강의실에서 오고간 미국 남성성 이야기: 『파이트 클럽』 ,『아메리칸 싸이코』

• 영문명: A Study of Masculinity in America in an Undergraduate English Class : Fight Club and American Psycho
• 발행기관: 한국영미문학교육학회
• 저자명: 노헌균(Heongyun Rho)
• 간행물 정보: 『영미문학교육』영미문학교육 제10집 2호, 87~105쪽, 전체 19쪽
• 주제분류: 어문학 > 영어와문학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2006.12.01

영문 초록

  This thesis deals with American masculinity in Chuck Palahniuk"s Fight Club and Bret Easton Ellis"s American Psycho discussed in an undergraduate "British/American Literature and Film" class. In order to pique the students" curiosity about the topic, they were asked at the beginning of the class to answer such questions about gender issues as "What is masculinity?" "What is feminity?" "Are feminity and masculinity totally opposite?" and "What is American masculinity, and is it different from Korean masculinity?" Once stimulated about the concept of masculinity, the students were ready to ravel the many versions of masculinity in America from her cultural and social aspects. I introduced to the students Michael Kimmel"s Manhood in America and Christopher Lasch"s The Culture of Narcissism in order to limit their class discussion within Kimmel"s social definition of American manhood and Lasch"s cultural approach to American contemporary narcissism.
  Most class discussions were focused on the gender analysis of protagonists in the two novels: a feminine narrator who remains anonymous to the end and masculine Tyler Durden of Fight Club, and narcissistic Patrick Bateman of American Psycho. Among the many words defining American masculinity, we chose a small group of keywords including "bulge" (in one"s pockets and muscles), "bread winner," and "self-made man" in evaluating the masculinity of the three figures. Each of them represents various aspects of masculinity: unsatisfactory masculinity, anxious masculinity, angry masculinity, violent masculinity, feminized masculinity, and emasculated masculinity. They are commonly under the crisis of masculinity. They are culturally and socially forced to act out new versions of masculinity totally different from its counterpart in the past. They, however, are reluctant to or refuse to accept this cultural milieu, which makes them resistant and violent physically as well as psychologically. As an alternative solution to this polemic masculinity in America, students suggested building a new understanding of masculinity called "democratic manhood" by Kimmel.

키워드

파이트 클럽 아메리칸 싸이코 남성성 미국 남성성 폭력 상업성 문화 프로젝트 메이헴 자수성가형 남성 근육 Fight Club American Psycho masculinity masculinity in America violence commercialism Project Mayhem self-made man muscle