Narcissism in the modern society is appeared to be problems of selfishness, ignorance of others and instant satisfaction from specialized society and a nuclear family. These problems are caused by a sense of alienation in a society that signifies a me...
Narcissism in the modern society is appeared to be problems of selfishness, ignorance of others and instant satisfaction from specialized society and a nuclear family. These problems are caused by a sense of alienation in a society that signifies a merit system and materialism. Therefore, psychologists characterize the modern society as a group of Narcissistic injured people.
The most important thing is that the most Narcissistic injured people suffer from not experiencing a healthy Narcissism during their youth. In other words, the scholars who study pathology insist that the Narcissism in the youth influences heavily on one's life. The well developed Narcissism forms a desirable society.
However, not only adults but also children are influenced by the structural problems of industrial society. For example, the modern society is structured by a nuclear family that are mostly dual income family and decreases childbirth. This makes even harder for children to communicate with people. And the family and school demand children's exceeding capability. Thus, children lose their balance of Narcissism because they pursue their self image that is created by other people. Moreover, the children get an wound from poverty, broken family and opened sexual culture. When we consider them as a large part of readers of children books, the understanding of Narcissism is essential.
At this point, in this book, I would like to explore healthy and diseased aspects of characters' Narcissism that are appeared in the Korean fairy tales. There are two research methods: looking at different tales by finding meaning of characters and space and analyzing Narcissism's development by descriptive narrates. We can conjecture how one act depends on the development of self respect. Moreover, we can understand children's Narcissism through the development of characters' Narcissism. Therefore, it is significant research to help a new pattern of creative theories.
This research texts separated two aspects of the Narcissism. The healthy aspects of Narcissism is shown in the following texts: Gwon, Jung seng.『GangaJiddong』(1969. Christian education), Lee, Won su.『Haebaragi』(1950.Mobumseng) and Cho, sung ja.『Weidongwangja』(2000. Dusan dongah). On the other hand, the diseased Narcissism is shown in the following texts: Ma, Hae song.『Bawinari & Agibyul』(1923. Sat Byul), Jung, chae bong.『Ohseam』(1986. Chang Jak & Bipyungsa). These texts are chosen by how each of the characters show self respects in the text; it begins with the first creative fairy tale『Bawinari & Agibyul』.
The aspects of Narcissism is classified by the importance of relationship between the development of self respect and environmental elements. The healthy Narcissism occurs when one pursues oneself's self respect. At this time, self respect is appeared to be many different forms. For instance, there are desire of self idealization, being valuable, getting other people's strength and showing abilities. These desires is to achieve their self respect. The standard of achieving self respect is not considering other's view. They achieve fruits of their life through their self respect.
In the『GangaJiddong』, Gwon explores the change of place from an alley to underground → dandelion(air). The changes in Gagnahjiddong depends one's emotions. It changes as following: place of despair → place of desire → place of hope → place of pain → place of coexistence. Therefore, the relationship between Gangahjiddong and placement show the coexistence and balance.
Narcissism in『GangaJiddong』 developes as following: satisfaction of self respect → being lost → pursuit → preservation → sublimation. The sublimation of Gangahjiddong is to show that every existence in the universe is useful. Accordingly, the development of『GangaJiddong』 should be the root of healthy Narcissism in which people respect each other to achieve desirable society.
In the『Haebaragi』, Lee portrays an orphant's life through sunflower's adjustment to the nature circulation. He forms the story by the change of four seasons. However, when we classify the places by the emotion of the sunflower, there are 1) garden of sprouts (marginalization) → 2)garden of bloomed flowers (despair) → 3) garden with the sun (hope) → 4) garden of beared seed flower (maturity) → 5) the Kitchen of JungAh(sublimation). Thus, by depicting how the sunflower overcomes harsh situations, it shows that the one's happiness is not depending on one's situation but self reliance. Moreover, the development of the sunflower's self respect is as following: lack of self respect → despair → pursuit → preservation → sublimation. As competing society, Lee shows how one achieves her self respect by relying on absolute God and showing love of others. Therefore,『Haebaragi』shows the aspect of opened Narcissism through the sublimation of one's religious faith into love of others.
