美國小說에 投影된 「길잃은 世代」 = 'Lost Generation' reflected in the American Novels

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Moving toward the 20th century, the American society was fated to undergo many changes along with some changes already made after the Civil War. The Post-War industrialization urged by under the name of national reconstruction was a nation-wide concern. Until the end of the 19 century, American people enjoyed social and religious traditions, always trying to maintain gentility in the ways of life, but with industrialization, the imported thoughts and literary trends then prevailing over Europe American people, particularly the young people, speedily favored anti-traditions in society and schools.
During the second decade of the 20th century, there was a tendency among the young generation to behave upon their own egotism and seek freedom in their life. There had already been flapper girls astriding on the streets in their strange hair style, attire, and speech. In their parties crammed with young boys girls they enjoiyed drinking, singing, and dancing. Petting parties were getting popular among the young to the elders' dismay.
In 1917 many young Americans volunteered for service to join in the 1st World War in Europe. They fought a cruel war and experienced hardship and human tragedies; but, when they returned home, they found a completely different society where they couldn't dare to restore their old positions and ways of life. They become lost. In order to forget their nothingness some indulged in drinks and sex. Otheres left home and lived a Bohemian life wandering aimlessly about. Many young men among them who failed to get any consolation in the American society left their country and became expatriates. Gertrude Stein called them 'lost generation.'
In this paper the historical background of those young men belonging to 'lost generation,' is traced; and, by anylizing two short stories and two novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, the reality of the youth of 'lost generation' has been presented.
Four main characters representing 'lost generation' are interpreted to prove four types of restlessness, anxiety, and abadomnent in their life utterly unable to cope with the society they should find nests after the war. The society, in general, enjoys post-war prosperity after a short depression along with new fashion and more freedom, but these new social elements in turn generated alienness to the sensitive youth. The four types of youngmen revealed their attitudes to the rejecting society and lead a life aimlessly and at times hopelessly, but Hemingway particularly sought a prospective sound life to make worthy of the past wandering life. Fitzgerald's characters also reach final illumination to the true life to normalize theier troubled mental and physical being.
Another obvious presentation by these two major writers is their veiws on changing attitudes of young women. There could be seen no such decent, obedient, and tender women that people used to admire in the American society. They were the embodiment of fast changing attitudes of womenhood in early decades of the 20th century. They behaved as though they were free from traditions, customs, and past morality. They were more or less of 'lost generation,' too, because they were partners of the lost youngmen. With them and others a period of turmoil and transition was gradually to meet the great depression, and eventually the young men and women begin to restore the sound spirit to move back to normalcy of life.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• Ⅰ. 序 論
• Ⅱ. Jazz Age의 젊은이들
• Ⅲ. '길잃은 世代'의 젊은이들
• Ⅳ. 結 論