초록 열기/닫기 버튼
This essay aims to closely read and analyze Flannery O’Connor’s “Displaced Person” to find political, theological, and ontological understandings of refugees. As theoretical scaffoldings, the essay utilizes mostly Giorgio Agamben’s theories of ethico-ontology and refugees as whatever beings of coming community. In the novel, Mrs. McIntyre, a white female farm-owner, after recommended by a Catholic priest, hires Jewish Polish refugees because she has not been satisfied with other workers including the Shortleys. Mrs. McIntyre, a hypocrite hiding her prejudices, micromanages workers around her. Mr. Guizac, the Jewish Polish refugee, proves his capabilities in the maintenance of the farm; however, Mrs. McIntyre begins to regard Mr. Guizac as a monster and demonize him after she finds out that Mr. Guizac intrigues Sulk, a black worker, to emigrate his cousin prisoned in a concentration camp by promising him to get married to her. Peacock, a transfiguration of theologically displaced person, unfolds the theological status of white Southern people who are placed in limbo where profanation and consecration dialectically coexists. Mrs. Shortley’s vision of heap of bodies, described as a pandemonium, also reveals ontological meaning of community which refugees, dead or alive, create, disclosing the meaning of ontological refugees based on commonality of human conditions.
키워드열기/닫기 버튼
Flannery O’Connor, “The Displaced Person, ” Giorgio Agamben, Ontological Refugee, Theological Refugee