In the『Weidongwangja』, Cho describes the psychological development of 'dependent children' in which they get problems from decreased childbirth rate. First, when we consider Jung Gyu's emotional changes, he develops his feelings by the different places: 1) the place of Jung Gyu & Jung Gyu's mom → 2)the place of Jung Gyu & Gun Mo → 3) Jung Gye & Gun Mo, School → 4) School.
When we analyze these places as the development of Jung Gyu's self respect the places imply as following: 1) the place of prince → 2) the place of friendship → 3) the place of peace. Hence, Jung Gyu who is high in his self loving develops excessive self loving → despair → pursuit → preserve → ambition. Therefore, in『Weidongwangja』, Cho shows how a dependent child who always depends on his parents develops to the independent child. As place changes from home to school, Cho shows how a child learn to respect others. Thus, the healthy Narcissism helps one to be stable and it makes good relationship where they feel joy and fruits, get active motivation and self respect.
There are certain characteristics of healthy Narcissism. For instance, one can achieve self lovingness from the help of healthy Narcissism. Moreover, one pursues love that is not considered by other's point of view. When they do not consider other's view they can satisfy their self lovingness.
Throughout this development, one can overcome his weakness and change himself better than before. Therefore development of the healthy Narcissism is a rite of passage to be recognized by others as an youth needs to have a rite of passage to be an adult.
The diseased Narcissism means a state of losing mind when one feels emotional burden from her environment and people. It is often influenced by environmental elements. It disturbs loving oneself because of its inability to overcome the difficult situations.
In the『Bawinari & Agibyul』which is the first creative and fantasy fairy tale, Ma illustrates his hopeless love. In the analysis of Bawinari's emotional spaces, there are 1) beach (no assistant place) → 2) the land of the stars (disturbers' place) → 3) Bawinari, baby star (loving place) → 4) King of the star land (disturbers' place) → 5) Bawinari, baby star (eternal place). Ma illustrated eternal love. The self loving of Bawinari is shown as following: exaggeration of oneself → loses → pursuit → frustration → death. In other words, Bawinari could not overcome his harsh environment and it lead his death at the end of the story. Thus, while『Bawinari & Agibyul』describes eternal love, Bawinari can not pursue the self loving and finally choose the death: It shows the irony.
In the『Ohseam』, Jung illustrates that the most significant thing for human is mother's love by showing Gilsonyi who lacks mother's love. Especially, he symblizes children's innocent heart as pure view of mind. The main character, Gilsonyi's change of place is very realistic as following: port → main temple → Buddhist hermitage → sky. As he moves to the different places, he finally gets to the death. When we consider the places by Gilson's emotional change there are closed space (port, main temple, Buddhist hermitage) and opened space (back room and the sky). The back room is where the Buddhist Goddess of mercy picture and mother is. And the sky is the bridge to meet his mother through death. Gilson lacks his self lovingness from the absence of their parents. His emotional changes are as following: lacking of self loving→ loss → pursue → frustration → regression. This changes show the diseased Narcissism. Therefore,『Ohseam』metaphors that the children's pure heart is the way to save our generation.
When we consider the changes of each character's Narcissism it is the human nature to preserve oneself and it can be changed by environmental elements. Particularly, the Narcissism during childhood can be highly influenced by parents' responses. In other words, the absence and ignorance of parents and lack of love might lead the diseased Narcissism. On the other hand, the impressive love of parents and sympathy can lead one to have the healthy Narcissism. Moreover, the modern Korean fairy tale should be deeply understood and create a new method rather than the research of Narcissism's aspects. However, because healthy Narcissism can give one a sense of stability and discovery of self consciousness, it is also significant to deeply study Narcissism. Especially, not like healthy Narcissism stories, diseased Narcissism stories are very rare. Therefore, this research should be foundation to create the literary work dealing with diseased Narcissism in order to resolve children's psychological agony and write stories of them.