Book Recommandation - the wings

"Have you ever seen a stuffed genius?"

Author Introduction — Yi Sang

Yi Sang (1910-1937) was a modern Korean writer, poet, and architect. He is considered one of the most influential figures in modern Korean literature. While living in the Japanese colonial era in Korea, he

influenced themes of identity crisis, alienation, and psychological

anxiety. His style was experimental and often explored the

fragmented nature of modern life. Yi Sang’s works frequently focus on

modern isolation, psychological conflict, loss of identity, and

existential anxiety. The Wings is his most famous short story and

represents Korean literary modernism.

Introduction

The above short story, The Wings, explores psychological isolation, loss of identity, and modern alienation. The narrator lives a passive and controlled life, separated from society and dependent on his wife. Through surreal depictions and fragmented thoughts, he depicts a man trapped between reality and fantasy.

The opening immediately reveals the speaker's unique mental state. The speaker describes himself as separate from normal life and human relationships. He shows early signs of alienation, living in an enclosed space that is disconnected from society.

Plot Summary

The story tells the story of a speaker who spends most of his time inside a small room while his wife dominates his life. He rarely interacts with others and avoids social relationships. His daily activities include sunlight observation, playing with things, and thinking about abstract life.

The speaker's wife supports him financially, but her purse strings are still unclear. He suspects she'll meet other men, but he doesn't ask her directly. Instead, he keeps a passive and indifferent attitude.

Later, he learns that his wife is secretly giving him sleeping pills instead of pills, which keeps him sleepy. This leads to confusion and psychological shock. Eventually, he leaves home and walks around to reflect on his senseless existence.

At the end, he stands on the rooftop, symbolizing his desire to escape his trapped life and regain his freedom, imagining his wings growing.

Major Themes

1. Isolation and Alienation

The speaker lives completely separate from society. He prefers to avoid communication and be alone in a dark room. This reflects modern urban alienation and psychological isolation. This text clearly shows this when he emphasizes his social atrophy, saying he does not interact with anyone but his wife.

2. Loss of Identity

   
   

The speaker has no clear purpose or identity. He does not work, make decisions, or control his life. His dependence on his wife shows his lack of autonomy. His passive behaviour suggests that he loses his ego in modern society.

3. Control and Power

The wife controls the narrator physically and psychologically. The wife pays the narrator to manage the environment and even prescribe drugs. This leads to an imbalance in power and highlights the theme of domination.

4. Desire for Freedom (Symbol of Wings)

The 'wing' symbolizes hope, escape, and personal freedom. At the end of the story, the narrator's desire for flight is out of control and symbolizes his desire to rediscover the meaning of life.

“Wings, spread out again! Fly. Fly. Fly.” (Yi Sang 39)

• The wings symbolize hope, escape, and the desire for independence.

Comparison with Kafka: The Metamorphosis

Yi Sang’s The Wings is often compared with The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka because both works explore modern alienation and identity crisis.

Similarities

Alienation

- The Wings: The narrator isolates himself from society.

- Metamorphosis: Gregor becomes physically separated after transformation.

Loss of Identity

Yi Sang: psychological identity loss.

Kafka: physical transformation intoan insect.

Passive Protagonists

Both characters lack control over their lives.

Both accept suffering without resistance.

Differences

The Wings

Psychological transformation

Surreal inner narration

Focus on consciousness

Symbol: wings (freedom)

The Metamorphosis

Physical transformation

Realistic narrative style

Focus on social rejection

Symbol: insect (dehumanization)

Personal Reflection

This story is shocking but interesting because it shows that a person can lose control of their life without realizing it. The speaker's passive attitude makes the reader question the nature of freedom and identity.

The surreal style also reflects his unstable mental state. The story explores internal psychological conflicts rather than focusing on external events.

The ending suggests that even in the midst of extreme despair, humans still want freedom and self-realization.

Conclusion

The 'wing' above is a powerful exploration of modern anxiety, loss of identity, and psychological restraint. Through symbolic images and fragmentary narrations, it reveals the struggle between control and freedom.

The wings that the speaker imagines represent the universal human desire to rediscover a purpose beyond the limits.

The above <Wings> explores a speaker who lives an isolated life and relies entirely on his wife. He avoids society, loses his sense of identity, and struggles to comprehend reality. The story ends with his desperate desire to grow wings, which symbolize freedom, self-realization, and escape.

References

Yi Sang. "The Wings." Translated by Ahn Jung-hyo and James B. Lee,

The Portable Library of Korean Literature, Jimoondang Publishing Company, 2001.

Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Translated by Stanley Corngold,

Bantam Classics, 1972.