■■문학은 자신만의 생각의 모험(thought-adventure)을 공유하는 도구이다

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문학은 자신만의 생각의 모험(thought-adventure)을 건축하는 도구이다
Literature is a tool for remodeling one's own thought-adventure



문학은 자신만의 “생각(사유)의 모험"을 스트럭쳐링하는 도구이다
Literature is a tool to restructure one's own "thought adventure."


‘생각의 모험’(thought-adventure)이라는 말은 백낙청 교수가 자주 인용하는 로런스의 산문 「책」(Books)에도 나오는 것인데, 로런스에게 책이란 머리 굴리는 재미나 찾는 유아적 정신의 장난감이 아니라 새로운 ‘느낌’(feeling)을 의식의 차원으로 불러와 발화하는 ‘사유의 모험’의 장이다.


D.H. Lawrence's "thought-adventure" refers to his idea that the novel should be a journey of intellectual and spiritual exploration, moving beyond mere social commentary to delve into the deeper, often instinctual, aspects of human experience, particularly exploring the relationship between the conscious mind and the "blood consciousness," with his 1923 novel Kangaroo being a prime example he labeled as such. It signifies his attempt to create a new kind of fiction that grapples with the complexities of modern life, challenging readers to confront the "quick and the dead" within themselves and society, integrating thought with feeling and the physical world.



Key Aspects of Lawrence's "Thought-Adventure":

Kangaroo as the Prototype: Lawrence explicitly called Kangaroo, set in Australia, a "thought-adventure," a novel meant to explore new criteria for fiction and the possibilities of a new society.


Beyond the Social Novel: He criticized contemporary novels for focusing too much on the "social being" and neglecting the "physical feeling for life" and the deeper, instinctual self, which he sought to reclaim in his work.
Man as a "Thought-Adventurer": Lawrence believed humans are inherently "thought-adventurers," destined to move through life using both instinct and intellect, a journey his novels aimed to capture.


Integration of Mind and Body: The concept involves exploring the interplay between the conscious mind (thought) and the primal, unconscious self (instinct, blood), a core theme in his work.


A New Kind of Novel: He envisioned a "novel of the future" that could be a dynamic exploration of ideas and feelings, rather than a static narrative, a path he followed in works like Kangaroo and Women in Love.


In essence, a D.H. Lawrence "thought-adventure" is a literary quest to understand the essential nature of man, exploring the tension between intellect and instinct, individual consciousness and collective society, through deeply felt, exploratory narratives.





D. H. Lawrence’s Vision of the Novel and Sons and Lovers

This paper concerns D. H. Lawrence’s idea of the novel manifested mostly in his Phoenix and Phoenix II and how such a novelistic vision is exemplified in his Sons and Lovers. As well known, the greatness of Lawrence’s literature has to do with, among other things, his literary pride in the “sacred” function of the novel and the novelist as distinguished from other art forms or other sciences or even religion. For Lawrence, it is only literature, especially, the genre of the novel that makes humans see beneath themselves and the materialistic universe, and that eventually makes human life worth living through inner revolution. To serve this purpose, Lawrence argues, the novel should have, for example, such three elements as being “quick,” “interrelated in all parts, vitally, organically” and most importantly “honourable” (Phoenix II). Accordingly, this paper explores how such a Lawrencean vision of the novel is reflected first in his most autobiographical novel, Sons and Lovers. My argument is that in the novel it is the hero Paul that is rendered as the most central representative of Lawrence’s philosophy about being “quick,” about the importance of passionate inspiration far beyond the world of the conscious or self-conscious or all those social pretensions. Second, this paper also stresses that the novel is connected not by the structure of a conventional plot, but rather by a Modernist technique depending heavily on imagery and symbols. Also, Sons and Lovers is a good example where Lawrence imaginatively tests his idea of morality that is new to most of other novelists, especially to most of the early twentieth-century readers. Equating being “honorable” with being “moral” in the novel, Lawrence portrays the way such a character as Miriam is in her puritanical religiosity not honorable, compared to other characters like Paul acting more on his inspirational instinct and impersonal grasp with reality. For Lawrence, to be religious and to be moral is not a religion. Morality is, for him, only the subtle, trembling balance between self and circumambient universe. To reread Sons and Lovers in terms of Lawrence’s novelistic vision is a worthwhile business, a new opportunity to understand better the implication of the novel and also the novelist’s original idea of the novel-genre.





D.H. Lawrence didn't write a single book titled "Thought Adventure," but he used the phrase to describe his own novels, especially Kangaroo, and it refers to his extensive philosophical exploration of "blood consciousness," relationships, and a vital, instinctual life, as seen in works like Women in Love, The Plumed Serpent, and his critical essays, with books like Windows to the Sun being critical analyses of these "thought-adventures".
Key Aspects of Lawrence's "Thought-Adventures"
Exploration of Consciousness: Lawrence delved into realms beyond typical intellect, focusing on primal instincts, blood, and the "dark gods" of human experience, moving beyond Victorian constraints.
Kangaroo: He famously called this novel a "thought adventure," reflecting its focus on exploring new ways of living and relating, particularly through the character Somers' journey in Australia.
Blood-Consciousness: A core theme is understanding life through deep, vital, often non-intellectual feelings and connections, especially in nature and relationships.
Critique of Modernity: His work often grappled with societal norms, the limitations of modern civilization, and the search for a more authentic, "felt life".
Key Texts Featuring These Ideas
Women in Love: Explores complex relationships and a search for meaning beyond conventional marriage.
The Plumed Serpent: Examines blood-consciousness through Mexican Indian culture.
Studies in Classic American Literature: Critical essays revealing his philosophical underpinnings.
Pansies: A collection of poetic thoughts reflecting his later ideas.
In essence, a D.H. Lawrence "thought-adventure" is his literary and philosophical journey to uncover deeper truths about human existence, often through intense personal and cultural exploration, says Oxford University Press.