YEAR OF IMPOSSIBLE GOODBYES by Sook Nyul Choi
Summary of the Book This is an autobiography of Sookan, a young girl living in northern Korea during and immediately following the Second World War. She and her family endure the humiliating occupation of the Japanese, always dreaming of a life of peace and freedom. Finally, in 1945 the war ends. However, rather than being freed by the Americans, as they had imagined, Sookan and her family find themselves occupied again, this time by the Russians. Throughout the story Sookan perseveres in her quest for a peaceful, fulfilling life. Her Grandfather is a great source of strength and a model for her to follow. Sookan, her brother Inchun, and her mother finally manage to escape to the South and are reunited with her father and older brothers. The escape is truly remarkable and demonstrates what a determined and courageous child Sookan is as she perseveres until she reaches her goal. Background Information Until 1876 Korea kept itself almost entirely closed to the rest of the world. At that date the Japanese forced some of the Korean ports to open to trade. Slowly the Japanese took over the country until, in 1910, Japan conquered all of Korea and set up a Japanese government. Koreans suffered terribly under the Japanese rule as is so vividly explained in Year of Impossible Goodbyes. In 1945, at the end of World War II, the Allied forces came to Korea and divided the country in half near the thirty-eighth parallel. Soldiers from the Soviet Union (the Russians in the story) held the northern section and troops from the United States held the southern part.
1
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools
The Buddhist religion was introduced to Korea in 372 AD and was adapted by many of the people. Grandfather in Years of Impossible Goodbyes is a Buddhist. In 1882 Christian missionaries arrived in Korea. At that time, many Koreans became Christians. Mother, in the book, is a Christian. People of different religions are able to exist peacefully side by side in Korea. Indeed, Grandfather and Mother are extremely close to each other even though they believe in different religions. This is an excellent example of the religious tolerance and understanding of differences that the Korean people have. This book is an excellent follow-up to So Far From the Bamboo Grove which many students read in the sixth grade. Both titles are set in Korea at the end of World War II and deal with similar issues, (the Japanese occupation and a family’s escape to the south). The Author This is the true story of Sook Nyul Choi's youth growing up near Pyongyan, Korea during and after the Second World War. Several years after escaping to South Korea, Choi came to the United States to college and remained here. She married and raised her two children in New York City and worked as an elementary school teacher. Presently she lives and works as a writer in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As a child, Choi loved both reading and writing. After teaching for twenty years, she began to write again. Through her writing for young adults, Choi hopes to bring to life the history and culture of Korea for young Americans. Year of Impossible Goodbyes won the Young Adults Library Service Association best book for young adults citation, New York Public Library best book for the teen age citation and American Library Association notable book citation. Topics Perseverance, family, religion, Korean culture 2
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools
Themes • • • • With perseverance and determination we can accomplish our goal. The support family members offer each other provides strength and endurance. Religious beliefs can give strength and support in difficult situations. The Korean culture values beauty in nature, respect and peace.
Literary Conventions Autobiography, first person narrative, symbolism, character
PRE-READING Questions and Activities • • • What characteristics does a person need in order to persevere in a very difficult situation? Make a class list of these characteristics and add to it as you read the story. How can support from your family help you in difficult circumstances? Can religious beliefs help you persevere when everything seems to be going against you? DURING THE READING Open-response Questions to Consider Throughout the Reading • • • How does Sookan's determination to persevere help her live in oppressive circumstances? How does Grandfather help Sookan endure their difficult life? What does he give her that helps her persevere? Grandfather and Mother's religious beliefs are different, yet each gains strength from these beliefs. How are their beliefs similar and how do they help each person? 3
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools
• • •
If you were a young person living in Korea in 1945, what would you do? Would you stay in the North or would you try to escape to the South? Why and how? What are some of the important characteristics of the Korean culture that you learned about from the story? Make a list and add to it as you read. What important lessons about life did you learn from reading this story?
Chapters 1 - 2
Discussion Questions and Writing Suggestions • • • Why does the author begin the book with a description of the tree? How is it a symbol of Korean culture and beliefs? Compare and contrast the behavior and beliefs of the Koreans and the Japanese as they are related in this story. How are they similar and how are they different? What is Sookan like at the beginning of the story? Begin writing a character study of Sookan. Take notes as you read and add to your writing. Point out ways she changes and grow and why. • • • • Why does mother stand up to Captain Narita? What does this tell you about the kind of person she is? Mother and Aunt Tiger have very different personalities and yet they compliment each other and work well together. Compare them and describe why you think they make a good team. If you were one of the "sock girls" would you be willing to work the way they did every day? How would you behave? Grandfather firmly believes in Buddha and mother believes just as ardently in the Christian religion. How does each gain strength from their religions? What do you think the children believe? How does Aunt Tiger feel? Use examples from the text to help explain your answers. • • How does Sookan feel about being Korean? Why does she sometimes wish she were Japanese? If you were she, how would you feel? What does the chopping down of the pine tree symbolize? Predict how you think this will affect Grandfather. 4
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools
Chapters 3 - 5
Discussion Questions and Writing Suggestions • • How does chopping down the pine tree change everything? What has changed and now what do you think will happen? What is the importance of Grandfather's stories of the family? Why does he want to tell them to Sookan and Inchun? What values do they teach? Support your answers with examples from the book. • • • • • • How does Grandfather's death affect the family? Is the family different after he dies? How? What does Grandfather give Sookan that helps her persevere? How does Kisa change as the story progresses? Begin a character sketch of Kisa and add to it as you read the story. What happened to the "sock girls"? Why were they taken away? Why is it so important to the Japanese that the people give up everything Korean? What do the Japanese want from them? Why do they treat them so cruelly? Why does Mother try to keep Sookan out of school as long as possible? How does going to school change Sookan? Continue writing your character study of Sookan as she undergoes this fundamental change in her life. Show how she perseveres in spite of the very difficult conditions.
