Plot of Lost Names

The plot of lost names starts with the exposition of course where a family is crossing the Tuman river looking for opportunity in Manchuria as the Japanese take over the providence of Korea. The main character "boy" goes through hardship at first when he doesn't have friends, and he gets in trouble with the Japanese teachers. He stands out from the others because he is the son of a noble family that supposedly is a protestant Christian family that is dangerous to the Japanese. Over the many years he realizes that there are secrets he has not been notified of such as the Soviet Union supposedly allying with the Japanese, which isn't true; it's the other way around. Also, the Korean books are stopped being published, and the Koreans have to loose their names and get a Japanese name. This is the rising action where everything builds up. What the Japanese are doing is trying to unwittingly consume the Koreans and turn them into Japanes without them realizing by taking over their culture and enforcing their's. The climax occurs when the boy finally realizes that physical torture is what the Japnese are using to hush the Koreans , but what they can't do is take their spirits, which is what we must always have. The boy doesn't cry when the japanese hits him with a bamboo stick because the boy knows too much of what the Japanese are trying to hide. For example, rubber! I think the falling action really starts when the boy learns from his mom that the US has dropped two atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima and that the emperor realizes too that he must surrender. Finally the resoulution occurs when the emperor officially states he surrenders and when the Japanese policemen surrender as well. Korea is in joy and peace, well for now until the Korean War!!

Characterization

The author of Lost Names doesn't use much direct characterization in the novel and instead uses indirect characterization. The main character of the novel is dynamic because the character was afraid of the Japanese striking him but later on he felt calm as if the Japanese were stroking him.Examples of indirecct characterization is is when the author reveals the main character's feelings by what they say. "I can take it, I can take it I think" shows how the character is optomistic. Another example is "No please leave me alone . I can go by myself" portrays how the character is tough and independent. By looking at these examples, the character is defined as calm, tough, and confident.

Theme of Lost Names

The theme of Lost Names is how the peristence to live a better life in a horrible environment will pay off. In Lost Names, the main character's family always try to be optomistic and think that everything will be fine. The grandmother gives the main charcter white rice and pork even though they are scarce. Father is also very calm and thinking about the future. He supports the family like nothing is different. He makes skates for his children and goes on daily walks with his son, the main character. It seems like they always have hope and make the best out of what they have. They don't cry with despair that everything is lost. Even though they are in a bad situation, they are happy.

Setting of Lost Names

The setting of Lost Names is the time of the Japanese invasions on Korea. Many Koreans are moving to Manchuria across the Tuman River. The surrounding are filled with Japanese artillery lines, riflemen, and tanks. In Manchuria, the people are seperated by Japanese and Koreans, and the Koreans are forced to obey Japanese traditions and conduct. It's just awful for what you can see the Japanese people are doing by looking only at the setting. People are desperate to leave their homeland and go to a foreign region. Some new people there are laughed at because they look different and wear different things. Manchuria I would say from what I have read so far is not a good place to stay so far because of its setting whuch is a clump of people with so little kids, and they also bother the new kids.