Road to East Asia
Road to East Asia
Written by students of FC1750.06
at
Founders College, York University
Despite her father's disapproval, Namiko in Chon Kwangyong's
short tale "Kapitan Lee"
plans to marry an American professor specializing in Oriental studies.
He loves things
Korean, and she happens to be Korean. Is she wise to make such a
decision? Why does
Kaiptan Lee refuse to endorse his daughter's choice?May Yuen: Kapitan Lee sent his daughter Nami to a university in the United States, where she met her fiancee, an American professor. The news of Nami's impending wedding displeases her father, who does not believe in inter-racial marriages or having "white offspring," he says. "The very thought was repulsive." I wonder if the professor genuinely loves Nami. She could be merely an experiment to him.
Sarah Tan: Well versed in English literature, Namiko, renamed Nami, is in a position to have an intellectual dialogue with the American professor. They will have a meaningful relation based on academic exchanges. Living in North America, she will have a lot of opportunities to further her pursuit of a subject she loves.
Michael Kociuba:It is not all that clear why Kapitan Lee's daughter is marrying an American. One might guess that Nami is either in love with the person or is following in the footsteps of her father, who takes advantage of every opportunity. The American professor may be using her as a study object while Nami may be using him to get permanent residence in the United States, away from Korea.
Sekou Russell: both Kapitan Lee's daughter and Sachiko in A Pale View of Hills are attracted to the lure of potential wealth and the idea of anonymity. It is possible that Nami is marrying an American academic for financial stability.
Maria Nadeau: I believe Kapitan Lee's daughter, Nami, is genuinely in love with the American professor. He has helped her out with school, and eventually the relationship progresses. She loves him although her father is disgusted by the thought of having a "big- nosed son-in-law."
Han Ki: Nami is marrying someone with a stable position. Defying tradition, she strives for a piece of the American dream. Had she decided to stay in Korea, she would have been pressured by society to get married at a young age to a Korean husband. Forced to retire early from her studies, she would have settled down as a housewife. This is typical of so many young women of her time.
Since she has chosen to marry an American, she has numerous career opportunities and the options of continuing her studies. In the United States, she has access to all kinds of recreational facilities, modern technologies, and luxury items, many which are still unavailable in Korea.
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