When My Name was Keoko

Module 5

Park, Linda Sue. 2002. When my name was Keoko. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-13335-6

Summary: Sun-hee and Tae-yul lived in Korea when it was ruled by Japan. When Japan took over they forced Koreans to speak only Japanese and even to change their Korean names to Japanese ones. Their uncle was part of the resistance, but went into hiding when it is feared that he would be discovered. After World War II begins Tae-yul decides to join the Japanese army and winds up volunteering to serve as a kamikaze (suicide) pilot. Then the family receives word that he died on a mission. When the Japanese surrender, the family receives a great gift.

Critical Analysis: Linda Sue Park is the daughter Korean immigrants and draws from her family history to write this novel. While a fiction story, it is based on very true facts about what happened in Korea during the time of Japanese rule. Also, some of the incidents are based on stories from the childhood of her parents, who lived during that time.

The book is written in the first person, alternating between the viewpoints of Sun-hee and Tae-yul, who are brother and sister. This helps us to see the same events through the eyes of two different people.

The book is painfully descriptive of the plight of the Korean people and their suffering under the Japanese. The Koreans had their identity stripped away during that time period. Having to speak Japanese only and having their names changed was a terrible blow to their national pride. The Korean people were proud of their culture with its distinctive qualities. To be forcibly absorbed into the Japanese culture was very difficult and caused a lot of cross cultural conflict.

The search for cultural identity is a significant theme in this book. The children cling to what they can of their culture even when they have to do it privately. The family found secret ways to maintain their identity by choosing names carefully to honor their family history. Another way was keeping one small rose of Sharon tree hidden from the Japanese after they were forced to burn the rest. In spite of the danger, they kept it as a symbol of their identity.

The author tries to point out the differences between Korean and Japanese cultures. She makes a point to describe their physical characteristics as different. Also, she points out the difference in names: Japanese family names are usually long while Korean ones are short. Japanese and Korean words are used throughout the book. The terms of address s are Korean: Abuji and Omoni are the parents. This is a very important part of the culture and create authenticity for the story. A note at the beginning of the book explains the Korean terms of address used in the story.

Cultural markers help to make the story more credible. Respect for elders is an important element. Children bow to their parents (and others) and are very careful not to offend them. Traditional foods are mentioned. Rice was a staple; red beans and rice was a delicacy, but during the war was largely unavailable. A special treat named duk (sweetened rice cake) is mentioned. Along with this is the way the family acts at mealtime. A traditional saying is mentioned by Uncle: “ . . . eat when you are eating, talk when you are finished.” In other words, it wasn’t good manners to do both at the same time.

Women in the culture were also traditionally subservient to the men. This was shown in the way Sun-hee and her mother related to the men in the family. The mother in this story tends to dress traditionally and wears her hair in a braid coiled in a bun. Keoko wore trousers to school and had her hair cut short with bangs because it was required (another way the Japanese were trying to kill the Korean culture).

Respect for learning and education is an important part of the culture. They found ways to learn about their history and culture in private, secretive ways.

The story was difficult to read because so much of it really happened. Although the Japanese tried to wipe out all vestiges of Korean culture, the Korean people showed their strength in tradition Korean ways: silently and secretly. This helped them survive this difficult time. Linda Sue Park has successfully given us an authentic look inside of a culture.

This book is recommended for ages 10-14.

Review Excerpts: “As she did so effectively in her Newbery Award winner, A Single Shard, Park makes Korean history emotionally compelling in this excellent novel. . . . This is a gripping read.” (Book Magazine)

"Through the use of the shifting narrators, Park subtly points up the differences between male and female roles in Korean society and telling details provide a clear picture of the siblings and their world.” (Publisher’s Weekly 2004)

“Park is a masterful prose stylist, and her characters are developed beautifully. She excels at making traditional Korean culture accessible to Western readers. This lovely and powerful novel is one clearly deserving of award consideration. “ (VOYA, 2004).


Connections: Read these other books by Linda Sue Park:
• A Single Shard
• The Kite Fighters
• Project Mulberry