River Junction: Stories of Life in the United States and Korea

ISBN-13: 9781514678671 / Angielski / Miękka / 2015 / 250 str.

Sukza Park

Opis

Join author Sukza Park on a journey to understand the emotional landscapes of Korean immigrants with their unique culture and history in this collection of stories. The first section deals primarily with stories that address the experiences of Koreans living in the United States and the attendant issues of making a place for oneself in a foreign land. The characters in these stories wrestle with maintaining a sense of belonging to their home country while cultivating a new life. The first story "The Rising Tides" narrates how a second generation Korean woman searches to free herself from the maze of obstacles and worries of life in America. The second section contains stories, each exploring the lives of Koreans living in their native country. Park delves into the experiences of Korean characters-steeped in tradition, history and culture-who must find ways of maintaining their self-worth while navigating essential human challenges. The first story, "One Day in Cherwon" chronicles a day in the life of a man who must come to terms with the trauma of the war from his youth. Cherwon County saw the fiercest concentration of combat during the Korean War, lying along the border of the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea. In all her stories, Park creates distinctly Korean characters, capturing how these individuals grapple with universal issues of living and loving in "the sea of suffering" called life. The narratives establish the common deep threads of humanity shared by Koreans and English-speaking cultures everywhere. Her stories inspire empathy and recognition that can expand minds and broaden horizons.