Lost Names Essay

Lost Names portrays Japanese colonial rule in Korea from 1933 to 1945. It illustrates the harsh experiences that many Koreans faced under Japanese rule and occupation. Each chapter tells a different story. It begins with the narrator retelling his experience of crossing into Manchuria at one year old. It then follows the narrator’s life experiences until their liberation in 1945. Throughout the novel, Japanese suppression leads to the loss of cultural identity for the occupied Koreans. Koreans come to question what it means to be Korean. The loss of cultural identity is illustrated through the title of the book, Lost Names. Also, the family is forced to adopt Japanese names. As subjects to the great Japanese Emperor, Koreans are forced to

He describes it a poor and violent setting, where parents were scared of their parents

His religion is a constant reminder of how he is an outcast yet he is also judging the culture he feels is criticizing him. He sees them as outdated and disapproving while they see him as unusual and mysterious. He is criticized for his religion and customs, and the children mock him in disbelief for being Hindu. One little boy comments on his amazement with this foreign culture:

Even before they were sent to Manzanar, suspicious Japanese Americans, like Papa, were removed from their homes. As soon as Papa was taken away, he and his family began living in a broken home. This was only the beginning of the broken home, however. When the rest of Jeannie’s family was shipped to Manzanar, they began separating apart, too. It started when they stopped eating meals as a family and instead ate at different times and places. It is important for a family to eat together so they feel secured and included within their own household. Jeannie’s family truly snapped when Papa returned to Manzanar. He was different - he had started to “sip (wine and brandy) till he was blind drunk and passed out” (50). His drinking caused abuse to his family. He began to hit Mama and verbally abuse his children. A family should never have to physically harm each other to exemplify discipline. A true family needs to feel secure among one another, with no distractions that may impair the family. In this case, Papa was the distraction. His time away from home and from his family had made him make negative decisions. It was very unjust that innocent families were thrown apart because of the Japanese

The author at 16 years old was evacuated with her family to an internment camp for Japanese Americans, along with 110,000 other people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast. during the time in the camps he struggled for survival and dignity, and endured psychological scarring that has lasted a lifetime.

Beginning as a young child, his innocence is carelessly spoiled by the prejudice of Etta, Carl’s mother. As a boy, Kabou often played with Carl. Her impact on their childhood innocence is most notable when, after Kabou gives Carl a fishing rod, she tells her son to “take the fishing rod back to the Japs,” because “they owed them money, [and] the rod confused that” (99). This shows how, even after her son expresses such a great deal of happiness with the rod, the overarching prejudice that she has towards the Japanese people prevails. Essentially, it can be taken as Etta demanding her son to not talk to the Japanese, because a friendship with Kabou is in conflict with her prejudiced desires.

The narrator’s father is a man who values traditional family and is very strict. He and his son don’t have a good relationship. For this reason, the son did not return to his country until two years after his mother’s death. Even they have a bad relationship, but the father saw his son just back from the long flight, he thought that his son hungry . "You must be hungry. We 'll eat as soon as Kikuko arrives." (Ishiguro 632), that thing means the narrator’s father did what a normal father would do for a son. Then, they have a dinner with Kikuko, narrator’s sister. The father’s told about his life: he lost his wife, his business has folded since the suicide of his business partner. They’ve also talked about narrator’s childhood: the garden with a ghost that the narrator has seen when he was a child; the son confuses a picture

While both brothers are conscious of their community’s dark side, they manage their environment differently. The narrator tries his best to distance himself from those problems, and to refrain from getting emotionally involved in the tragedy. Also, he has a difficult

The story of how my Grandfather’s Jewish identity spared him from the front lines of the Korean War and led him toward life-long adventure in Japan has been

Under the Black Umbrella by Hildi Kang provides a collection of stories from Korean citizens recalling the Korean Independence time period along with information establishing an understanding to why these anecdotes were collected and the history behind what many of them are referencing. The Independence movement was consistently opposed by the authorities of Japan in colonial Korea, which is shown throughout these violent and insightful personal memories. As is a good practice for all history, we must ask questions about the source and the selection process of stories by the author. Since a large majority of the stories and anecdotes from Korean citizens focus on anti-Japanese recollections, questions about Hildi Kang’s motives or intentions

The story focuses that regardless when things don't appear to go your direction, you have to remember the significance of family since they will acknowledge you for your identity. This

Millions of people consider buying a new home every day, and many follow through and actually make a purchase. During this process, a mortgage lender must be selected. What many people fail to recognize when speaking to mortgage lenders is they are actually speaking to a person, obtaining their thoughts and feelings on various products and services. They look at the big name behind the person and consider what is being said as fact. Doing so can be a big mistake.

The narration of Sinking presents itself in a objective narrative way, that emphasizes the absurdity of the protagonist’s self-image. The protagonist states his sense of hostility toward his Japanese classmates, yet at the same time, his relationship with his Chinese classmates is equally as bad. This undercuts the protagonist’s statement that his isolation is due to racism or prejudice. He projects his desires onto the bodies of Japanese women, yet at the same time, despairs in his resentment and hostility toward the Japanese. In this very way, Yu Dafu’s method of writing helps the readers doubt the protagonist’s self-perception.

Knowing little English, I struggled with a challenge to respond fast. I took a deep breath and responded in an accented “Yes.” My voice echoed through the silent classroom where my classmates still had their gazes fixed upon me. The silence seemed to be endless, causing me internal discomfort, but was broken when a huge burst of laughter and snickering flew over my head. Everyone laughed at my traditional Japanese name and my thick accent. The laughter felt like a knife impaling my heart from the embarrassment of being foreign. Mr. Carter told the class to simmer down and directed me towards Table 13, the first row and the third seat. As I took my seat, I noticed two pairs of eyes watching me. Those eyes belonged to Isaac and Blake. Yes, Blake and Isaac. Their names just made me feel nausea. I remember them whispering to each other,

As a prisoner in a Japanese prison camp a choice will be given between death and life, but very few chose life. A young boy faces this exact decision in the Japanese prison camp called Lunghua Camp in the novel, Empire of the Sun. This boy’s name is Jim and at the beginning of the novel he is getting separated from his parents because of a world war. Later, he gets placed in Japanese prison camps where he becomes friends with Basie and Dr. Ransome who provide knowledge and guidance to him throughout his imprisonment struggles. Some of Jim's difficulties in the novel include war, internment camps, death marches and starvation. The theme, perseverance and love lead to growth in overcoming obstacles, can be seen through a child's love, weaknesses of prisoners, and unexpected help.