Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood

Average Rating:
4.625
32 Reviews
Categories: , , , , , , , .
TitleLost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood
Publication TypeBook
Year of Publication1998
AuthorsKim, Richard E.
Number of Pages196
PublisherUniversity of California Press
Abstract

"From 1932 to 1945, the Japanese occupied Korea. Organized in seven vivid scenes, Kim's fictionalized memoir tells the story of one family's experience, as told by the boy. The narrative starts in 1933 with a dramatic iced-river crossing into Manchuria, when the boy was just a year old, a story the boy knows from the many times his mother has told him the tale. Next scene and we're in 1938. The boy and his family have moved back to Korea, where the boy is the new boy in school and is learning new routines like bowing his head toward where the Japanese emperor is supposed to be in Tokyo." (text taken from Amazon)
URLhttp://www.amazon.com/dp/0520214242

Supplemental Contributions

Members of the community have contributed the following materials as supplements to Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood.

Title Attached Files Contributed By Contributed On Link

Japanese Expansionism leading up to WWII

Lost Names, by Richard Kim, is an excellent narrative of the Japanese occupation of Korea prior to and during the Second World War. To get a...

1 Shawn E Zetzer 2/26/15

More >

Lost Names - Names & 5 Themes of Geography

Scenes from a Korean Boyhood is a wonderful book about the Japanese invasion and occupation of Korea from the early to mid-20th century. The...

1 Aruna Arjunan20 2/10/14

More >

Japanese Occupation Lesson

An analysis and learning opportunity focused on Japan's military occupations of China and Korea authored by Timothy Riley.

 2 NCTA Work Projects 11/27/12

More >

Lost Names unit in two parts

Lost Names unit for high school

 2 Ashley Quinn 11/9/11

More >
Average Rating:
4.625
32 Reviews

Reviews for Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood

5

Posted By: Reed Miller

Posted On: October 18, 2010

Review by NCTA teacher Reed Miller
High School History (Modern Asia and World Civ)
Sewickley Academy (Pittsburgh)

Lost Names by Richard Kim is a wonderful, readable, and useable account of growing up in colonized Korea from 1932 through the end of World War II that would be perfect for a high school class room (but would probably work for an upper level middle school class as well). The book as a whole tells a continuous story, but it is broken down into different chapters, each of which tells its own story. Because of this format, a teacher could just as easily use one chapter in isolation as the book as a whole.
The content touches on many different aspects of history and culture. It could obviously be used to teach about Japanese imperialism and World War II, but it allows the reader to see these events from a perspective not often considered by Westerners: that of Asians living within the colonial network. The Korean populace had to endure ever-increasing Japanese oppression. The psychological domination, from demanding that Japan be referred to as the “mainland” to the “taking” of Korean names allows an insight into the mental brutality of the Japanese during this era. This book could be extremely effective as a tool to teach the beginnings of World War II in Asia, a subject often glossed over in comparison to the events in Europe at the time.
At the same time, the book gives personal insight into East Asian, and especially Korean culture. The deep cultural importance of Confucianism is portrayed repeatedly, between the main character and his parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends. While the philosophies of Confucianism are never discussed, the story continually illustrates the day to day manifestations of this world view. Along with Confucianism, traditional religious beliefs and practices such as ancestor worship/reverence are examined. The title of the book revolves around this issue, with the Korean people being forced to take Japanese surnames and thus disgracing their ancestors.
An accessible and enjoyable read, Lost Names would allow a teacher to intertwine a number of different cultural, religious, and historical concepts into one unit. It is certainly a book that I would recommend for a variety of different social studies courses.

