1970년대 김주영 대중소설의 ‘남성성’ 구현양상과 의미

Abstract

This paper examines the complexion and significance of ‘masculinity’ in Kim Joo-young's popular novels. Masculinity is concept defined by society and its relationship to femininity. Men depicted in popular novels often admire ‘the ideal man’, and it is common to produce 'hegemonic masculinity' that dominates power, authority, and economic abundance. However, often, men in Kim Joo-young's novels are alienated or despised by society, such as rogues or gangsters. They roam the city, disregarding the status quo and authority, ignoring customs and order, and destroying the ideal male image. The masculinity these characters represent has a certain ‘libertine existence’ and an overly intentional violent personality, or it has antisocial characteristics that hate ‘daring women’ and objectify women. Men with such forced masculinity contribute to exposing the disruptiveness of capitalist society and create an ironic effect. Kim criticizes the oppressed ruling order by implementing them, but there is a limit to revealing ambivalence that admires ‘hegemonic masculinity’. Nevertheless, the masculinity depicted in Kim Joo-young's is meaningful in that it caused cracks in the solid patriarchal social order and produced critical discourse.