스티븐 킹의 『 세일럼스 롯』에 나타난 종교성:브램 스토커의 『드라큘라』와의 상호텍스트성을 중심으로

Abstract

This study aims to reinterpret Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot not merely as a work of horror fiction but as a disaster narrative imbued with religious reflection. Disaster is defined as an event causing damage to human life or property due to natural phenomena or human actions. In contemporary society, the distinction between natural and human-induced disasters has become increasingly blurred. In this context, Dipesh Chakrabarty and Amitav Ghosh emphasize the cultural and imaginative dimensions of climate change and environmental crises, highlighting the significance of literature in addressing these issues. While realist novels often obscure reality by adhering strictly to “facts,” speculative and horror fiction can effectively represent real-world crises. Historically marginalized in the literary field, such genres are increasingly reevaluated today. King’s horror fiction functions as a disaster narrative, addressing human error, supernatural disasters, and the possibility of salvation, while incorporating religious reflection. In particular, Salem’s Lot illuminates human failings and the absence of religiosity through the supernatural disaster of Dracula, while cautiously exploring the potential for redemption. Scholarly research on King remains limited, especially from a religious perspective. This study seeks to fill this gap by analyzing Salem’s Lot as a disaster narrative and exploring its embedded religious meanings, thereby suggesting alternative perspectives on the contemporary absence of spiritual awareness.