최명익의 소설은 여러 성격과 특성으로 이루어진 하나의 조직체라 할 수 있는 작중인물자신의 회의와 성찰을 통해 그들 내부에서 일어나는 자아의 변화를 면밀하게 묘사해 나가고있다. 이러한 기법은 20세기의 개인생활의 해체와 거기에서 연유되는 내적인 생활로의 후퇴에 기인하여 인정받고 활용되는 영미 심리소설의 새로운 기법을 일부 수용한데서 비롯된 것으로 보인다. 이 글은 최명익의 「비오는 길」, 「역설」, 「심문」, 「폐어인」을 대상으로 하여 1930년대를 살아가는 지식인의 내면세계의 특징인 자의식의 변화과정을 탐색하였다. 자의식은 작가 내면심리 속에 잠재되어 있다가, 고정되거나 단계적인 양상으로 나타나지 않고 부분적이면서 혼합적인 모습으로 표현되기 때문에 전 작품을 분석하여 자의식의 체계적이면서 공통적인 양상을 규명해야 하는데 일부 작품을 대상으로 하였다. 그의 작품은 일제 강점기의 최고조에 달한다고 볼 수 있는 1930년대의 식민지적 세계에자연스럽게 대처해 나가지 못하고 내면세계의 자의식 과잉을 일으키는 인물들을 통해 자아와의 끊임없는 대결이나 갈등, 적극적이며 능동적인 외적 인물과의 화합을 거쳐 긍정적이며 발전적인 삶에 대한 의지를 드러내주고 있다.

Choi Myung-ik’s novel depicts the changes in self-reliance inside them through his own conference and review of the objects, which can be an organization of many characteristics and characteristics. It seems to have originated from the acceptance of some new techniques in psychological novels in the U.S. Choi’s novel, however, is a psychological novel that deals with the self-consciousness of intellectuals divided by the pressure of reality by not accepting the techniques of Western psychology novels correctly in the 1930s and adopting Japan’s new psychology. The article explored Choi Myung-ik’s “The Rainy Road,” “The Legend” and “The Matter” in the 1930s, a process of self-consciousness that is characteristic of the inner world of intellectuals living in the 1930s. However, these works show that the world of self-consciousness, an expression of the desire of intellectuals who live in modern times, has a certain aspect. We tried to analyze the elements of self-consciousness by separating the essential motifs, such as excessive sense of self governing consciousness of the object, wandering self-conscious, and falling into despair. Choi Myeong-ik reaches its peak of the Japanese occupation can see that the colonial world of the 1930s, naturally with the overinflated ego of the world inside and out of here. Through the figures, active and constant confrontation or conflict with the active external self for reconciliation with a positive development after his relationship to life. And reveals. His novel world is primarily concerned with the inner consciousness of man, mainly due to his attitude toward focusing on the inner world of self-consciousness of the objects being created. When the essence of Choi Myung-ik’s novel is to break down the psychological world of intellectuals in dissonance with the real world, what should not be overlooked is that his novels tend to focus on the abstract psychology of the day rather than on reality.