이호철 초기 소설에 나타난 주체 양상 연구

Abstract

본고는 이호철의 초기 소설에 나타난 ‘주체’의 양상을 살펴보고자 한다. 이호철의 작중인물들은 소시민과 실향민으로 대표된다. 그러나 이호철의 문학에서 이들에 대한 묘사가 본격화된 작품들을 분석하기 위해서는 소시민으로 표상되는 인물군상이 등장하게 된 맥락을 함께 살펴볼 필요가 있다. 이러한 시도를 통해서 월남인, 이방인으로 구체화되는 이호철의 작중인물들을 일련의 사회 변화 속에서 조망하려 한다. 나아가 그동안 일괄적으로 속물성을 지닌 유형으로 분석되었던 이호철의 소시민들을 ‘윤리성’을 중심으로 접근하고자 한다. 이호철의 초기작에는 농촌 공동체로 구성되던 전통적 삶을 이상적인 세계로 묘사하는 작중인물들이 두드러지게 등장한다. 이들에게 삶의 방향을 결정해주고 세계의 균형과 질서를 유지시켜주던 절대적인 지표는 ‘별’, ‘아름드리 소나무’, ‘큰 산’을 통해 강조된다. 그러나 급격한 사회 변화로 인해 기존 농촌 공동체에서 불변의 가치로 작용하던 유교적 질서와 전통적 규범 등은 와해되기 시작하는데, 이러한 현실은 ‘탁류’, ‘소용돌이’ 등으로 묘사된다. 변화를 마주한 사회 안에서 전통적 개인은 공통된 가치와 객관적 기준점이 사라진 상황에 자유가 아닌 혼란을 경험하는 것이다. 이러한 흐름 속에서 월남한 실향민과 이방인들은 고향, 과거를 아름다운 것으로 회상한다. 그러나 이들이 떠올리는 안온한 고향과 풍요로운 농촌 공동체, 충만한 자기 정체성은 실제로 존재하던 것이 아니라 주체의 ‘환상’에 의해 재구성된 것이다. 이들은 외부적 장애물에 의해 자신이 본래 지니고 있던 정체성을 잃어버렸다고 ‘오인’한다. 하지만 이들에게 모든 질서가 균형을 이룬 고향과 완전한 자기 정체성은 ‘상실’한 것이 아니라 애초에 ‘결여’되어 있는 것이라 할 수 있다. 그러나 이들은 자신의 내재적인 결여를 전쟁과 근대화 등 외부적 장애물에 투사하며, 새로운 사회적·상징적 질서 내에서 결핍을 채울 대상을 찾으려는 시도를 거듭한다. 고향으로 돌아갈 수 없는 상황과 함께 사회를 판단할 기준점을 새로이 정립해야 하는 이중의 곤경 속에서 이호철의 실향민, 이방인들은 생존을 위한 불가피한 선택을 이행한다. 토박이가 아닌 실향민으로서 어디로도 소속될 수 없는 혼란을 벗어나기 위한 움직임을 보이는 것이다. 이들은 새로운 질서가 자신의 본래적 결여를 충족시켜줄 수 있으리라는 믿음을 보이며 탈향이라는 ‘선언’을 통해 남한 질서로의 ‘촉급한 동일시’를 이룬다. 새로운 질서로 진입하는 과정에서 자신의 욕망을 온전히 비워내는 ‘자기 소외’를 이룬 이들이 그에 대한 대가로 특정한 위치와 역할을 차지할 수 있게 되는 것이다. 그러나 주체가 의존하고 있는 사회적 질서는 본래적으로 균열을 내재하고 있으며 불완전한 것이다. 여기서 상징적 질서의 허구성을 인식한 주체의 ‘분리’가 이루어진다. 이들은 완전하고 합리적인 것이라 여겼던 체계가 자신의 환상에서 비롯된 것임을 깨닫는데 여기서 ‘큰 타자의 비실존’을 인식한 이들의 서로 다른 반응이 드러난다. 자신이 위치한 체계의 불완전함과 모순을 인식한 후 계속해서 사회적 질서를 준수하며 살아갈 것인지, 혹은 이를 중단시키는 ‘행위’로 나아갈 것인지를 두고 정반대의 양상을 보이는 것이다. ‘냉소주의적 주체’로 표상되는 인물들은 자본주의 질서에 적극적으로 동화되어 삶을 꾸려나간다. 이들은 자신이 위치한 사회의 결여를 인식하고 있음에도 개인의 이익과 안정을 위해 핑계를 거듭하며, 모순된 질서의 유지에 기여하는 모습을 보인다. 이호철의 소설에서는 도시를 배경으로 한 작품에서 두드러지게 등장하는 인물 유형으로, 대표적으로 ‘광석’을 통해 드러난다. 반면, 이호철의 작품에는 사회적 질서 내에서 자신의 명예와 권력을 도모하지 않는 ‘윤리적 주체’ 또한 존재한다. 이들은 자신의 신념과 의무를 이행하기 위해 존재론적 일관성을 유지시키는 중핵과도 같은 가치를 희생하고 포기하는 것에 거리낌이 없다. 또한 사회 체계 내에서 모든 명예를 잃게 되는 상징적 수준에서의 죽음 또한 두려워하지 않는다. 이들은 자신의 의무를 이행하는 것에 있어 양보나 타협을 하지 않는 ‘행위’를 이행하며 돈과 권력이 중심이 되는 질서와는 무관하게 움직이는 모습을 보인다. 이처럼 이호철의 문학에는 단순히 속물성을 지닌 타락한 ‘소시민’만이 존재하지 않는다. 급격히 변화하는 사회 안에서 이호철의 작중인물들 또한 뚜렷한 흐름으로 등장하는 것이다. 자신의 의지와는 상관없이 고향으로 돌아갈 수 없는 상황에 놓인 이호철의 월남인, 실향민, 이방인들은 다른 문학 세계에 등장하는 실향과는 분명한 차이를 지닌다. 따라서 새로운 사회적·상징적 질서 내에서 서로 다른 양태로 살아가는 이호철의 인물들은 ‘윤리성’이라는 기준을 통해 주체로서 새롭게 조명될 수 있다.| This study aims to investigate the aspects of the subject in Lee Ho-chul's early novels. Lee's works are represented by petit bourgeois and displaced people. However, in order to analyze the works in which the depiction on them stands out in Lee's literature, it is necessary to examine the situation in which petit bourgeois appeared. Through this attempt, this study tries to view the characters of Lee Ho-chul's works who are embodied as displaced people and strangers in a series of social changes. Furthermore, So far, The petit bourgeois of Lee Ho-chul have been analyzed as snobbish figures. However, this study intends to analyze them in terms of 'ethics'. Lee Ho-chul's early works feature characters that portray traditional life that was composed of rural communities as the ideal world. The absolute indicators that determined their direction of life and maintained the world's balance and order are emphasized through the 'stars', the 'beautiful pine trees' and the 'big mountains'. However, due to the rapid social changes, Confucian order and traditional norms, which have been immutable values ​​in the existing rural communities, begin to disintegrate. This reality is described as ‘muddy stream’, ‘vortex’ and so on. Traditional individuals experience confusion instead of liberty in the changing society where common values ​​and objective reference points disappear. In this vein, the displaced people and strangers in South Korea recall their hometown and past as beautiful. However, their peaceful hometown, abundant rural community, and full self-identity