HISTORY 160: MODERN EAST ASIA
FALL 2002
MWF 11:10 - 12:00, BAILEY 10
Dr. Ruth Dunnell (dunnell@kenyon.edu)1 Seitz House, x 5323 (or before 10 pm at home, 392-3541) Office Hours: Mon
2-4 pm, Tues 1-2:30 pm, Thurs 10-11:30 am or by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: In the early 19th century the expanding presence of European traders and travelers in the waters
off the coast of China and Japan interacted with local developments to transform the history of East Asia, itself
key to the ongoing transformation of the rest of the world. This course will examine the intertwining histories
of Japan, Korea, China and Vietnam from the early 19th century to the present (with some additional historical
background). We will look comparatively at the struggles of these four societies to preserve or regain their independence,
refashion their national identities, and articulate their needs and perceptions of a rapidly and violently changing
world. At the same time, we will assess the position of East Asia in the emergence of the modern world.
BOOKS for purchase at the bookstore: (all except Peace Under Heaven are on reserve at the library)
Colin Mackerras, East and Southeast Asia
Liang Heng and Judith Shapiro, Son of the Revolution
Saga Junichi, Memories of Silk and Straw: A Self-Portrait of Small-town Japan
Bao Ninh, The Sorrow of War: A Novel of North Vietnam
Man-Sik Ch'ae, Peace Under Heaven: A Modern Korean Novel
Additional documentary readings will be made available on-line below or through ERes.
GRADING:
Map Quiz 5%
Pop Quizzes 5%
4 Short Essays 20%
Mid-term Essay exam 15%
Film Analysis 5%
Paper on Contemporary Issue 20%
Final Exam 20%
Attendance/Participation 10%
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION:
Map Quiz: 5% (50 points) IN CLASS: 9/9
A list of the places you will need to know is included at the end of this syllabus. All of the places on the list
should be labeled either on the maps in the textbook or those handed out in class.
Pop Quizzes: 5% (50 points)
I will give one or two short quizzes in class, without much advance warning, to see how you are absorbing the readings
and lectures, and to stimulate discussion.
Short Essays: 4 @ 5% each = 20% (200 points) DUE IN CLASS: 9/18, 10/14, 11/1, 11/15
Four short papers, each based on one of the four books we will be reading. The paper should be a brief essay --
2-3 pages each, typewritten and double-spaced -- that analyzes and explains your reaction to and understanding
of the book you have read. A paper that merely summarizes the contents of the readings is not adequate. We have
class discussion each day a paper is due.
Exams: Mid-term (10/4) = 15% (150 points); Final (12/13) = 20% (200 points)
The midterm will consist of short essay questions, handed out a week in advance, and turned in on Friday Oct. 4.
Instructions will follow. The final exam will include identifications, short answer and essay. I will hand out
a review sheet before the final.
Film Analysis: 5% (50 points) DUE IN CLASS: 12/4
A 2-3 page paper (typewritten and double-spaced) on any one (or more!) of the films listed on the class web-page.
These films are all available for viewing in the library. Some can also be rented at video rental stores. If you
want to write on a film not on the list, check with me first. DO NOT WRITE A PLOT SUMMARY!! DO place the film within
the context of this course. For further suggestions and guidelines, see the section on films that follows this
syllabus below.
Paper on a Contemporary Issue: 20% (200 points) DUE IN CLASS: 12/8
A 4-6 page research paper (typewritten and double-spaced ) about a contemporary issue of importance in East Asia.
For example, the future of Taiwan, the likelihood of Korean reunification, Okinawa's relationship with Tokyo, environmental
activism in the region, areas for future conflict in East Asia, etc. We will discuss possible topics in class,
and you will hand in a brief statement of your proposed topic and sources in class the first week in November.
You must consult at least three sources NOT used in the class. Feel free to see me about choosing a topic and finding
sources. Your paper must articulate a thesis or argument (i.e., take a position on the particular issue, even if
not conclusive), and not be merely descriptive. Your paper must have a title and a bibliography, and you must give
credit for all paraphrases and direct quotes (see me if you have any questions about citation styles). Topic
Statement due in class on 11/4.
