師陀 ≪馬蘭≫의 서사전략과 주제의식 고찰

Abstract

This paper explores the narrative strategy and the thematic consciousness of Shi Tuo’s novel Malan. Malan is Shi Tuo’s first full-length novel. In this novel, one can find thematic consciousness that consistently penetrates other works by Shi Tuo. In his novels, one can discover elements of social criticism, but it is evident that he was more captivated by the fate of man in this work. Shi Tuo described not heroes, but ordinary people; and he was critical of humans’ weaknesses at the same time showed a deep compassion for them Malan describes the growth and failure of three men and women and demonstrates that the fate of an individual cannot be separated from the circumstances of the time they were living. No matter how hard humans struggle, they are not free from their fates nor from the society to which they belong. Nevertheless, humans do not blindly accept nor despair at their fates, but rather have the nobility to fight their fates. Deeply-entrenched futility and pessimism are distinctive of Shi Tuo’s work. However, Malan demonstrates a sense of optimism that is usually lacking in his other works. This work depicts a generation that has lost its values, and a man who has lost his ideals and wanders helplessly. Furthermore, the novel portrays Shi Tuo’s deep insight into life and a sense of futility, which have transcended time and still are meaningful to the present.