여성 가족사 소설에 나타난 낙인과 환대의 의미－최은영의 밝은 밤을 중심으로－

초록

This article analyzes the meaning of women's social identity formed through the vertical and horizontal relationships of the female characters in Choi Eun-young's “Bright Night”, a novel about women's family history . Vertical relationships are examined by focusing on the differentiated stigmas of each generation, the corresponding patterns, and the processes of conflict and reconciliation that emerge between generations. Horizontal relationships, on the other hand, focus on the hospitality and friendship of same-sex partners that dignify the female subjects of each generation. Among the long novels published by female authors in the 2020s, “Bright Night” exemplifies the literary characteristics of matriarchal family narratives. In this work, which continues the lineage of women's family history novels, the stigmas borne by each generation are expressed differently, reflecting the social context. The first generation's status as a butcher, the second as a victim of bigamy, the third as an illegitimate child , and the fourth as a divorced woman influence each generation, revealing that the intensity of the stigma and the way in which each responds to it differ depending on the historical and temporal context. Unable to resolve the discord arising from the mother - daughter relationship, the stigmatized female subjects of each generation endure the depth of their grief alone, living isolated lives. All four generations, despite the passage of time, remain trapped in a shared existence, excluded or disrespected by a patriarchal, male-centered culture. This is the phenomenon of the vertical matriarchal family that forms the framework of this work. Examining their lives from a horizontal perspective , we see that it was same-sex hospitality and friendship that gave them the strength to survive at a time when their individual identities were fractured by stigma and intergenerational discord. Unconditional hospitality plays a crucial role in shaping ethical relationships with others and the ethics of the community. It led each generation of women to break free from the stigmatized lives or silence and to acquire a social identity with the right to participate in society. Unconditional hospitality and friendship can be found in the relationships between Samcheoni and Saebi (generation 1), Yeong-ok and Grandma Myeong-suk (generation 2), Mi-seon and Unnie Myeong-hee (generation 3), and Ji-yeon and Grandma Yeong-ok (generation 4). Furthermore, hospitality expands its scope and is embodied in the form of an ideal caregiving community. “Bright Night” shows how the isolated lives of women, positioned low in the historical currents of grand discourse, can live as members of society, that is, with the right to participate.

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