Participation/Attendance: 10% (100 points)
Attendance and involvement in class discussions. This means timely completion of the readings and active participation
in class discussions. Over three absences will result in a sharp reduction of points in this category. In emergencies
(sickness, accident, family or personal crises), please notify me promptly and consult the dean of students for
appropriate consideration. Please consult me IN ADVANCE about conflicting obligations that jeopardize timely completion
of assignments.
LATE PAPERS: Late papers will be marked down. If a paper is turned in within 24 hours of its deadline it will be
marked down one grade level (e.g. from B+ to B). After that the grade will drop one level for each additional day
the paper is late.
DISABILITIES: If you have a disability which you feel might affect your participation in this class, please notify
me as soon as possible and also identify yourself to Erin Salva, Coordinator of Disability Services at PBX 5453
or via e-mail at SALVAE. I will make every effort to accommodate verified disabilities so that you may do your
best work in this course.
SCHEDULE
WEEK 1 Mon. 8/26: Introduction
READ: Mackerras (text) chaps. 1-3
Wed.8/28: Traditional Chinese government and society
READ: Mackerras pp. 43-4; 51-5; 61- top of 73 (skip "Shintoism"); 77; 90-5
Fri. 8/30: Manchu conquest of China: Qing Dynasty
READ: Mackerras 117-21
WEEK 2 Mon. 9/2: Western Impact on China
READ: Mackerras Chap. 10; pp. 142- mid 147; 152- top 155
Wed. 9/4: Overview of the 19th Century
Discussion of on-line readingREAD: Mackerras pp. 163- mid167. Primary sources: 1) Chinese Cultural Studies: Emperor Qian Long: Letter to George III, 1793 , 2) Lin Zixu Lin Tse-Hsü (1839 CE) Letter of Advice to Queen Victoria , 3) Chinese Cultural Studies: The Taiping Rebellion, 1851-1864
ASSIGNMENT: Write down questions for discussion
Fri. 9/6: China 1860 - 1911
READ: Mackerras pp.177-81
WEEK 3 Mon. 9/9: Traditional Japanese Culture // Tokugawa Shogunate
READ: Mackerras pp. 55-9; 65; 96-8; 147-8; 155-mid157
ASSIGNMENT: MAP QUIZ
Wed. 9/11: Meiji Restoration (Japan): Documentary film.
READ: Mackerras mid167-mid169; 189-93. Charter Oath
Memories of Silk & Straw pp. 9-50Fri. 9/13: Japanese Imperial Democracy
READ: Mackerras: 193-6; Imperial Rescript on Education, Meiji Constitution
Memories of Silk & Straw pp. 51-112
WEEK 4 Mon. 9/16: Creation of Japanese Empire
READ: Mackerras 196-204
Memories of Silk & Straw pp. 113-195Wed. 9/18: Discussion of Memories of Silk & Straw
READ: Memories of Silk & Straw pp. 196-258
ASSIGNMENT: 1ST Paper Due (on Silk & Straw)Fri. 9/20: Korea
READINGS: Mackerras pp. 79-84; 95-6; 98-101; 269-73
WEEK 5 Mon. 9/23: Vietnam
READ: Mackerras Chap. 8; pp. 84-9; 121-6; bottom 148-150;
mid 157-158; mid 169-mid 170; 155-mid 263Wed. 9/25: China 1911 - 1928
READ: Mackerras pp. 182-mid 184Fri. 9/27: Chinese Civil War (1927-1937)
READ: Mackerras mid 184-187
WEEK 6 Mon. 9/30: Japanese Militarism // Japanese Invasion of China
READ: Mackerras pp.204-6; Kita Ikki's Plan (go to the section on Kita)
Peace Under Heaven Intro. & pp. 3-49Wed. 10/2: WWII in Asia // Review
READ: Peace Under Heaven 50-94Fri. 10/4: MIDTERM EXAM
WEEK 7 Mon. 10/7: OCTOBER BREAK
Wed. 10/9: New Order in Post-War Asia
READ: Mackerras Chap. 16
Peace Under Heaven 95-150Fri. 10/11: American Occupation of Japan
READ: Mackerras 368-70Peace Under Heaven 151-200
WEEK 8 Mon. 10/14: Discussion of Peace Under Heaven
READ: Peace Under Heaven 201-41
ASSIGNMENT: 2ND Paper Due (on Peace Under Heaven)Wed. 10/16: Founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC)
READ: Mackerras Chap. 17Fri. 10/18: Cold War in East Asia – Korean War
READ: Mackerras pp. 273-8; Chap. 21
WEEK 9 Mon. 10/21: Japanese Economic Miracle: "Inside Japan, Inc.'
