남성중심 역사서술의 대항담론으로서 문학적 증언: 동시대 여성가족사소설 『시선으로부터,』와 『밝은 밤』을 중심으로

Abstract

This article focuses on two contemporary women’s family history novels, From Si Sun and A Bright Night, to explore social and cultural aspects of modern Korean history reflected in those works. Both novels shared the structure of repeated violence, describe the friendship of women against violence and barbarism, and also present their prospects for the future. The authors, Jung Se-rang and Choi Eun-young, display a sense of authorial responsibility in the restoration of the stories of women who have been excluded from historical narratives and also demonstrate the construction of deep trust and solidarity among women, encompassing the states of healing, redemption, and growth. The novels therefore show feminist values embedded in the multiple layers of the narratives. Meanwhile, the two novels are distinct in terms of male characterization and perspective, which creates a very different atmosphere in each text. Despite the difference in narrative strategies, both texts contain the elements of realism that embodies historical reality and suggest the progress of women’s history. These novels therefore function as an interpretational tool for the people who share the same critical mind against the social culture of the real world and respond to reality with different strategies to move toward ideals.