5

Posted By: Daniele Mecchia

Posted On: October 18, 2010

Review by NCTA teacher Daniele Mecchia – Social Studies Teacher
Grade 9 – US History II (1845-1880)
Grade 10 – Government and Economics
Thomas Jefferson High School
Book Review: Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood
Although Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood is described as a novel, there is much debate as to whether it should be classified as fiction or nonfiction. Its author Richard Kim clarifies this notion by saying that while “all the characters and events described in the book are real…everything else is fiction.” In this fictional autobiography Kim recounts the experiences of his youth and adolescence in Japanese occupied Korea during the Second World War (1931-1945). While the novel obviously addresses the historical setting and conflict of the time, it also brings to light issues of political change and persecution, as well as cultural elements and the struggle to find one’s identity. Lost Names would be an asset to any secondary school’s curriculum as its interdisciplinary nature lends itself to use in a variety of classroom settings.
The novel is organized into seven chapters, each giving readers a glimpse into scenes from Kim’s boyhood and his family’s experiences during the Japanese occupation of Korea and World War II. It follows the family from the beginning of their struggle as they try to escape Japanese persecution to the surrender of the Japanese empire and Korea’s liberation. Each chapter chronicles the historical events of the time as well as presents universal themes that can apply to various cultures and ages, such as political change, nationalism, and one’s sense of identity. The name of the novel symbolizes Kim’s lost sense of identity as he and his family are forced to renounce their Korean names and adopt new Japanese ones. After adopting new names, the characters (including Kim and his father) make their way to the village cemetery where they offer their apologies to their ancestors for allowing the Japanese to permeate Korean culture and ways of life. Both events take place in the fourth chapter and are by far the most powerful scenes depicted in the novel.
As far as utilizing Lost Names in the classroom, it is best suited for a high school setting, but could be used across a variety of disciplines including Social Studies and English. Students in grades nine through twelve would definitely be capable of relating to the book because the central character is close to them in terms of level of development and maturity. However, in order to gain the most from Kim’s story, students should definitely be exposed to the historical time period of the book as well as the cultural backgrounds of both Japan and Korea. Additionally, depending on the particular curriculum and objectives of using Lost Names in the classroom, it can be read as an entire novel or excerpts can be used to highlight certain issues/themes.
The novel readily adapts to a variety of assignments ranging from dissecting the history of the time, to students placing themselves in Kim’s shoes, or having students debate what truly dictates a person’s identity. It would be the perfect complement to a class that covers the World War II time period because it illustrates a unique and often overlooked impact of Japanese colonization. Students in a World Cultures or Global Studies course would also benefit from reading Lost Names because it provides a springboard for discussion and contemplation on how one’s culture characterizes an individual while also looking at issues like political persecution, freedom, and nationalism. The novel is well written, easy to read and digest, but above all provides interesting insight into a tumultuous time period in history, not only for those fighting the war, but for all those impacted by it, even a child. The readability and flexibility of Lost Names make it a tremendous resource for teachers and students alike.