READ: Mackerras pp. 370-80; Chap. 28;
Wed.10/23: PRC: Campaigns & Movements, 1950's & 1960's
READ: Mackerras pp. 329-36
Son of the Revolution pp. 3-60Fri. 10/25: The Cultural Revolution
READ: Son of the Revolution pp. 61-127
WEEK 10 Mon. 10/28: PRC: Socialist Polity in Transition
READ: Mackerras pp. 336-41; 417-425
Son of the Revolution pp. 128-188
Wed. 10/30: China's Opening & Reform in the 1980's
READ: Mackerras pp. 341-7, Son of the Revolution: pp. 189-241Fri. 11/1: Discussion of Son of the Revolution
READ: Son of the Revolution 242-292
ASSIGNMENT: 3RD Paper Due (on Son of the Revolution)
WEEK 11 Mon. 11/4: Women in Rural China: "Small Happiness"
READ: Mackerras Chap. 35; The Sorrow of War 3-40
Assignment: Submit Topic Statement for Issue Paper
Wed. 11/6: Vietnam 1954-1970
READ: Mackerras mid 263-266; Chap. 22;The Sorrow of War 40-79Fri. 11/8: Vietnam 1970s-1990s
READ: Mackerras pp. 425-8; The Sorrow of War 79-119; articles on the Fall of Saigon
WEEK 12 Mon. 11/11: Politics & Economy: Taiwan & Hong Kong
READ: Mackerras Chap. 29; The Sorrow of War 119-142
Wed. 11/13: Korea: Film "The Struggle for Democracy"
READ: The Sorrow of War 142-199Fri. 11/15: Discussion of The Sorrow of War
READ: Finish book
ASSIGNMENT: 4th Paper Due (on The Sorrows of War)
WEEK 13 Mon. 11/18 Japan in the 1990s: Post-Modern Blues
READ: work on papers
Wed. 11/20: Family, Religion & Work in Japan: "Yamaguchi Story"
READ: Mackerras, chap. 33 & 36Fri. 11/22: Tian'anmen: A Retrospective
READ: Mackerras, chaps. 38-39, on-line/handoutsTHANKSGIVING BREAK
WEEK 14 M 12/2: PRC 1990s
READ: Mackerras, chaps. 32 & 34
Wed. 12/4: Hong Kong, Taiwan, and North Korea
READ: Mackerras, chaps. 38-39
ASSIGNMENT: Paper on Film DueFri. 12/:6 Future of East Asia
READ: Mackerras, chaps. 40-41
Mon 12/9: Final Exam Review/Special Treat
ASSIGNMENT: Paper on Contemporary Issue Due
FINAL EXAM: Friday Dec. 13, 6:30 pm, in Bailey 10
FURTHER RESOURCES FOR THIS COURSE:
1. MAP QUIZ PLACES TO KNOW AND LINKS TO MAPS OF ASIA & OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL TOOLS
Places to put on your study maps and prepare to locate:
COUNTRIES (including those bordering China)
Russia, India, Nepal, Mongolian People's Republic (Outer Mongolia), Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia,
Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan
CHINA
Cities: Beijing (Peking), Shanghai, Nanjing (Nanking), Canton (Guangzhou), Chongqing (Chungking),
Xi'an (Sian), Yan'an (Yenan), Tianjin (Tientsin), Taibei (Taipei), Hong Kong, Macao
Regions of the Five Peoples: Inner China, Manchuria (Dongbei), Mongolia and the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region,
Tibet Autonomous Region, Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region (Chinese Turkestan)
Other: Taiwan, Yellow River, Yangtze River, Yellow Sea, South China Sea
JAPAN
Islands: Honshu , Shikoku, Kyushu , Hokkaido , Okinawa
Cities: Tokyo, Kyo to, Osaka, Kobe, Nagasaki, Hiroshima
Other: Inland Sea, Kurile Islands, Ryukyu Islands, Sea of Japan
KOREA & VIETNAM
Cities: Seoul, P'yongyang, Hanoi, Saigon (Ho Chi Mihn City)
Other: Yalu River, Gulf of Tonkin
Maps of East Asia: 1) Map of Asia, 2) Link to University of Texas Asia Map collection,
3) Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization
2. FILM PAPER GUIDELINES AND LIST OF FILMS
