영어로 읽는 고전 _ 부스 타킹턴의 경기장에서 _ 정치 이야기
부스 타킹턴의 "경기장에서: 정치 생활 이야기"는 20세기 초에 쓰인 정치적 삶의 역학에 중점을 둔 이야기 모음집입니다. 이 작품은 다양한 정치적 환경 내의 야망, 도덕성, 그리고 권력의 복잡성과 같은 주제를 탐구합니다. 이 책의 중요한 측면은 보스 고젯과 같은 노련한 정치인과 시스템을 개혁하고자 하는 젊고 야심찬 후보자인 파웰 놀스와 같은 인물을 포함하여 정치의 풍경을 헤쳐나가는 인물들을 묘사하는 것입니다. 모음집의 시작은 노련한 원로가 정치에서 좋은 사람들의 필요성에 대한 지혜를 나누고, 시민의 의무로부터의 분리를 경계하는 성찰적인 어조를 설정합니다. 이 대화는 독자를 개인적인 동기와 도덕적 딜레마가 자주 얽혀 있는 세계로 안내합니다. 이후 내러티브는 지역 정치 전략에 휘말리게 된 보좌관 보스가 겪는 좌절과 도전을 따라가며, 그의 충성의 결과와 정치적 참여 자체의 본질에 대해 숙고합니다. 개혁 성향의 놀스와 조작적인 고젯과 같은 인물들이 소개되며, 이야기 전반에 걸쳐 검토될 개인적, 사회적 도전을 암시합니다.
Classics Read in English _ In the Arena: Stories of Political Life by Booth Tarkington
"In the Arena: Stories of Political Life" by Booth Tarkington offers a compelling exploration of American politics in the early 20th century through a collection of interconnected narratives. Published during the Progressive Era, these stories capture the complex moral landscape of political engagement when reform movements were challenging entrenched power structures.
The collection opens with a thoughtful conversation between political veterans, establishing the framework for what follows: an examination of why good people should involve themselves in the messy arena of politics despite its challenges. This philosophical entry point invites readers to consider their own civic responsibilities while setting the stage for the character-driven stories that follow.
Tarkington introduces us to a diverse cast navigating the political landscape, including the calculating Boss Gorgett, whose practical approach to power represents the old political machine, and Farwell Knowles, an idealistic young reformer determined to transform the system from within. Through their interactions and conflicts, Tarkington explores the tension between pragmatism and idealism that defines political life.
The narrative shifts between different perspectives, following an assistant political boss grappling with the moral compromises his position demands. His internal conflict mirrors the broader societal questions about loyalty, public service, and the personal costs of political involvement. As he navigates local political strategies and alliances, readers witness how theoretical principles are tested against practical realities.
Throughout these interconnected stories, Tarkington avoids simplistic moral judgments, instead portraying politics as a complex human endeavor where virtues and vices often coexist within the same characters. The collection examines how personal ambitions and genuine public service motives blend in the political arena, where success requires both idealistic vision and practical knowledge of human nature.
By focusing on state and local politics rather than national figures, Tarkington creates an intimate portrait of democracy in action at its most fundamental levels, revealing how the grandest principles of governance ultimately depend on flawed individuals making difficult choices in specific circumstances. These stories remain relevant for their nuanced exploration of citizenship, power, and the enduring question of how democratic societies can channel human ambition toward the common good.
Among the contents
The old-timer, a lean, retired pantaloon, sitting with loosely slippered feet close to the fire, thus gave of his wisdom to the questioning student:
“Looking back upon it all, what we most need in politics is more good men. Thousands of good men are in; and they need the others who are not in. More would come if they knew how much they are needed. The dilettantes of the clubs who have so easily abused me, for instance, all my life, for being a ward-worker, these and those other reformers who write papers about national corruption when they don't know how their own wards are swung, probably aren't so useful as they might be. The exquisite who says that politics is 'too dirty a business for a gentleman to meddle with' is like the woman who lived in the parlour and complained that the rest of her family kept the other rooms so dirty that she never went into them.
“There are many thousands of young men belonging to what is for some reason called the 'best class,' who would like to be 'in politics' if they could begin high enough up—as ambassadors, for instance. That is, they would like the country to do something for them, though they wouldn't put it that way. A young man of this sort doesn't know how much he'd miss if his wishes were gratified. For my part, I'd hate not to have begun at the beginning of the game.
서평(Book Review)
부스 타킹턴의 "경기장에서: 정치 생활 이야기"는 20세기 초 미국 정치 현실을 예리하게 포착한 단편집이다. 진보주의 시대를 배경으로, 타킹턴은 이상주의와 현실주의 사이에서 갈등하는 다양한 정치 인물들의 모습을 통해 정치 참여의 도덕적 복잡성을 탐구한다. 보스 고젯과 같은 노련한 정치인과 파웰 놀스 같은 개혁 성향의 젊은이를 대비시키며, 이 작품은 권력, 시민의식, 그리고 민주주의 사회에서 인간의 야망을 공공선으로 이끄는 방법에 관한 시의성 있는 통찰을 제공한다.
Booth Tarkington's "In the Arena: Stories of Political Life" sharply captures the political realities of early 20th century America. Set during the Progressive Era, Tarkington explores the moral complexities of political engagement through various characters caught between idealism and pragmatism. By contrasting seasoned politicians like Boss Gorgett with reform-minded young figures such as Farwell Knowles, the collection offers timely insights into power, citizenship, and how democratic societies can channel human ambition toward the common good.
부스 타킹턴(1869-1946)은 미국의 소설가이자 극작가로, 20세기 초 미국 문학계에서 가장 인기 있고 성공한 작가 중 한 명이었습니다. 그는 두 번이나 퓰리처상을 수상했는데, 1919년 '위대한 앰버슨가(The Magnificent Ambersons)'와 1922년 '앨리스 애덤스(Alice Adams)'로 각각 수상했습니다. 인디애나 주 인디애나폴리스 출신인 타킹턴은 중서부 중산층 마을의 생활과 미국 사회의 변화를 작품에 담아냈습니다. 그의 소설 '펜로드(Penrod)' 시리즈는 어린 소년의 모험을 그린 작품으로 널리 사랑받았으며, '세븐틴(Seventeen)'은 청소년기의 사랑과 성장통을 다룬 작품입니다. 타킹턴의 작품은 주로 빠르게 변화하는 산업화 시대의 미국 사회, 특히 중서부 소도시의 모습과 가치 변화를 섬세하게 포착했습니다. 그는 생전에 미국에서 마크 트웨인의 뒤를 잇는 국민 작가로 여겨졌으나, 오늘날에는 그의 명성이 다소 줄어들었음에도 불구하고 미국 문학사에서 중요한 위치를 차지하고 있습니다.
Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) was an American novelist and playwright who was one of the most popular and successful authors of the early 20th century. He was a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, receiving the award for "The Magnificent Ambersons" in 1919 and for "Alice Adams" in 1922. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Tarkington captured the life of middle-class Midwestern towns and the changing American society in his works. His "Penrod" series, which chronicled the adventures of a young boy, was widely beloved, and "Seventeen" dealt with teenage love and growing pains. Tarkington's works primarily focused on capturing the nuances of American society during the rapidly industrializing era, particularly the changing landscape and values of small Midwestern towns. During his lifetime, he was considered a national literary figure second only to Mark Twain in America, and although his reputation has somewhat diminished today, he remains an important figure in American literary history.