<영어로 읽는 공상과학 소설 _ 프리츠 라이버의 세상은 큰 기계다>
"The Big Engine"은 프리츠 라이버(Fritz Leiber)가 쓴 SF 단편 소설입니다. 이 작품은 1962년 잡지 "If: Worlds of Science Fiction"에 처음 게재되었습니다. 이 이야기는 기술과 사회에 대한 상상력이 풍부하고 종종 풍자적인 해석으로 유명한 Leiber의 대규모 작품의 일부입니다.
프리츠 라이버(Fritz Leiber)는 미국의 판타지, 호러, SF 작가입니다. 그는 네원이라는 가상의 세계를 배경으로 한 Fafhrd와 Grey Mouser가 등장하는 판타지 시리즈로 가장 잘 알려져 있습니다. Leiber의 작품은 종종 검과 마법의 요소를 유머와 심리적 통찰력과 결합하여 장르에서 주목할만한 소설입니다.
Fafhrd와 Gray Mouser의 이야기 외에도 Leiber는 다양한 추측 소설 주제에 걸쳐 수많은 다른 소설과 단편 소설을 썼습니다. 그는 경력 전반에 걸쳐 Hugo, Nebula 및 World Fantasy Award를 여러 번 수상하여 판타지 및 공상 과학 문학 분야의 영향력 있는 작가 중 한 사람으로서의 위치를 확고히 했습니다.


"The Big Engine" is a science fiction short story written by Fritz Leiber. This work was first published in the magazine "If: Worlds of Science Fiction" in 1962. The story is part of Leiber's larger body of work, known for his imaginative and often satirical interpretations of technology and society.
Fritz Leiber is an American fantasy, horror, and science fiction writer. He is best known for his fantasy series featuring Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, set in the fictional world of Newon. Leiber's works often combine elements of sword and sorcery with humor and psychological insight, making them notable novels in the genre.
In addition to the stories of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Leiber wrote numerous other novels and short stories spanning a variety of speculative fiction topics. He won multiple Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards throughout his career, cementing his position as one of the influential authors of fantasy and science fiction literature.

Summary
Have you found out about the Big Engine? It's all around us, you know?can't you hear it even now?

Fritz Leiber's short story "The Big Engine" contains philosophical reflections on modern society and the nature of humans through the unique worldview of the narrator called 'The Professor'.
The protagonist of the story, 'Professor', read various books in his youth to understand the principles of the world. As a result, he comes to the conclusion that everything in the world is just a giant machine, and that all beings, including humans, are actually just lifeless machine parts.
The professor believes that human behavior is simply programmed reactions and that no true consciousness or emotions exist. He says that the few people who realize this ‘truth’ mostly go crazy or become evil.
At the end of the novel, the professor describes the noise of the city as one giant mechanical symphony. He compares the sounds of airplanes, cars, and trams to different musical instruments, and claims that these are the true sounds of the universe.
This work presents a critical perspective on the mechanization and dehumanization of modern society, while also raising philosophical questions about the meaning of human existence and the nature of consciousness. It also indirectly addresses environmental changes caused by urbanization and industrialization and the resulting human alienation.

Contents
THE BIG ENGINE