Paper assessing a film: 5%
DUE AT BEGINNING OF CLASS ON: 12/34
Write a 2-3 page paper (typewritten and double-spaced) on any one of the films listed below. These films are all
available for viewing in the AV library on Reserve for this course. You may write on a film not on the list as
long as you check with me first. You should also choose to write on a film that you have not previously studied
or written about in another course. Best to select and watch the film BEFORE Thanksgiving break. You may want to
view it more than once, or go back to certain scenes. I strongly encourage you to watch at least two films before
writing; you could watch two by the same director, or films from different regional traditions. All films are in
the original language with English subtitles, unless otherwise noted.
DO NOT WRITE A PLOT SUMMARY!! In the paper you need to place the film in the context of this course. For example,
you might address some of the following questions (you can probably find information about directors/authors on
the web):
1. What do we know about the director/writer? What might have influenced their vision? (Gender, age, social group,
ethnic group?).
2. Was the story for the film originally a written work?
3. Who financed the film?
4. Who was the probable intended audience?
5. When was the film made?
6. What period is depicted? Is this film a first-hand account of the events portrayed? Was the author / director
personally involved in the events portrayed?
7. If the film was made later than the events depicted, was there anything going on at the time the film was made
which could have affected the way in which events were portrayed?
8. What is the author/director's main point of view? Is their main concern political, social, religious, economic
...? What are the potential biases of the author/director?
9. In your opinion, why did the director make this film?
10. How does the film relate to other materials we read, seen or discussed?
11. Did this film help you to understand particular events or certain cultural practices better than you had before
seeing it?
12. Was there an image or scene which you found particularly moving or powerful? Why?
CHINA/TAIWAN/HONG KONG MOVIES
Yellow Earth (Huang tudi). Dir. Chen Kaige. 1985. 89 min. AV 92.0003
Story of young Communist Party member who goes to the countryside in 1939 to collect old folksongs partly out of
personal interest and partly as a way to interact with and possibly befriend peasants. Chen's later rival, Zhang
Yimou, did the photography for "Yellow Earth." Chen's early film from the open 1980s presents a subtle
criticism of the CCP and Chinese traditional culture, and contrasts vividly in form with his more lavish spectacle,
Farewell My Concubine.
Farewell My Concubine (Bawang bieji). Dir. Chen Kaige. 1993. 157 min. AV 95.0356
Follows the friendship of 2 male Beijing opera stars through turbulent times of war and revolution. A young prostitute
enters their lives, creating a passionate love triangle. Includes conflicts which surface because of the Cultural
Revolution. Chen Kaige represents the Fifth Generation of Chinese film directors (those in the fifth graduation
class of the prestigious Beijing Film Institute, who had lived through the Cultural Revolution as youths).
