한국소설에 나타난 이주노동자의 재현 양상

Abstract

This study is to analyze how ‘others over the border’ are depicted in Korea novels in the ear of world-wide trend of Globalization. In order to achieve the given objective, the author attempted to examine the patterns of representation of migrant workers in Korean novels in which migrant workers from foreign countries appeared. It was the author's primary concern to learn the perceived images of migrant workers by Korean novel as well as ideological effects arising from such images. The reason, which caused the author to pay extra attention to this subject, is because the perceived images of migrant workers created through representation of Korean literature are not only prejudiced or biased but also recognized by general public as if they were true. The results of the study drew conclusions as follows: First, the extreme case of dichotomy of ‘The Subject vs. The Other’ is still strongly reinforced. Second, the migrant workers have been perceived as those who are in need of constant protection like little children on the wild-life field, however, this perception was created entirely to accommodate the subjects' convenience. Third, although it is quite rare, some of migrant workers are perceived as horrifying threats to the subjects. These perception of migrant workers are being discussed here, of course, to address the on-going prejudice against them that plagues Korean general public. However, it should be warned that an effort to dissolve these perceptions by overzealous group of intellectual people with moral obligations might backfire to solidify such stereotypes against migrant workers.