영어로 읽는 고전 _ 짐 하먼의 자선
Jim Harmon의 "Charity Case"는 1950년대 후반에 처음 출간된 공상과학 단편소설이다. 이 이야기는 지속적인 혼란에 직면한 윌리엄 헤이글의 삶에 초점을 맞추는데, 그는 자신이 저지르지 않은 범죄에 누명을 쓰고 자신의 정신 건강 문제로 여겨지는 것들과 씨름하고 있다. 이야기의 핵심은 죄책감, 구원, 그리고 보이지 않는 힘들의 영향이라는 주제의 탐구이며, 특히 과거 한 남성의 죽음과 관련된 사고로 인해 헤이글을 괴롭히는 헥서(Hexer)들이 등장한다.
이야기는 헤이글이 방치와 잘못된 행동에 대한 혐의로 점철된 자신의 불우한 성장 과정을 회상하는 내적 독백을 통해 전개된다. 선교회에서의 절도 시도를 포함한 일련의 불행과 만남들 이후, 그는 타임머신과 해롤드 R. 톰킨스라는 남성을 우연히 죽인 과거의 사건을 바탕으로 자신의 삶을 형성해온 외계 존재들(헥서들)의 복수에 대해 알게 된다. 헤이글의 여정은 초자연적 영향과 실질적 결과가 뒤섞인 것이 되며, 죄책감의 부담에서 벗어나고 현재의 삶에서 탈출하기 위한 경제적 안정을 추구하려는 그의 절망을 드러낸다. 궁극적으로 헤이글이 자신의 끝없는 박해의 본질과 자신의 건강에 대해 깨닫게 되면서, 그의 소위 '질병'이 지속적인 감시와 조작 하에서 살아온 삶과 복잡하게 얽혀 있다는 충격적인 결론에 이르며, 그가 과연 자신의 운명에서 진정으로 벗어날 수 있을 것인지에 대한 의문에 직면하게 된다.
Classics Read in English _ Charity Case by Jim Harmon
Jim Harmon's "Charity Case" is a science fiction short story first published in the late 1950s. The narrative centers on the life of William Hagle, who faces continuous turmoil, being falsely accused of crimes he didn't commit and struggling with what are perceived as his mental health issues. At the story's core is an exploration of themes including guilt, redemption, and the influence of unseen forces, particularly the Hexers who torment Hagle due to a past accident involving a man's death.
The story unfolds through Hagle's internal monologue as he recounts his troubled upbringing, marked by neglect and accusations of wrongdoing. Following a series of misfortunes and encounters, including an attempted theft at a mission, he discovers the existence of a time machine and extraterrestrial beings (the Hexers) whose vengeance has shaped his life based on his accidental killing of a man named Harold R. Thompkins in the past. Hagle's journey becomes an amalgamation of supernatural influences and tangible consequences, revealing his desperation to escape the burden of guilt and his pursuit of financial security to flee his current existence. Ultimately, as Hagle realizes the nature of his endless persecution and his health condition, the story reaches a shocking conclusion that his supposed 'disease' is intricately connected to a life lived under constant surveillance and manipulation, leaving him to confront whether he can ever truly escape his destiny.
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When he began his talk with "You got your health, don't you?" it touched those spots inside me. That was when I did it.
Why couldn't what he said have been "The best things in life are free, buddy" or "Every dog has his day, fellow" or "If at first you don't succeed, man"? No, he had to use that one line. You wouldn't blame me. Not if you believe me.
The first thing I can remember, the start of all this, was when I was four or five somebody was soiling my bed for me. I absolutely was not doing it. I took long naps morning and evening so I could lie awake all night to see that it wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen. But in the morning the bed would sit there dispassionately soiled and convict me on circumstantial evidence. My punishment was as sure as the tide.
