The purpose of this study is to identify the process of the formation of narrative identity through the analysis of the fictional autobiographic narrative writing patterns of adolescent North Korean defectors and aim to prepare the contents for fictio...
The purpose of this study is to identify the process of the formation of narrative identity through the analysis of the fictional autobiographic narrative writing patterns of adolescent North Korean defectors and aim to prepare the contents for fictional autobiographic narrative writing curriculum for them based on the identification. Although adolescent North Korean defectors are in the process of having to form their identity in adolescence, the reality is that they are forced to delay the formation of identity, which is an important task in adolescence, as their adjustment to the South Korean society is treated as a more urgent topic than formation of identity.
However, Erikson, who views human life from developmental perspectives, regards the formation of the identity in adolescence as an important task. This is because physical and psychological factors cause their identity confusion in this special situation of adolescence. In this article, we analyze the fictional autobiographic narrative of adolescent North Korean defectors based on Ricoeur's argument on narrative identity and aim to examine the formation of the narrative identity through the analysis.
In chapter Ⅱ, I have developed a theoretical study on the identity confusion of the fictional autobiographic narrative, the narrative identity and the characteristics of the identify confusion of adolescent North Korean defectors for an overall discussion of this study. Fictional autobiographic narrative is a similar concept to autobiographical novels, but it is a concept that has extended categories compared to fiction and in this article, it is deemed to include formats such as novels, essays, letters, etc. Such fictional autobiographic narratives can objectively see through by keeping a distance to experiences due to the fact that they create narratives based on their own experiences, and furthermore, can progress to the process of reconstructing past experiences and reflecting on life.
With regard to narrative identity, I attempt to view Ricoeur's discussion as the main theoretical argument. The narrative identity Ricoeur argues is a 'story-like identity'. Ricoeur views that talking about the identity of an individual or a community as answering to questions ‘who committed such an action? Who is the subject and person directly involved in the action?’ and here, the answer, he believes, ‘has to be descriptive.’ In other words, a told story tells the action of somebody, and thus the identity of 'who' is a 'narrative identity'.
The characteristics of the identity confusion of adolescent North Korean defectors are variously discussed by scholars. In this study, we first examine the identity confusion related to ‘no nationality’ and ‘involuntary exile from North Korea’ experienced in the process of defecting from North Korea, and finally the identity confusion caused by 'academic gap'. If we look closer, before leaving North Korea, the state was a shield given to North Korean defectors as the 'Father.' However, having 'no nationality' that the adolescent North Korean defectors experience in China and the subsequent problems caused by it come to them as anxiety and fear. Next, the identity confusion due to involuntary exile may be a problem in itself, but the family disorganization they would experience in third countries is also causing serious problems. Finally, the identity confusion due to academic gap can lead to many problems for learners in their adolescence. As this may lead to various problems such as maladjustment in school, separation from peer groups, and maladjustment in the South Korean society and therefore, identity confusion due to academic gap will become an important issue for adolescent North Korean defectors.
Based on these discussions, chapter Ⅲ analyzes the fictional autobiographic narrative of adolescent North Korean defectors. The fictional autobiographic narratives of adolescent North Korean defectors are largely classified into 6 types and there were the narratives of longing for and sorriness towards their families and friends left in North Korea, as well as recognizing the impossibility of returning to their hometowns. Secondly, we could see the narratives of having efforts to bring up the memories they avoided and heal the pain through the descriptive distance between the subject of experience and the narrative subject as well as the narratives that try to understand and recognize the subject of the experience. Finally, we could see the narratives of recovering the missing narrative as well as reflecting the narrative subject.
In Chapter Ⅳ, based on the analysis made in chapter Ⅲ, I have prepared educational contents regarding the fictional autobiographic narrative writing for adolescent North Korean defectors. Adolescent North Korean defectors have difficulties in telling their experiences to others. At this time, 'fictionalization' of their own experiences in the process of fictional autobiographic narrative writing may be used as a good device to unravel their experiences. Through experiences in fictional biographical narratives, I expect that they will be able to recover from various scars they have experienced in the process of defecting.