Two Stage Sisters (Wutai Jiemei). Dir. Xie Jin 196 109 min. AV 01.0019
Xie Jin, a great melodramatist of the Fourth Generation of Chinese film directors, made "Stage Sisters"
just before the Cultural Revolution erupted. The movie contrasts the lives of two actresses, one who seeks happiness
and fulfilment through family life, and the other through political activism. Compare the melodrama of this film
with "Hibiscus Town" and contrast the endings; here Xie retains his optimism about the revolution.
Small Town Called Hibiscus (Furong zhen) Dir. Xie Jin 1987 126 min. MLL
Hibiscus Town is a simple town surrounded by beautiful scenery. Kind-hearted and pretty Hu Yuyin sells a local
variety of beancurd made from rice. She works hard and lives frugally together w/ her husband Guigui. As a result,
they save some money and finally manage to build a new house. However, this new house brings them trouble. During
the "Four Clean-ups Movement" of 1964, they are classified as rich peasants. Their house is confiscated,
and Guigui is driven to suicide. Later, during the Cultural Revolution, Hu Yuyin is sentenced to sweep the streets
every day together with the "Rightist" Qin Shutian, who is known as "Madman." They help each
other and gradually fall in love. However, misfortunes never come singularly. Qin is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment,
& Hu Yuyin almost dies during a difficult labor. Xie Jin (see Two Stage Sisters) made during the liberal 1980s,
when intellectuals and others voiced their painful experiences of the previous decade in "wound literature"
and other artistic outlets.
Red Sorghum (Hong gaoliang). Dir. Zhang Yimou. 1987. 91 min. AV 92.0038
Based on a novel by Mo Yan, the story opens as a lusty romantic comedy about a nervous young bride's arrival and
ensuing seduction at a remote winery, and ends as a heroic and harrowing drama of partisan resistance during Japanese
occupation. Zhang Yimou's use of vibrant colors have made him the best known PRC film director abroad.
To Live (Huo Zhe). Dir. Zhang Yimou. 1995 132 min. AV 95.0368
In a smoky gambling house in 1940's China, a drunken young man runs through his family's fortune, losing their
ancestral home and possessions. This loss proves their salvation--and the first step in a thrilling odyssey of
survival that will take them through the terrors of China's civil war, the passions of communist takeover, the
betrayals of Chairman Mao's Great Leap Forward and the tragic mistakes of the Cultural Revolution. Their lives
unfold across 4 decades of momentous change, bound by love, driven by the strength of the human spirit and touched
more than once by the hand of fate.
Shower (Xizao) Dir. Zhang Yuan. 1999 94 min. AV 01.0155
Zhang Yuan belongs to the Sixth Generation of Chinese directors, successors to the group led by Zhang Yimou, Chen
Kaige and others who opened up new paths in the 1980s. In "Shower," old and new worlds collide in this
tale of a family divided, then brought together by a traditional bathhouse. The successful, career-minded son of
the bathhouse's owner first sees the establishment as outdated, but as he spends more time with his family and
friends, and as the threat of its destruction draws near, he begins to see its worth. "...a delicate, lyrical
case for the importance of holding on to small traditions" (Desson Howe, Washington Post).
A Time to Live and A Time to Die (Tongnian wangshi) Dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien. 1985. 137 min. TAIWAN AV 91.0133
Hou nostalgically recalls his own boyhood, in what has been called "one of the greatest Chinese films ever
made." Hou's family moved to Taiwan from the Chinese Mainland in 1948, and the revolution which followed made
it impossible for them to return. The film focuses on the family's daily life, and to the extent its succession
of episodes can be said to comprise a story, it is about a widening gap in a family brought closer together through
displacement, and the painful circumstances in which family members, one by one, grow ill and die.
Rouge (Yanzhi kou) Dir. Stanley Kwan 1987. 99 min. AV 01.0106
(HONG KONG)
The popular singers/actors Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung are paired in this supernatural love story which alternates
between the brothels, theaters and opium dens of Hong Kong in the 1930s, and the cool, detached world of the present
day. The ghost of a courtesan appeals to a young journalist to help her find her lost lover who recovered from
their joint suicide attempt and thus failed to join her in the spirit world. Made after the British signed the
agreement to return Hong Kong in 1997, this movie is a meditation on Hong Kong's history and identity.