5

Posted By: Justin Kaszonyi

Posted On: October 18, 2010

Review by NCTA teacher Justin Kaszonyi
Thomas Jefferson High School
Grade 9 – US History II (1845-1880)
Grade 11 – US History III (1880 – 1945)
Grade 12 – Global Studies II (European History 1400-1815)
Lost Names Book Review
Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood is the fictional autobiography of a Korean man named Richard Kim. Kim tells his own personal story of growing up in as boy in Japanese occupied Korea from 1931 until 1945. Kim divides his work into seven chapters, each encompassing a different time in his life while showing the ever changing hardships that he and his family were forced to endure at the hands of the Japanese. It is a masterful work that gives the reader a first-hand perspective on the trials and tribulations in a turbulent time in Asian history.
I feel that this novel would be appropriate for high school students, grades nine to twelve. While older students may have an easier time understanding the global scope of World War II, I think that younger high school students (grades nine and ten) would have an easier time relating to the personal experiences that Kim describes in vivid detail. I feel that both age groups would directly benefit from reading the Kim’s tales of bravery and personal growth in the face of danger and violence in classroom and surrounding community.
What I would most like to know about this material is exactly what genre does Richard Kim’s work fall into. In the Author’s Note, Kim explains that he wrote Lost Names as a work of fiction, but all characters and events are real. The first thing students will ask is “if these things really happened to real people?” How do I answer that question? Being that the people mentioned really existed and they experienced these occurrences, I suppose I would tell them that it is a true story. I would appreciate it if the author was more specific in his explanation before using this work in class.
Richard Kim begins Lost Names with a harrowing tale of his parents attempting to cross over the border into Manchuria in the dead of winter. Kim is a child in the tale, and his family is trying to move out of Korea to escape Japanese persecution during the early stages of World War II. The reader finds out the Kim’s father had been involved in some form of nationalistic activities that landed him in jail for some time. Kim’s father is taken into custody at the border by the Japanese military police while Kim’s strong willed mother stays with him outside of the train station for several hours in the cold. Just when the reader thinks that his father will not return, he comes back after being beaten during his cross examination. Afterwards, Kim’s parents undertake a treacherous voyage across the frozen river before making it safely onto the relative safety of Manchurian soil.
Kim’s second chapter entitled Homecoming tells the story of Kim’s return to his grandparents homestead in a small town south of Pyongyang several years later. It is Kim’s first day at a new school, and he vibrantly describes the difficulty he has trying to fit in with his classmates at a Japanese run school. Kim is beaten by a Japanese teacher for singing “Oh Danny Boy” as his introduction in class. After returning home, Kim realizes that he has won the respect and admiration of his fellow classmates when they come to visit him. In receiving the beating, Kim has missed out on an opportunity to go swimming with his new friends, which proves fatal to one friend in particular.
The third chapter entitled “One upon a Time, On a Sunday” progresses the reader to the following summer. Kim’s father and a few friends meet up to talk in a bookstore, where Kim was going to pick out a book. One of Kim’s teachers, a Korean is present in the scene when Kim’s father and group of adults shame him for serving the Japanese purpose in school. This chapter serves to show the reader of the undying nationalistic fervor of Kim’s father, and the general resentment shown to Koreans who aided and abided the enemy during the time of occupation.
The fourth chapter “Lost Names” is the most poignant and dramatic of the entire novel. Kim is a few years older, and the Japanese have issued an edict declaring that all Koreans must adopt Japanese names. Kim walks with his father and friends to the police station to submit their name choice. The men act as if they are going to a funeral, and the reader realizes that the village men are suffering as if they lost many loved ones. In giving up their names, the men feel as if they have let down not only their living families, but their deceased ancestors as well. The most powerful scene of the entire novel takes place at the village graveyard, where Kim’s father and grandfather apologize to their ancestors for letting them down not only in changing their names, but allowing the Japanese to destroy their culture and way of life.
In “An Empire of Rubber Balls” the reader is taken several years further into Kim’s life. The Japanese are no longer winning the war, and the people of rural Korea feel the brunt of military rationing. As class leader of the fifth grade, Kim is ordered to collect all of the rubber balls in the village issued to the Koreans as part of the Japanese celebration of taking Singapore and Malay. Kim is beaten by a Japanese athletic teacher for having deflated the balls he collected. Despite his visibly swollen face, Kim musters the strength to participate in the previously scheduled school pay celebrating the Crown Prince’s birthday. The reader sees how Kim has come into his own as a young adult, when he purposefully forgets his lines to sabotage the play. Kim is following in the footsteps of his father as he begins to show his own Korean patriotic feelings.
The sixth installment “Is Someone Dying” places a thirteen year old Kim at a school labor camp away from his family. Suffering from malnourishment Kim and his classmates are building a runway for kamikaze planes with their bare hands. The reader learns that Kim’s father has been arrested and placed in an internment camp as Japanese control of Korea continues to deteriorate.
The final chapter “In the Making of History-Together” shows Kim’s father as a town leader, trying to secure control of the town away from the Japanese Police force that still occupies the station. The Japanese have surrendered and the Koreans are taking out thirty-one years of frustration on the Japanese colonists and businesses in the area. Kim decides to shelter the Shinto priest and his wife from a lynch party before directly participating with his father in the surrender of the Japanese Police headquarters, ensuring liberation. Kim is now a young man who directly participates in and experiences the patriotic zeal of his people in finally ridding themselves of the hated Japanese overlords.
In conclusion, I feel that Lost Names: Tales of a Korean Boyhood is a valuable piece of literature that should be utilized in American education. Richard Kim gives students a brilliantly written firsthand account of what it was like to grow up in Japanese occupied Korea during World War II. It is currently being used by an NCTA alum in our English department. I feel that it could be very rewarding for students to read in my Social Studies classroom as well, particularly in my US History III (1880-1945) class. Ideally I would use it to supplement my unit on World War II. Either by students reading experts of the text or the entire novel, I would like to have students write a paper placing themselves in Kim’s shoes, trying to predict how they would act in his situation. As Americans, we do not know what it was like to live in a land occupied by an enemy army. How can you truly value your freedom if you have never had it taken away? As Richard Kim shows, war not only affects those actively fighting it, it impacts every aspect of life for those caught in the middle of it.

