『원어민』과 『식료품점』에 나타난 모범 소수민족 신화와 한흑갈등 (‘Model Minority’ Myth and Korean-Black Conflict in Native Speaker and The Fruit'N Food)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 동국대학교 영어권문화연구소
· 수록지 정보 : 영어권문화연구 / 15권 / 2호 / 257 ~ 289페이지
· 저자명 : 최하영

초록

This paper analyzes how Chang-rae Lee's Native Speaker and Leonard Chang's Fruit'N Food represent Boycotts of Korean Grocery Store in New York, assuming the writings of these two works were prompted by the experience of having observed 1992 LA riots. It explores similarities and differences between the two works, and elucidates how they contribute to understanding of the Korean-Black conflict.
First of all, both of the works attempt to deconstruct the myth of ‘Model Minority’ as a deceptive and misleading rhetoric, which consolidates established White dominance. In Native Speaker, Henry Park, the protagonist, is presented as a typical example of ‘Model Minority,’ but soon the text betrays a shabby inside of the sleek myth. The Fruit'n Food also deconstructs the myth by means of presenting Tom, the protagonist, who does not fit in the ‘model minority’ in any way. He works at a Korean grocery store below minimum wage, with no family, no social network, no solid career, and no ambition for future success. Each of the text resists stereotyping of Asian Americans by revealing its protagonist's individuality.
These two works share in common that they are interested in having Korean merchants' voices heard, which have been silenced in mainstream media's coverage of the boycott, and, at the same time, delivering black people's various positions without reducing them to a unitary demonstration machine. These two works diverge in the endings, where Henry seems to reconcile with his Asian American identity while Tom regresses to the state of coma, abandoning his will to survive. The two works, written in the 1990s, provide an insight to understand nowadays prevalent Asian Hate from the perspective of Asian Americans.

영어초록

This paper analyzes how Chang-rae Lee's Native Speaker and Leonard Chang's Fruit'N Food represent Boycotts of Korean Grocery Store in New York, assuming the writings of these two works were prompted by the experience of having observed 1992 LA riots. It explores similarities and differences between the two works, and elucidates how they contribute to understanding of the Korean-Black conflict.
First of all, both of the works attempt to deconstruct the myth of ‘Model Minority’ as a deceptive and misleading rhetoric, which consolidates established White dominance. In Native Speaker, Henry Park, the protagonist, is presented as a typical example of ‘Model Minority,’ but soon the text betrays a shabby inside of the sleek myth. The Fruit'n Food also deconstructs the myth by means of presenting Tom, the protagonist, who does not fit in the ‘model minority’ in any way. He works at a Korean grocery store below minimum wage, with no family, no social network, no solid career, and no ambition for future success. Each of the text resists stereotyping of Asian Americans by revealing its protagonist's individuality.
These two works share in common that they are interested in having Korean merchants' voices heard, which have been silenced in mainstream media's coverage of the boycott, and, at the same time, delivering black people's various positions without reducing them to a unitary demonstration machine. These two works diverge in the endings, where Henry seems to reconcile with his Asian American identity while Tom regresses to the state of coma, abandoning his will to survive. The two works, written in the 1990s, provide an insight to understand nowadays prevalent Asian Hate from the perspective of Asian Americans.

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