채만식과 루쉰 지식인 소설의 풍자성 비교 연구 - 단편 소설을 중심으로 -

Abstract

Chae Man-shik and Lu Xun were both widely renowned satirists in Korea and China during the mid-modern and early contemporary periods, when both Korea and China were transitioning from premodern kingdoms to modern states, largely due to the influx of Western ideas. Both writers employed satire as a metaphorical weapon, underlining the absurdity of the societies created in both countries due to continued Japanese interference and also the utter foolishness and fatuousness of the peoples of these societies. They furthermore lamented the fact that they, despite being members of the elite, were powerless to alter the absurdity of the reality they so poignantly described. The process that led to the formation of their views regarding satire can largely be ascribed to their upbringing in their native countries and also the Western ideas they were exposed to. This paper investigates and explains the unique features of their views of satire in their literary works, mainly by analyzing their personalities and their societal backgrounds. A sample of eight novels were selected for detailed analysis, namely Chae Man Shik’s A Ready-Made Life, Tomorrow, My Innocent Uncle, and A Little Madness, and LuXun’s A Happy Family, In the Drinking House, The Misanthrope, and Sadness. By examining the manner in which satire is expressed in the aforementioned novels, certain conclusions regarding the similarities and differences between novels written by the elite, as represented by Chae Man-sik and Lu Xun, can be made. In analyzing the contents of the aforementioned novels, the types of satire analyzed were divided into two categories, namely the satire of the elite and the satire of society and the others. Similarly, in analyzing the techniques used in satires, two categories were employed, namely use of irony and tone. Through this analytical process, certain conclusions were made regarding the satire of Chae Man-shik and Lu Xun, and also the consciousness with which they faced reality.