Published in 1970, “Lost Names” is an account of the life of a young boy in Korea, during the Japanese occupation. In the book, the protagonist recounts episodes of his life, and the life of his family, under the oppression of the Japanese rule. While each episode makes up a chapter of the book, each story comes chronologically after the other, creating a narrative arch which spans throughout the infancy and childhood of the protagonist, towards his adulthood. The heartbreaking details of their everyday life suggest hope for the future, as the family emerges victorious from their struggle to preserve their cultural heritage. The author’s strong voice in the novel urges the readers to remember the sufferance of the generations under occupation
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In the book, the author describes closely how painful this event was. Thus, the boy recounts the episode when the Koreans lost their names and were required to register for Japanese names. As they went to the cemetery, the boy saw the grandfather, and my father bow, lowering their faces, their tears flowing now unchecked, their foreheads and snow-covered hair touching the snow on the ground. I, too, let my face fall and touch the snow.” This shows the emotional state of the protagonist’s family, as they lost their names. This state of humiliation and sadness is expressed in the novel through the use of language associated with sadness, such as “weeping”, “crying”, and “tears” which often appear throughout the book. Even if, since it is a fictional book, it does not contain completely true events from the writer’s life, the story nevertheless reflects a historical truth regarding a time of national …show more content…
When, as a child, the protagonist asked his father why he had been imprisoned, the father answers that “Someday, I promise, I will tell you all about it. Now, all you have to know at this time is that I have done nothing in my life that you should be ashamed of.” This shows that preserving their honor is important not only for the individuals but for the individuals’ descendants as well. This scene is significant because it constitutes a promise of the oppressed generation for the future generations, that their behavior was honorable. Koreans at the time of the oppression did their best to preserve their dignity and their cultural heritage, and this meant that sometimes, they ended up in prison, like the protagonist’s father. However, this imprisonment was honorable because it was a form of resistance against Japanese control. This episode reflects a cultural particularity of the Korean culture that places great value on honor and family prestige. As many other episodes of the book, this typically Korean exchange between father and son is perhaps imagined, but it is realistic because it is based on the lived realities of many imprisoned fathers who felt nevertheless proud of the example they gave to their children. Alternatively, it can also be seen as an
In the book, the author describes closely how painful this event was. Thus, the boy recounts the episode when the Koreans lost their names and were required to register for Japanese names. As they went to the cemetery, the boy saw the grandfather, and my father bow, lowering their faces, their tears flowing now unchecked, their foreheads and snow-covered hair touching the snow on the ground. I, too, let my face fall and touch the snow.” This shows the emotional state of the protagonist’s family, as they lost their names. This state of humiliation and sadness is expressed in the novel through the use of language associated with sadness, such as “weeping”, “crying”, and “tears” which often appear throughout the book. Even if, since it is a fictional book, it does not contain completely true events from the writer’s life, the story nevertheless reflects a historical truth regarding a time of national …show more content…
When, as a child, the protagonist asked his father why he had been imprisoned, the father answers that “Someday, I promise, I will tell you all about it. Now, all you have to know at this time is that I have done nothing in my life that you should be ashamed of.” This shows that preserving their honor is important not only for the individuals but for the individuals’ descendants as well. This scene is significant because it constitutes a promise of the oppressed generation for the future generations, that their behavior was honorable. Koreans at the time of the oppression did their best to preserve their dignity and their cultural heritage, and this meant that sometimes, they ended up in prison, like the protagonist’s father. However, this imprisonment was honorable because it was a form of resistance against Japanese control. This episode reflects a cultural particularity of the Korean culture that places great value on honor and family prestige. As many other episodes of the book, this typically Korean exchange between father and son is perhaps imagined, but it is realistic because it is based on the lived realities of many imprisoned fathers who felt nevertheless proud of the example they gave to their children. Alternatively, it can also be seen as an