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Noncountry and Adventure of Crossing-border - Popular novels in 1930s and young cosmopolitan -
Journal of Popular Narrative
2010, (24),
pp.7-43
DOI :10.18856/jpn.2010..24.001
Publisher : The Association of Popular Narrative
Research Area : Interdisciplinary Research
DOI :10.18856/jpn.2010..24.001
Publisher : The Association of Popular Narrative
Research Area : Interdisciplinary Research
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This paper intends to consider the aspects of youth and features of narratives in 1930s popular long length novels. The predominant characters of early 1930s popular novels came from models of 1920s youth, especially male socialists and female students majored vocal music. Speech and vocal solo revealed immediate pathos and touched other youth's sympathy. The voice of them was pure, transparent and noble. During 1930s, the voice of youth has been degraded and secularized. Speech of male socialists has been deteriorated into pessimistic behind stories. Female vocalists have become popular singer for recording, actress, concubine of sponsor and leisured woman so-called ‘modern madam’. In late 1930s popular novels, only a main male character achieves his success and abilities. Dejected socialistic intellectual and female students become ‘vanishing mediator’ for the success of hero. These novels have some geopolitical directions. Crossing border makes beginning or ending of the narratives. In early 1930s, the narrative is oriented toward ‘north’. At the north there was China and Soviet Russia. Some cities of China served as foreign base for resistance movement against imperial Japan. Russia meaned ideological utopia for young socialists. Besides some cosmopolitan cities such as Shanghai, Harbin are envisioned as hotbeds of high concept art and revolutionary passion. Young people crossed the border for their freedom for ideology, autonomy and emancipation of sexual repression. Some late 1930s popular novels have the theme like ‘returning of successful male modernist’. On the other hand other young modernists have to fail, soil their bodies and get the moral punishment. In the late 1930s, the ending of some novels is oriented toward ‘south’, that is, imperial Japan. Only the successful male modernist could return to colonial Chosun. He is no more young. He already becomes middle-aged imperial subject obtained authority from Japan.
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