JAPANESE MOVIES
Ikiru (To Live). Dir. Akira Kurosawa. 1952 141 min. AV 89.0289
Black & White. Kurosawa, one of the greatest directors in film history, became famous abroad with his 1950
"Rashamon." In "Ikiru", A middle aged bureaucrat learns that he has cancer and seeks consolation
in worldly pleasures. He seeks escape in a relationship with a young woman from his office. When she learns of
his terminal illness, she inspires him to find satisfaction in his work. Armed with a sense of purpose and determination,
he clears the way to turn an infested swamp into a neighborhood park.
A Taxing Woman (Marusa no onna). Dir. Juzo Itami. 1987. 127 min. AV 91.0178
Japan's hardest working female tax collector is after the owner of Tokyo's busiest love hotel for under-reporting
his income.
Black Rain (Kuroe ame). Dir. Shohei Imamura. 1988. 123 min. AV 94.0253
An unforgettable movie about humanity and survival after the 1945 atomic catastrophe that changed the world forever.
Vividly details the horror of ravaged Hiroshima, while its shocked survivors struggle w/ radiation sickness as
they rebuild their shattered lives. "Black Rain" is both graphic & touching as you see those who
escaped death cope w/ their haunting memories five years after the war ended. Based on novel by Ibuse.
Tokyo Story (Tokyo monogatari). Dir. Yasujiro Ozu 1953. 139 min. AV 90.0026
Ozu is another of the great old masters of Japanese (and world) film. His black and white film depicts change in
post-war Japanese family relations. An elderly couple journey to Tokyo, where they are received less than enthusiastically
by their grown-up children. The generational conflicts are stilled -- momentarily--by death. You are not used to
slow-moving films, but this one greatly repays the effort.
The Family Game (Kazoku geimu). Dir. Yoshimitsu Morita. 1983. 107 min. AV 88.0264
Morita's still relevant satire has stronger bite that Juzo Itami's. "The Family Game" depicts Tokyo in
the 1980's. The external view--high-rise apartments, sprawling factories, campuses carpeted in artificial grass,
and ferries chugging over the world's most crowded bay--is beautiful and fearful. Reveals all the trappings and
pretensions of Japanese home life. The middle-class family hire a poor tutor for their 2 sons. The tutor despises
the family and does little to help the boys increase their test scores. The mother is a classic example of the
"kyoiku mama" (education mom) -- mothers who devote themselves to helping their children (especially
sons) get into the best universities.
Sandakan 8 (Sandakan hachi). Dir. Kei Kumai. 1974. 121 min. AV 90.0004
A woman journalist becomes interested in the history of the Japanese women who were sent to Borneo as prostitutes
in the early 1900s. She befriends an old woman who gradually tells the story of her life as a karayuki san. Not
just a women's film, but about trust and the legacy of empire.
Makioka Sisters (Sasameyuki). Dir. Kon Ichikawa. 1983. Modern Language Library
Film version of the novel by the famous Japanese author Tanizaki Junichiro, set in the late 1930s. Stunningly beautiful
picture of elite life in prewar Japan. Note the extremely subtle jab at Japanese imperialism. Tanizaki professed
to being totally apolitical, but his aesthetics could be provocative, especially during a time of government-decreed
austerity. Tanizaki finished his novel during the war years, in defiance of patriotic appeals to more selfless
pursuits and standards.
KOREAN MOVIES
I have ordered the following 8 Korean feature films; most of them should now be available (with the possible exception
of Les Insurges & Peppermint Candy). The blurbs are second-hand; I have watched only Shiri so far.
