Journal #9: Novel Response: When My Name was Keoko

Why does your novel relate to cultural/ethnic roots and identity?

The novel, When My Name Was Keoko, contains a lot about culture/ethnic roots and identity. Many of these characters are trying to find themselves in who they really are, especially the Korean victims like Sun-hee and

Tae-yul since they are living their lives in a Japanese lifestyle by force.

The many young Koreans, who were "Japanese" almost all their life wonder who they really are- wonder who they are as real Koreans at heart. Young Koreans like Sun-hee and Tae-yul figure out more and more about their heritage they were born with and find out who they really are as their lives progresses. They find that some of the interests they have and the things they do all have some connections to the Korean culuture. The Korean culture, as well as the Japanese culture is expressed in the novel very well. Most of the events that occure during the story from learning kanji, the changing of Korean names to Japanese names, drawing the Korean flag, and much more, all relate to a very unique culture-Korean culure and Japanese culure. From what the characters learn about Japanese culture by force, have this background of that came from different cultures, and even the Korean culture.