Abstract

This study is to make an alternative for a rational methodology of character clarifying the reason that there is no such one. To do so, I developed a methodology by newly establishing the concepts of character, characteristic, trait, or characteristic element and tested its validity by analyzing the novel Mooyoungtop(無影塔) by Hyun, Jin-geun. Character is the traits as whole. Trait, the property or nature of character in the structure of work, is the very basic unit of character analysis. The medium providing traits, namely relevant narration, factor or material involved in it is characteristic element. When traits come together and are synthesized, they constitute characteristic, a complex of interest, desire or morals, and this characteristic is understood mainly in internal, social, and functional aspects. Mooyoungtop uses many techniques which show a character's traits through scenes, however also takes on a contradictory aspect by the fact that the narrator exhibits the sovereign attitude based on a good-or-evil dichotomy. Therefore the traits of a character are superficial and fixed, and characteristic elements fail to possess or form a variety of traits. This has a very close connection with the work's lack of structural unity. Since the suggestion of internal traits of characters is poor and the social traits are not motivated well enough to the development of actions and events, the causal development of events integrated with the emotional and ideological conflict does not happen.