Chapters 6 - 7
Discussion Questions and Writing Suggestions • • • What does Sookan's planting of the seeds symbolize? What are her hopes for the future? What do the Korean's expect to happen when the war is over? How are their expectations shattered? How is life under the Russian occupation different from life under the Japanese occupation? What do the Russians allow that the Japanese did not? Use examples from your reading to support your answers. 5
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools
• • • •
Are the Korean's as afraid of the Russians as they were of the Japanese? Why or why not? Why did some of the Koreans side with the Russians and turn against other Koreans? How do you feel about this behavior? Why do so many Koreans want to escape to the South? What are they escaping from? Why do they think they will find a better life in the South? If you were a young person living in Korea in 1945, what would you do? Would you stay in the North or would you try to escape to the South? Why and how?
Chapters 8 - Epilogue
Discussion Questions and Writing Suggestions • • • • • • • • • • How do Sookan and her family feel when they finally receive news of their father and bothers? How does their mood change? What do they think will happen? What new role is Kisa assuming? Add this to your character sketch of Kisa and give examples of ways in which he is changing. How does Sookan feel when she realizes Kisa and Aunt Tiger are not going to try to escape with them? What is happening to their family? How does Sookan respond when Mother is held by the guards at the check point? What does this tell you about her character? Were you surprised when the guide deserted the children and ran away with the jewels? What kind of a person was he? What does the way Sookan cares for Inchun and herself tell you about her? What gives her the composure and strength to find food and search for a way to escape to the South? Using references from the story, explain how the values Grandfather taught Sookan help her persevere. How do the Russians treat the children? What in the text helps you understand why they are kind to them? Does Sookan and Inchun's final escape sound possible? How does Sookan's ability to persevere help them survive? How did you feel when you read that the children finally made it across the border? 6
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools
• •
Why does the author end the story just after the children arrive in the South? Why does she include the Epilogue in the story? If you were writing the story, where would you end it? After Sookan and Inchun finally reach the South and find their father and brothers, they have to wait a long time before Mother arrives. How do you think they feel about being there without her? Were you surprised that she managed to escape, also?
•
Finish your character study of Sookan. Show how her perseverance enables her to survive. POST-READING
Art and Drama Suggestions • Grandfather told the family stories to Sookan and Inchun to give them a sense of the family history and to help them understand values that were important to the family. What stories are important in your family? Ask older family members and then practice telling the stories aloud. What values do they teach? Tell one of your stories to your class. • With a classmate write a script for a skit of Sookan and Inchun's escape across the border. Practice the skit and put it on for your class. Writing Suggestions • Sookan and Inchun were fortunate to escape to the South. Many people tried and failed. Write a story of Koreans who remained in the North. Describe what you think their life is like as they live under the Russian rule year after year. • This book was Sookan's autobiography. Write the story in Inchun's voice and from his point of view. Use events and references from this book to help make your story as true to Inchun's character as possible. • If you had been a member of Sookan's family, how would you have reacted to all the stressful events of her young life? Write the story about yourself as if you were a member of her family. Describe the influence the people around you, such as Grandfather, Mother and Aunt Tiger would have on you. Explain how you would react to the Japanese and the Russians.
7
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools
Activities • Sook Nyul Choi, the author, lives in Cambridge. Try to contact her and ask her questions about the book and her life after the story ends. Invite her to come talk to your class about her experiences in Korea and about her love of writing. • Sook Nyul Choi's Echoes of the White Giraffe is a sequel to Year of Impossible Goodbyes. Read it to see what happened to Sookan and her family in the years after those recounted in this book. • • Learn more about Korea and its interesting history and culture. A good book to start with is Korea: A Land Divided by Carol Farley, Dillon Press, Inc., 1983. The Japanese and the Russians are occupying forces and are portrayed in this book as the enemy. However, all Japanese and all Russians are not like those occupying Korea. Learn more about the people of these countries and their cultures to understand and appreciate them better. • Run a search on the Internet to better understand Korean to find answers to some of these questions: - How did the Korean War affect the people in the North and in the South? - How are North and South Korea different in 1997. - What problems does North Korea face today? • Do you think North and South Korea will even be united again? history and Korea today. Try
8
Grade Eight - Teaching Guide Curriculum and Instructional Practices Boston Public Schools