This study examines post-coloniality in the Japanese colonial era with regard to the ‘restoration and degeneration of the tradition’, ‘dynamics of people’s lives’ and ‘recovery of ethnic identity’ through analysis of 『Honbul』 by Choi Myeong-hee.
The literary achievements of Choi Myeong-hee require in-depth review and analysis of aspects reflected in 『Honbul』. This study reviews the literary character of 『Honbul』 based on the theory of post-colonialism by Frantz Fanon, Steven Slemon, and Bart Moore-Gilbert. To this end, it applies contrapuntal reading, that is, corrective reading and rereading, to the lifestyles and character types of Koreans in the Japanese colonial era in the setting of 『Honbul』.
In representing the theme of 『Honbul』, this study is grounded in the ‘restoration and degeneration of tradition’. ‘dynamics of people''s lives’ and ‘recovery of ethnic identity’. In the novel, the narrative structure is formed by connecting villages of aristocrats in the Maean Village, the lower class in Geomeonggul, and the common people in Goribaemi. In 『Honbul』, the lives and experiences of the characters play a significant role in shaping the novel. This is classified into three aspects.
First, in interpreting the theme, 『Honbul』 includes an overwhelming amount of information on ‘restoration of tradition’. With this as the superordinate category, this study forms more detailed subordinate categories such as ‘Maean’ as the space to design traditions, ‘exploration of the cultural identity of Maean’ and ‘diminishing of the classical scholar''s spirit and patriarchy’.
Second, 『Honbul』 considers the lifestyles of the lower class in Geomeonggul, and thus information about the ‘dynamics of people''s lives’ take up a great portion of the book. This shows the subaltern life focused on tenant farming on farmland given by aristocrats in Maean Village. It depicts the resistant lifestyle of the ‘gifted’ or in other words, ‘those who can speak’ against oppression until they can actually ‘speak’.
Third, the ‘restoration and degeneration of tradition’ and ‘dynamics of people''s lives’ in 『Honbul』 are macroscopically associated with the ‘recovery of ethnic identity’. This is represented by a femininity strategy as the cultural subjects of characters in association with the communal sentiment of ‘Han’ and the ambivalent desires of the people in Goribaemi. This shows post-colonial writing through the perspective of anti-colonial ideology with descriptions of the dynamic life aspects of the people in 『Honbul』, which is set as the base of the colony in the process of securing the status of those who are ‘have-nots’ but ‘who can speak’.
Choi Myeong-hee''s 『Honbul』 is set in the Japanese colonial era and is thus closely associated with the recovery of ethnic identity based on restoration and degeneration of tradition and dynamics of people''s lives, these aspects steep 『Honbul』 in post-colonialism.