did not exist, but were reconstructed by the subject's 'fantasy'. They mistakenly believe that they have lost their identity due to external obstacles. But a balanced hometown and complete self-identity are not the subject's loss but the intrinsic lack. However, they project their intrinsic lack to external obstacles such as war and modernization. And they try to find a target in the new social order to meet their deficiencies. They can't go back to their hometowns and are faced with the double plight of setting new reference points for society. Therefore, Lee's displaced people and strangers make inevitable choices for survival. As displaced people, not natives, they are moving to get out of the chaos that cannot belong anywhere. They believe that the new order will be able to meet their intrinsic lack. Later, they made an identification with the South Korean order through the declaration of escape from hometown. In the process of entering into a new order, they become alienated, emptying their desires completely. in return, they can occupy specific positions and roles. But the social order upon which the subject depends is inherently cracked and incomplete. Here the subject recognizes the falsehood of the symbolic order through separation. They realize that the system they regarded as complete and rational comes from their fantasies. Here, This is where the different reactions of those who perceive the non-existence of The powerful big Other. Recognizing the imperfections and inconsistencies of the systems in which they are located, they ponder whether they should continue to live according to social order or move on to 'acts' that stop the operation of the social order. The characters represented as the 'cynical subject' are actively assimilated to the capitalist order. Even though they are aware of the lack of society, they make excuses for personal gain and stability. It also contributes to the maintenance of contradictory order. The cynical subject is prominent in the works set in the background of the city, and these are revealed through 'kwang-seok'. On the other hand, there is also an 'ethical subject' in Lee Ho-chul's work that does not promote his honor and power within social order. They do not hesitate to sacrifice the core of ontological consistency in order to fulfill their beliefs and obligations. They are not even afraid of death in the symbolic order and of losing all honor in society. They make no concessions or compromises in fulfilling their duties and carry out 'acts'. And they move independently of the order in which money and power are central. As such, Lee's work does not deal only with selfish petit bourgeois. In a rapidly changing society, characters in Lee's works also appear in distinct flow. Lee Ho-chul's displaced people and strangers, who are in a situation where they cannot return to their hometown regardless of their will, are clearly different from the displaced characters in other literary worlds. Therefore, Lee's characters, who live in different forms within the new symbolic order, can be reinterpreted as subjects through 'ethics'.; This study aims to investigate the aspects of the subject in Lee Ho-chul's early novels. Lee's works are represented by petit bourgeois and displaced people. However, in order to analyze the works in which the depiction on them stands out in Lee's literature, it is necessary to examine the situation in which petit bourgeois appeared. Through this attempt, this study tries to view the characters of Lee Ho-chul's works who are embodied as displaced people and strangers in a series of social changes. Furthermore, So far, The petit bourgeois of Lee Ho-chul have been analyzed as snobbish figures. However, this study intends to analyze them in terms of 'ethics'. Lee Ho-chul's early works feature characters that portray traditional life that was composed of rural communities as the