Affection (Jeong). Dir. Bae Chang-Ho 1999. 111 mins
Filmed over nine months to fully capture the seasons, this film is as visually
captivating as it is emotionally deep. Set in the 1920s, it follows a
16-year-old girl who is forced into an arranged marriage with a
10-year-old. Rather than welcomed as a daughter-in-law, she is treated as
a slave by the family of her child husband. Unable to bear the existence,
she bravely strikes out on her own. "...an epic story of female
resilience..
Chunhyang. Dir. Im Kwon-tack. 2000. 120 min.
Master Korean filmmaker Im Kwon Taek blends traditional Korean culture
and pure movie-made romance in this grand tale of forbidden love in the
18th century. A privileged son of a governor falls for the daughter of a
prostitute, and their passionate story is told with the assistance of a
pansori singer. "...both historically resonant and strikingly modern,
remarkable for its deft and spellbinding narrative, its breathtaking color,
and above all its traditional sung narration..
Bichunmoo (Dance with Sword). Dir. Kim Young-jun. 2000. 118 min.
Reportedly the most expensive Korean film ever made, this sweeping,
martial arts epic is set near the end of the Yuan Dynasty in China (14th c.) and
follows an ancient Korean warrior who falls in love with the daughter of his
enemy. His fight for the hand of his true love will defy fate itself. With its
romantic grandeur and exquisitely choreographed, gravity-defying combat
sequences, this spectacular film will appeal to fans of Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon, released the same year.
Green Fish. Dir. Lee Chang-dong. 1997. 111 min.
After finishing his military service, a young man returns home to find his
family divided and his old neighborhood a casualty of economic progress.
When he is unable to find work, he joins a band of gangsters in Seoul, but
his new job is complicated when he falls in love with the top mobster's
girlfriend. "...told with conviction, honesty and a discerning eye--a critical
picture of Korean society...The new culture is a non-culture: Coca-Cola,
freeways and cellular phones" (World Socialist Web Site). From the
director of Peppermint Candy.
Les Insurges (Uprising). Dir. Park Kwang-Su. 1999. 100 min.
An ordinary man becomes a hero when he leads the residents on Che-ju
Island in a revolutionary movement against a corrupt governmental regime.
A historical drama with plenty of dramatic flourishes. Also known as Lee
Jae Soo's Rebellion.
Peppermint Candy. Dir. Lee Chang-dong. 2000. 127 min.
A remarkable dissection of despair, Peppermint Candy uses a reverse
chronology to chronicle a man's deterioration from innocent, idealistic
youth to callous, cynical middle age. "...poses troubling questions on the
inevitable erosion of humanity in the face of destiny, doubling as both a
devastating character study and a scathing indictment of a generation's
betrayal at the hands of its own society" (Jason Ankeny, Film Threat)
Shiri. Dir. Kang Je-gyu. 1999. 125 min.
This espionage thriller from the director of The Gingko Bed became the
biggest box office hit in Korean cinema history. The political tensions
between North and South Korea set the stage for high-octane action and
suspense. A North Korean assassin, working for a renegade extremist
group, goes after South Korean political and military targets. South
Korea's top two agents are on her trail, but their pursuit is interrupted when
the North Korean extremists send commandos across the border to steal
a shipment of a powerful new explosive. This theft threatens a soccer
match that symbolizes the hopes for Korean reunification. Heavily
influenced by Hong Kong and American action films, the political elements
make Shiri as interesting as it is exciting.
Spring in My Hometown. Dir. Kwangmo Lee. 1998 124 min.
Innocence is lost for two young Korean boys in 1952 as they see how their
country at war brings unexpected and very personal costs. The boys spy
on local women who have sex with U.S. soldiers, but their voyeuristic
excursions take on a tragic dimension when one of the boys sees his
mother prostituting herself. A beautifully filmed drama that plays out with
calm, patient pacing and a painter's composition. A sad but wise look at
how moral values and tradition are lost in the shadow of conflict.
