초록 열기/닫기 버튼
Marilynne Robinson’s latest novel Jack deals with how Jack meets Della Miles and how they develop their love to be husband and wife. Even though the protagonist is Jack and the whole story is narrated by Jack and entirely from his point of view, it seems correct to claim that the real protagonist is Della. For it is Della whose firm attitude toward Jack and their affection, and action initiate the important events and develop them to unite Jack and Della as real husband and wife. Both Jack and Della cross the boundary of racial taboo and confirm their love, but their attitudes are quite different. Jack is described as indecisive and at some point he even thinks of terminating their relation due to racial issue. On the other hand, Della, who has maintained a very normal and happy life, hides in her mind an ever-burning anger caused by racism which does not include African Americans as part of America. Her anger, however, works in quite positive and beneficial ways to let her see persons in his or her pure form of soul, which in Robinson’s words is the mystery of human existence. By seeing Jack as a person who is beautiful in his own way, Della is able to reinforce her love of him despite the fierce opposition from her family and thus she is disowned by her father. Robinson calls their marriage as Jack’s “grandest larceny by far” and the “knowledge of good” at the very ending paragraph of the text. Robinson casts a very serious question about race that keeps appearing in Gilead trilogy and asks readers what society would find couples like Jack and Della happy and secure.
키워드열기/닫기 버튼
Jack, Della Miles, social taboo, interracial marriage, Marilynne Robinson, Jack, desire for changes
