‘사회’의 문학․반행동주의․아카데미즘: 1950년대 『사상계』의 문학성 인식과 최재서의 전략

Abstract

Jae-seo Choi did not published his works in other literary magazines but continuously did in <Sasanggye (World of Thoughts)> mainly on the literary theory in terms of a theory. The college students majoring in literature in the 1950’s were influenced by the trend of the time that studied literature as the ‘knowledge and idea’ in the academic aspect which is based on the distrust toward the literary circles. Choi emphasized the ‘ideas’ in the literature by emphasizing the characteristic of the anti-activist and introspective ‘intelligence’ and the sense of identity of literary people and intellects. He hoped literature to realize the complete humanity capable of overcoming the crisis of the times and comprehensive humanity. His literary theory of order and integration suggested the humanism as critical spirit or the anti-activist humanism rather than activist humanism. Choi’s academic literary theory supported the awareness of ‘literary values’ which was thought out through the cultural strategy of <Sasanggye>, the educational magazine for intellects that pursued the modernization in all aspects, as the intra-literary principle. The autonomy of literature when he pursued the complete literature of integration and order and the literature as the humanism that aims for comprehensive and complete humanity indicates the integration of the literature itself into the society rather than the liberation from the society. In other words, Choi summarized the aesthetic norms of the literature which achieves the idea he regarded through <Sasanggye> or the zeitgeist and it was the response to the awareness of ‘literary values’ in <Sasanggye> that emphasized the role of literature as the faculty in charge of humanity. The emphasis is placed on the aspect that the theoretical literary theory of Choi which supported the awareness of literary value in <Sasanggye> occupied a contrasting position against the collusion of the authority of the literary circles and literary knowledge centering on literary magazines. The academic literary theory of Choi indirectly revealed the closedness of the literary group by showing whether the literature can establish a relationship with the social reality as a unique system. This is the reason Choi could compromise with the strategy of <Sasanggye> of inducing intelligent public into modernization and social integration project through literature.