『학생처장의 12월』에 나타난 자아의 완성

Abstract

This paper discusse show Saul Bellow presents the modern man trying to establish his unique self in the world through The Dean's December. Bellow is always interested in how human life could be defined and justified in the modern twentieth century society. Accepting the nihilistic existentialism literature,the twentieth century modernist writers tended to be pessimistic about life and human value. But Bellow, with a firm confidence in human essential values, thinks that man and his life have been damaged much but have yet possibility for recovery. His heroes, in his works, have quested for human value and true identity. They are always confronted with ubiquitous threats such as betrayal contempt, misunderstanding, and death. Bellow, however, through his novels, intends to present a hope to man who is emasculated by a great dehumanizing pressure of modern society, and emphasize that the redemption of human life is possible by the discovery of each man's latent human values. The Dean's December consists of the events of Albert Corde's few weeks in Chicago, the typical symbol of contemporary American materialism, as a city dump contaminated with social evils from the people there. Smart Albert as a journalist plays acrucial role for the accusation against society and the realistic participation by means of active, rational, and scientific analyses and actions. But while he is staying in Bucharest visiting his dying mother-in-law, Valeria, Albert finds out that the elderly people have the traditional, disappearing concepts of good and classical virtues such as generosity. They have these values even though they are under the regime of the Iron Curtain. They passively accept social affliction under Communist tyranny. Finally, Albert realizes that people can love each other only after throwing away selfishness and forgiving their faults,and they can transcend even death with a spiritual communion in the real physical world. All characters suffer from trial, hardships, frustration, and soon in the course of ventures, wandering, and various events. Then they face up to and overcome those negative elements. In the long run, they become aware of the real meanings and nature intricate inside the problems and can realize the human image to purse their change and development. Bellow claims thatan individual has to participate in his community and also take social, moral duty and responsibility as amember. It is Bellow's literary viewpoint that human beings must practice fraternity and humanitarianism and then individual and society's redemption can be embodiedby reinforcing human relation. Bellow's belief that there is positive value in human life doesn't mean the affirmation of a person and an established community, but it is the acceptance of a possibility that humanity and reality can be changed, improved,anddeveloped.