Professor Kun Jong
Lee’s article in the East Asia Cultures
Critique, Fall 2004, “Princess Pari in Nora Okja Keller’s Comfort Woman”, provided an overall
general scholarly analysis of the main characters in Keller’s novel and Princess
Pari character from a popular South Korean folktale from the Choson Dynasty.
The novel, Comfort Woman was written by
a Korea American, Nora Okja Keller, in early 1990’s when South Korean women began
to come forward to attest about atrocities and enslavement by the imperial
Japanese military during and after the Pacific War (WWI time-frame) for which
they were victims. Lee’s article provided deep insight into the relationship
between the folktale of Princess Pari and the methods Keller used to transform
the original manuscript of the folktale, (viewed to reflect patriarchy,
patrilineal, and misogynistic culture which was widespread in the
Neo-Confucianist era in Korea and Japan), with an adaptation with shamanistic
rituals to invoke dialogue in the Asian communities about feminism,
colonialism, trans-nationalism and sexuality which are accepted more in modern
era to discuss. Lee pointed out that Keller’s transformation of a former
“comfort woman” into a shaman correlates to the depiction of a former comfort
woman as Princess Pari. In that, the shamanistic narrative of Princess Pari is
used as a critique of the patriarchy, androcentric, and misogynistic Korean
society, as well as, in Japan with their colonialism and ethnocentrism. This
essay studied the full spectrum of Keller’s difficult engagement with the myth
of Princess Pari as a valuable and potent site for feminist articulation.
The type of audience for this article would be Asian
studies scholars and students, Korean-American literary writers interested in
gender rights among Asian women, and transnational gender identification
between Korean-American societies. Lee’s in-depth analysis of shamanistic
rituals practiced by Korean shamans, who are predominantly female, included virtual
accounts written about by other authors interested in the phenomenon of
shamanistic trances and meticulous rituals practiced by Korean historical
ancestors and current day shamans. The reader must have at least a high school
reading level to keep up with the deep cultural and historical aspects of the
societies in Korea and Japan during the early 1930’s described with some
graphic sexual language depicting explicit details of physical and emotional
abuse. Keller was inspired by a true story of Keum Ju Hwang, an actual ‘comfort
woman’, during a human rights symposium in Hawaii in 1993. This type of real
account would be an interest to those studying colonialism between Japan and
Korea after WWII.
The
ethos is evident in this article printed by Duke University Press was posted in
the East Asia Cultures Critique,
which is a professional forum for people concerned with the social,
intellectual, and political events within Asia for the purpose of dialogue for
rethinking their priorities in scholarship, teaching and criticism. This
article was supported by Korea Research Foundation Grant. Lee’s article would
require at least an hour or two for a complete read with it being 22 pages in
length using some Korean and scholarly language used in higher level high
school and/or college literature. The phonetic use of Korean words could
confuse the reader, unless the reader is well versed or have the ability to
translate via dictionary or on-line search; however, the impact of such use of
words show the article is geared towards Korean-American scholars. The article
is mainly informative written in a sterile fashion by a Korean English
Literature Professor with providing historical context to show empathy for the
victims which he can relate based on similar nationality, but neutral due to
difference of gender between him and the victims for which Keller’s novel
projects. Lee seem credible due to the multiple referenced writers who are
touted to be the subject matter experts in areas of Korean shamanism,
colonialism by the Japanese military, and various feminist writers to include
those of Asian and non-Asian backgrounds.
The
analysis was methodical in providing organized summaries of the origin of the
Princess Pari folktale, the historical accounts/testimonial of comfort women
and Korean shamans, interviews with Keller regarding her motivation to write Comfort Woman, and how Princess Pari
relates to comfort women. The logical structure provided an easy to follow
sequence of events and thoughts which clarified the role Princess Pari played
in the two main characters used in the novel. Lee also provided insight as to
the main characters to thrive in-between cultures from Soon Hyo (the mother)
experienced difference between the Korean society she came from adapting to the
Japanese colonialism, then Beccah (the daughter) experienced from the American
culture she was born into adapting to being raised by a Korean mother. They
both, according to Lee, used Korean shamanism as a psychological anchor and
cultural agency to make sense of an unfamiliar society.
The
details and images used centered the agony and suffering by “comfort women” and
anguish experienced by the main characters in Keller’s novel due to a lack of
voice. Lee provides keen historical explanation for the reader to understand
what was readily accepted in Korea during the Choson Dynasty in Korea through
the traditional mindset of Korean and Japanese societies following the Pacific
War. Lee provided numerous examples to support the harsh realities and
reflection of the common people to survive the sadness, pain, frustration, and
limitations of those Korean women who have been since labeled “comfort women”.
The importance shamanism played in the Korean society during that era is
explained well by Lee using excerpts from other authors who have provided
factual accounts and literature provided visual descriptions a reader can
imagine with little effort.
I
plan to use this article in my future writing assignment for this literature
class at University of Texas El Paso in the required format. I will examine
more closely other scholarly articles which cover the subject areas of Princess
Pari, “comfort women”, Nora Okja Keller’s novel, and feminist articulation for
research regarding further writing assignments. The relationship between the
mother and the daughter in Keller’s novel should provide a more personal reflection
for not only my interest in this novel, but the various subject matters it
contains. There is a rich history available for me to share with my class
regarding the empowerment of victims, for everyone should be entitled to have
their own voice. I will follow the learning module for the requirements given
to the class for our Literary Analysis assignment using our chosen text and
visit the writing center for any questions or checks on deficiencies in order
to correct my mistakes in writing.
Works
Cited
Kun Jong
Lee. "Princess Pari in Nora Okja Keller's Comfort Woman." positions: east asia
cultures critique12.2
(2004): 431-456. Project MUSE.
Web. 29 Aug. 2012.
<http://muse.jhu.edu/>.