오키나와 공동체의 역사 인식과 문학적 재현-大城貞俊 소설 ｢六月二十三日 アイエナー沖繩｣를 중심으로-

Abstract

This paper examines the historical recognition of the Okinawa community and its literary representation through Oshiro Sadatoshi’s sequel novel Aiena Okinawa on June 23rd [六月二十三日 アイエナー沖繩] (2018). The contents discussed are summarized as follows.BR First, in this novel, 70 years of Okinawa history from 1945 to 2015 were routinely checked over a period of 10 years. In the eight stories, four men and four women first-person focusers testify to the modern history of Okinawa’s hardship at the right place, and it can be said that the work has achieved results by carefully combining real and fictional events.BR Second, in this novel, the form of serialization is used to the full. Repeatedly reenacting the hardships of the Battle of Okinawa such as the sacrifice of the teenage local defense personnel, mass suicide, and the dissolution of families, in addition to the extreme difficulties in modern history including the U.S. military’s land exploitation and indiscriminate sexual violence experienced by the Okinawa community has had the effect of emphasizing the issues.BR Third, this novel concretely showed the aspect of critical awareness of the violence, confirming that the miserable reality of Okinawa originated from the greed of the two great empires of Japan and the United States. Based on such critical perceptions, the artist portrayed not only the ongoing struggles of Okinawa, but also the frustration and settling for reality.BR Fourth, the novel highlights the love for peace by the Okinawa community, while introducing the Age of Discovery during the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It is a work that meaningfully embodies the desire for independence for a truly peaceful world, dreaming of extreme actions such as terrorism or praying for the world of Buddha to overcome the reality of no exit.