ideal world. The absolute indicators that determined their direction of life and maintained the world's balance and order are emphasized through the 'stars', the 'beautiful pine trees' and the 'big mountains'. However, due to the rapid social changes, Confucian order and traditional norms, which have been immutable values ​​in the existing rural communities, begin to disintegrate. This reality is described as ‘muddy stream’, ‘vortex’ and so on. Traditional individuals experience confusion instead of liberty in the changing society where common values ​​and objective reference points disappear. In this vein, the displaced people and strangers in South Korea recall their hometown and past as beautiful. However, their peaceful hometown, abundant rural community, and full self-identity did not exist, but were reconstructed by the subject's 'fantasy'. They mistakenly believe that they have lost their identity due to external obstacles. But a balanced hometown and complete self-identity are not the subject's loss but the intrinsic lack. However, they project their intrinsic lack to external obstacles such as war and modernization. And they try to find a target in the new social order to meet their deficiencies. They can't go back to their hometowns and are faced with the double plight of setting new reference points for society. Therefore, Lee's displaced people and strangers make inevitable choices for survival. As displaced people, not natives, they are moving to get out of the chaos that cannot belong anywhere. They believe that the new order will be able to meet their intrinsic lack. Later, they made an identification with the South Korean order through the declaration of escape from hometown. In the process of entering into a new order, they become alienated, emptying their desires completely. in return, they can occupy specific positions and roles. But the social order upon which the subject depends is inherently cracked and incomplete. Here the subject recognizes the falsehood of the symbolic order through separation. They realize that the system they regarded as complete and rational comes from their fantasies. Here, This is where the different reactions of those who perceive the non-existence of The powerful big Other. Recognizing the imperfections and inconsistencies of the systems in which they are located, they ponder whether they should continue to live according to social order or move on to 'acts' that stop the operation of the social order. The characters represented as the 'cynical subject' are actively assimilated to the capitalist order. Even though they are aware of the lack of society, they make excuses for personal gain and stability. It also contributes to the maintenance of contradictory order. The cynical subject is prominent in the works set in the background of the city, and these are revealed through 'kwang-seok'. On the other hand, there is also an 'ethical subject' in Lee Ho-chul's work that does not promote his honor and power within social order. They do not hesitate to sacrifice the core of ontological consistency in order to fulfill their beliefs and obligations. They are not even afraid of death in the symbolic order and of losing all honor in society. They make no concessions or compromises in fulfilling their duties and carry out 'acts'. And they move independently of the order in which money and power are central. As such, Lee's work does not deal only with selfish petit bourgeois. In a rapidly changing society, characters in Lee's works also appear in distinct flow. Lee Ho-chul's displaced people and strangers, who are in a situation where they cannot return to their hometown regardless of their will, are clearly different from the displaced characters in other literary worlds. Therefore, Lee's characters, who live in different forms within the new symbolic order, can be reinterpreted as subjects through 'ethics'.