐자부로의 『치료탑』과『치료탑 혹성』론‒핵시대의 상상력의 출발점과 ‘새로운 사람’에 대한 희구‒

Abstract

This paper discusses “Chiryou Tou”(1990) and “Chiryou Tou Wakusei”(1991), which are ‘near future science fiction’ by Oe Kenzaburo. Focusing on the meaning of ‘the planet of treatment tower’ and ‘world religions’ and ‘new man’ that were overlooked in the previous research, I will consider Oe’s message that he tried to convey through the two works. Through Saku who recognizes Hiroshima’s Atomic Bomb Dome as a ‘the tower of treatment’ in the novel, the ‘the planet of treatment tower’ can be interpreted as a ‘new earth’ as well as an earth facing the nuclear age. The place where ‘the tower of treatment’ and ‘the planet of treatment tower’ as metaphors are heading is Hiroshima, and it can be seen that Hiroshima is the fundamental starting point of the imagination of Oe’s nuclear age. On the other hand, from the statement of the A-bomb refugees who occupied Hiroshima Peace Park, the declaration of war on the Amazon World War, and Hanawa’s aspirations for world religions, it can be read Oe’s message that should reaffirm the meaning of the Atomic Bomb Dome, and should seek a way forward through the voices of the A-bomb victims in Hiroshima, rather than the Japanese government which advocates its anti-nuclear intentions externally under the U.S. nuclear umbrella. And the ‘world religions’ and the ‘new man are functioning as a metaphor of hope that will lead the conflicting future world to reconciliation and peace. It may be said that “Chiryou Tou” and “Chiryou Tou Wakusei” are works desiring the appearance of the New Man bringing a change in the apocalyptic situation called the nuclear age as hope to the future, with criticism of the contradictory attitude of the Japanese government which advocates the Three Non-Nuclear Principles and anti-nuclear intentions under the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and criticism of the reality of Japan’s anti-nuclear movement.