A Study of Mikhail Park’s Novel “Ants City” ― Focus on the Subject Consciousness

Abstract

This article has its purpose in examining the narrative technique of the novel “Ants City” by CIS Korean writer Mikhail Park and explains its technical characteristics and implications, and in explaining the thematic consciousness intended to be presented by the author. “Ants City” is a fable novel that narrates on how a ‘human’ in human world met an ‘ant’ which evolved into anthropomorphous shape by chance and how he entered the ant’s world. In this work, the author depicts lives of ants which are suppressed by oppressive powers in a controlled society, and the contradictory and irrational social system that supports the ant society from a critical perspective. From these, he presents questions and reflection on the underlying image of human and the values that humans should aim for. “Ants City” has a unique form and a different theme compared to other novels written by the author. The novel is unlike the other novels that repeatedly exposes the problem of identity in his previous novels, the novel covers the inborn problems of human beings through the allegory technique, which is closely related to the situation of the times. Mikhail Park created this work after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Contrary to expectations, Russian society at that time was full of divisions and confusion. There was a chaotic situation where no one knew what kind of society would come. In the context of this social situation, Mikhail Park devises what he must pursue in order to live a ‘better life’ and a ‘human life’ and puts it in the “Ants City” as an allegory technique. In this work, Mikhail Park critically reflects on the past history of the Soviet Union and the chaos present after it’s dissolution. Mikhail Park conveys the message that regaining human nature is one way to overcome the reality of chaos that cannot be predicted.