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영어

As a narrative of suffering and healing, Linda Hogan’s People of the Whale shows us the author’s political-spiritual agenda for a terrestrial community. As a woman warrior Ruth takes an active role for a terrestrial community, following the whale map that implies the realization of the middle place among races, human beings and other living things. With sharp foresight she can recognize the commercial nature of whaling undertaken by the tribal council men with the slogan of revitalizing their traditions. Consequently she has strongly resisted the whaling in order to regain the true traditional intimate relationship with whales. On the other hand, her husband Thomas has gone through trial-and-errors for his recognition. First as an American soldier in the Vietnam War, Thomas was able to recognize the Americans’ cruel victimization of the Vietnamese under the slogan of American ideology. In order to overcome his complete sense of loss and failure, he has to indulge in a journey to find his true identity. As one of the ways-out he participates in his tribe’s whaling expedition. However, he also realizes that whaling is just as violent as the Vietnam War. His journey can be realized after his death. As a reborn and more mature person, Thomas is able to follow the directions of the whale map and takes a lead in realizing traditional ways of life. The author suggests the true way of healing by the efforts of these two main characters. They can realize a genuine terrestrial community that maintains harmonious and equal relationships among peoples, and with other living things.