When my Name was Keoko - Names as Part of our Identity

[Lizette Bernal]

 

I love when stories paint a vivid picture. In “When my Name was Keoko” by Linda Sue Park, we see a glimpse of what it’s like to be a Korean when the Japanese take control in 1910. What is most fascinating about this text is how the author describes the transition from Korean culture and traditions to Japanese customs and practices. There is a major question being asked by Park when thinking of how names impact our reality and identity: does your name define who you are? I agree with Kim Young-chun when he says, “They can’t do this-they can’t take away our names! I am Kim Young-chu, I will never be anyone else!” because well, our names become a part of who we are. Kim Young-chu’s frustrations is not unprecedented considering that it meant completely stripping them from their Korean roots after having to speak Japanese, respond to Japanese in power, and always being second-best to their culture.