4

Posted By: Allison Newmyer

Posted On: October 18, 2010

Review by NCTA teacher Allison Newmyer (Pittsburgh)

10th Grade American Literature

Oakland Catholic High School

Review of Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood

Lost Names is the fictional autobiography of Richard Kim, a Korean who lived through the Japanese occupation of his country during World War II. It is deemed a fictional autobiography because according to Kim while all of the characters and events that are described in the book are real, everything else is fiction. Because of the age of novel’s protagonist, I feel that the novel would be best used in a ninth or tenth grade classroom. However, it would lend itself nicely to a cross-curricular unit between history and English classes due to the way the novel pairs finding one’s identity during a time of political and social turmoil.

Lost Names is organized into seven chapters, and each chapter takes the reader along on the journey through Kim’s childhood while he lives in occupied, war torn Korea. The story revolves around the idea that Kim and his family lost their identities due to the Japanese occupying forces that mandate that all Koreans abandon their Korean names for a better Japanese name. The rest of the story then describes how Kim and his family battle to maintain their Korean cultural identity and way of life while being forced to adhere to the ways of the occupying Japanese forces. The reader is able to witness Kim’s family, school and social life through his eyes as he and his family are forced to adhere to the rules set forth by the occupying Japanese forces. Many of the events and situations described in the novel are emotionally charged and would serve as the jumping off point for journaling and other “what if you were in his shoes” writing assignments. I feel that students would be moved to write about the times that Kim is punished in school, or when he is considered to finally be a man in the eyes of his father and grandfather because the emotions that Kim experiences in these two examples are ones that are still felt by adolescents in this day and age. There are many themes that could be explored through study of this novel, namely discovering one’s identity; the bonds of family; and the importance of cultural identity.

The novel would work best if it is paired with a history unit on World War Two that specifically focuses on what was going on at the time in Korea and Japan. It would also be beneficial for students to spend some time reviewing the cultural background of Korea and Japan because a thorough understanding of the two nation’s cultural similarities and differences is critical if students are to get the most out of the text. Lost Names is an easy read and could be broken up into excerpts used to highlight or illustrated certain ideas or concepts if there is not time to read the entire novel.

3

Posted By: Timothy Spiegel

Posted On: April 12, 2010

This book delves into a very little-portrayed aspect to the Second World War in Korea under Japanese rule. The narrative follows the experience of a boy, from infancy, as he grows to the age of 12 and fights against the assimilating forces of a Japanese education...and does so under the shadow of his own father's reputation as a respected underground freedom fighter. Each chapter of the book functions as a separate flashback of an event from the boy's experience. A good read for selected samples of life under foreign Imperial rule (7-12) and a quick, non-challenging book for lower-level English students. I enjoyed the book, but my experience was ruined by the author's note at the end essentially stating that the presumably nonfiction piece was largely an artifice. I felt misled and disillusioned with the journey I believed to have witnessed to be an actual historical account.