「満洲」児童文学における「悲劇」の象徴と暗示 :平方久直の創作童話「線路」を再考

Abstract

This Hirakata Hisanao (1904-1990) was one of a few Japanese writers composing around Chinese children as main characters during the SecondSino-Japanese War. The main research subject Railway was created by Hirakata in Colonial “Manchuria”. Tan, the protagonist, was a ten-year-old Manchurian girl. She was working as a maid in a Japanese family at a young age due to family poverty. Missing her hometown and feeling lonely, Tan eventually escaped from the family in secret, and decided to walk back home along the railway that she had took before. Unfortunately, she took the opposite direction. This paper reexamined the work Railway(「線路」) by considering the background of its creation and presenting new possibilities for reading and reevaluation through close reading and analysis of the text, while discovering the “otherness” of this work that has been overlooked. First, this paper considers the author's background and the historical context of the time of creation. Under the strict censorship of speech, Hirakata, like other Japanese children’s literature writers in Colonial “Manchuria”, created works within a limited scope during the wartime, within which Railway(「線路」) was born as an atypical piece. Furthermore, this paper analyzes the character portrayals and their symbolic meanings. In the first half of the work, the image of the Manchurian girl symbolizes the “savagery” of the colony, while the image of the Japanese “master” symbolizes Japan's “advanced civilization.” This construction of images can also be seen as a realistic reflection of the living conditions of locals in the colony and the educational situation of children. However, in the second half of the work, the “civilized” Japanese “master” gradually appears as a villain, demonstrating the brutality and hypocrisy of the invaders. Meanwhile, the Manchurian girl Tan escapes from the Japanese household, showcasing a rebellious attitude of colonial children. Considering the historical background of the creation, such character portrayals are indeed rare. This is one aspect of the “otherness” referred to in this paper. Additionally, while the ending of the story can be interpreted as tragic, the depiction reveals that the author maintains a positive stance towards her rebellion. At the end of the story, the author bestows a small star onto Tan, symbolizing hope. The author’s positive attitude towards the rebellion of the Manchurian girl represents another aspect of this work’s “otherness.” Finally, under the harsh censorship of speech, the reason why such an atypical work came into existence is attributed to the profound conflict brought about by the author's dual identity as a “colonial educational supporter” and “elementary school teacher and children’s literature writer.”