3) HOW TO READ AND PREPARE FOR DISCUSSION
ON DISCUSSION
by Peter Frederick, Wabash College
Although the primary responsibility for initiating the tone and style of discussions is mine, I value most those
discussions in which you are doing more of the talking, interacting more with each other than with me. Rather than
arguing and debating one another, it is more important, I believe, to discuss cooperatively building on one another's
ideas. There will be times for vigorous disagreement, and I certainly do not wish to stifle our mutual quests for
truth and right-thinking. But let's work on supporting the person who just spoke before going on to make our own
great point. We all know how good it feels to be understood, or at least acknowledged.
A quality discussion is best achieved when three conditions are met: first, that we all know each other, refer
to one another by name, and feel comfortable together; second, that the amount of talking I do is limited (this
is difficult for me and I will need your help in restraining my urge to dominate); and third, and most important,
that the reading for the day has been carefully read and thought about ahead of class. It is a good idea to formulate
your own questions about a text and to write them down: major themes and issues, points of connection with other
readings and with your experience, passages which had a strong impact on you. I cannot overstate the importance
of this third condition: good discussions depend on it. See the enclosed suggestions on "Reading Well to Discuss
Well."
Which brings me to the issue of determining discussion grades, a highly subjective but not necessarily unfair process.
It is crucial, of course, to attend class regularly and to participate openly and thoughtfully, I expect regular
attendance, but on that rare occasion when you must unavoidably miss class it is your responsibility to find out
[what occurred in class and] what to prepare for the next meeting. For me, "participation" means both
speaking with quality (not necessarily with quantity) and listening with quality . . . I am aware that some are
shyer than others, especially in groups. Here is an opportunity to work on your behavior in groups, to improve
your discussion skills.
I know that your discussion grade is important to you; nevertheless, I would like you - as best you can - not to
let it get in the way of enjoying and learning from our discussions; that will happen when you participate as if
there were no grade involved. For my part, I do not assign daily grades. Rather, I gradually develop a best judgment
of your value as a participant (both as speaker and listener) . . . [P]lease feel free to ask me about your discussion
participation or to talk about the group process anytime. Remember: your voice is precious; your thoughts and feelings
have value: let's hear them.
ON READING TO DISCUSS WELL
by Peter Frederick, Wabash College
Fundamental to the process of reading and discussing well is our active interaction with a text. Effective reading
is not a once-over-quickly through a "text," but a process of active questioning of the reading looking
for key issues, themes, events, characters, and literary forms and images. Underlining and even writing marginal
comments in [the] ... text highlights these key points and makes them accessible during class discussions and in
reviewing for exams [and papers]. Some people find it helpful, while still fresh in their mind, to summarize at
the end of a chapter/scene/section the main ideas and issues in their own words. This serves not only to aid the
memory but also to make sure they understand what they've read.
In reading ... look for the main message the author intends to convey. What are the key themes? Depending on the
length and complexity of the document, there may be several sub-themes as well. Note also how the structure, or
form of the text, as well as its language (imagery and symbolism) supports and reinforces the ideas. Circle words
and phrases that have power over you. Note also how the text reveals the historical issues and cultural way of
life of the time and place about which the document is written. Finally, think about how the themes and issues
of the text still have application in the modern world, contemporary culture, and your own life.
In summary, then, in reading, look for and make notes on:
1. Authorial point of view, main message, themes.
2. The structure/form/plot of the text. Important characters.
3. How language, words, images, metaphors, create an emotional tone which supports the message and form of the text.
4. Cultural and historical context and information.
5. Contemporary connections with our lives.
When we come to class having not only read but thought about a text in these five ways, with underlining and marginal
comments that reflect our thinking and feeling as we read, we are well-prepared to discuss thoughtfully and to
listen to the observations and ideas of others.
Focused, even personalized, underlining of text prepares us in particular for discussions that begin with such
questions as, "What are the major points of themes that X is trying to make in this text?" Or, "what
did you particularly like or dislike about this text?" Or, "what quotations seemed particularly important
to you?" Or, what words, phrases, or images had emotional or intellectual power for you? [Think about why
that might be the case]. Or, "what's this reading say about what's going on in our world today, or in my own
life?"
