토니 모리슨의 『재즈』: 할렘 르네상스의 시대적 양상

Abstract

The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s in New York was the significantly advanced era for the African American's history. The cultural characteristics and its values of African Americans were paid much attention to by the white people and diverse types of Afro-American arts were exploded with great popularity. In the period of the post war, in particular, the infinite possibilities in the flourishing city had a huge scale of immigrants gather in the North of the U.S. African Americans also rushed to the industrial cities from the South in order to obtain a job which can guarantee more stable status of economy under the decent freedom and authority. Harlem in Jazz, however, was not perfect space for African Americans as they expected. As they confronted the city directly after slavery for the first time, African Americans did not know how to respond to it and had no choice but to comply with the city's discrimination and sometimes were forced to be silent again. The unresolved desire and anxiety of the individual and even the gloomy jazz music on the street drove the characters out to another marginal life in the city which is nothing but seemingly gorgeous. Jazz implies the various symbols and techniques of jazz music used as narrative strategy as well as the political and social situation of Harlem Renaissance era. Morrison narrates the brutal violences and racial tragedy very indifferently like playing the urban music, which sounds more shocking than the fact of the cruel affairs. Through Morrison's narrative techniques, Jazz reconsiders the issues of the African American community in modern society and reclaims their inherent spirit and motherhood to forgive and harmonize the African American community.