RESOURCES CURRICULUM MATERIALS REVIEWS
Korea .” 10 In examining the photos presented in Monaghan ’ s lesson , the stalemate clearly presents itself . Students quickly realize that , like the longlost friends in Hwang ’ s story who cannot find a way to breach the DMZ , the political beliefs conveyed in each monument showcase the ideological blockade dividing North and South Korea today . Pairing Monaghan ’ s lesson with a close reading of Hwang ’ s “ Cranes ” personalizes the impact of division for students in a profound way ( see Table 3 ).
Contemporary Korean Literature South Korea ’ s ability to reinvent and rebuild its economy , government , educational system , and infrastructure after the Korean War understandably presented challenges . Short stories generated from the 1970s often focus on ordinary people whose hard work made the South ’ s “ economic miracle ” possible . Today , South Korea has a stable democracy and a thriving market economy ; their successful transformation serves as an inspiration — one that contemporary writers have embraced . Exploring the writings of two accomplished female Korean writers is the perfect way to illustrate the dynamics of Korea ’ s postwar reformation .
The scars of Korea ’ s past and division are deeply imbedded and serve as the driving force behind Kim Min-Suk ’ s short story “ Scarlet Fingernails . 11 This intriguing piece portrays the struggle of a Korean family fighting to overcome a complicated past . After years of living with an absent father , the female narrator , Sung-hye , finally learns her father ’ s “ red ” Communist background is to blame for her growing up without a dad . She then discovers her Communist defector father has spent the past thirty years in
Examining the Dynamics of Korean Culture : “ Scarlet Fingernails ” by Kim Min-suk Prereading question : What do you think of the saying “ forgive and forget ”? On second reading of the text :
• Highlight sections of the text that indicate Sung-hye ’ s attitude about her father .
• List any questions you would ask the characters .
Questions for discussion :
• How would you react in Sung-hye ’ s situation ?
• What assumptions can you make about Korean culture from “ Scarlet Fingernails ”?
• Why is Sung-hye struggling with meeting her father ?
• Describe the varying viewpoints presented throughout the story . What is the view of Sung-hye ’ s mother in the story ?
• What is the view of Sung-hye ? What is the view of the father ’ s family ? What is the view of Sung-hye ’ s husband ? How do the various perspectives relate to the major themes of the story ?
• How are the roles defined in Sung-hye ’ s family ? What does Sung-hye ’ s mother do to prepare for the father ’ s visit ? What is expected of Sung-hye ? What do the actions of the characters reveal about Korean family values ?
• How do the reactions of Sung-hye ’ s children reveal Kim ’ s theme ?
After discussion : Possible topics to investigate
• Korean Confucian values
• Gender roles in Korean society
• Attitudes toward Korean unification
• South Korean national security law
Table 4 . jail , is about to be released , and wants to see her . Sung-hye is at a crossroads , unsure if she should shun her father for the shame he has inflicted on the family or be an obedient and filial daughter and work to make up for lost time . In examining the main character ’ s dilemma , readers will investigate the complexities of Korean identity and culture that prevail today , as well as discuss the dynamics of authoritarian rule in the period before South Korea democratized ( see Table 4 ).
An individual ’ s search for meaning in present-day South Korea is the center of Ha Songnan ’ s “ Waxen Wings . 12 Written in 1999 , this short , uplifting piece features a nameless character whose main goal is to fly like a bird . Fearing that she will do something disturbing like jump off the roof , our main character is told by her teacher that “ it ’ s impossible for people to fly ,” and she is therefore instructed to copy the phrase “ people cannot fly ” onto the blackboard repeatedly . At first glance , this is simply a story in which a young girl is made to feel foolish for her dream to fly , left only to seek out her own sense of fulfillment . But when paired with readings on Korea ’ s postwar transformation , readers will render numerous messages from this allegory that cement their study of twentieth-century Korean history ( see Table 5 ). 13
Final Thoughts Studying dates and facts have merit , but these alone will not promote historical inquiry . The Korean short stories highlighted in this article serve to contextualize the political and social history in twentieth-century Korea . With their ability to entertain and educate , these short stories possess a
Sample postreading questions for “ Waxen Wings ”
1 . List as many synonyms and / or associations as you can for the story ’ s title ; then , explain how those ideas relate to the story ’ s theme .
“ Waxen ” |
“ Wings ” |
Explanation of how this concept is presented textually or thematically in the story . |
2 . This story deals with “ gaps ”— in meanings , words , memories , and reality vs . dreams . What do these gaps represent ? How do they relate to the meaning of the work ?
3 . Does it make sense to think of “ Waxen Wings ” as an allegory of South Korea ’ s postwar transformation ?
4 . How well do the main character ’ s failures / successes line up with the internal and external politics of postwar South Korea ?
5 . How important to understanding the allegory is understanding the similarities between Rhee Syngman ’ s educational policies and the main character ’ s achievements as a gymnast ?
6 . How does the story convey , through the event with the Japanese tourists and dead pigeon , that Koreans are empathetic , resourceful individuals who prevail ?
7 . How does “ Waxen Wings ” convey the view that the strength and resolve of the South Korean people resulted in their country ’ s miraculous transformation ?
Table 5 .
61
158 163
101