Caption: Mason Korea introduces the Fall ‘23 Mason Reads book.
Photo credit: GMU Korea Events Management
Every semester at Mason Korea, the Offices of Academic Affairs and University Life hold the “Mason Reads” program, with the purpose of bringing the campus community together around a common text. For the Fall 2023 semester, the university chose “A Little Ball Launched by a Dwarf” by Se-Hui Cho as the second book of this year. There have been several events in connection with the book, such as the movie screening that took place on September 21st and the Essay Competition which ended recently on October 2nd.
“A Little Ball Launched by a Dwarf” was first published in 1978 and popularized the portrayal of the marginalized lives of individuals in Korean society during the period of military dictatorship. According to Mason Korea’s announcement about the book, “the book is considered a landmark in Korean literature and remains a powerful commentary on the human condition.” Themes of oppression, class conflicts, and struggle for personal agency are explored throughout the story.
The author, Se-Hui Cho, included symbolic details to convey a meaning to society, which encourages readers to ponder the dark side of modernization and industrialization in Korea during the 1970s. Take for example, how the author shows the theme through a story of a family, in which the father is described as a “dwarf” by people. The family faces difficulties as they are evicted from their district, due to it being chosen for redevelopment. The characterization of the father being portrayed as a “dwarf” or a “little guy” symbolizes the power difference between the rich and poor, and how the people living in urban poverty had no choice but to become helpless against the tyranny of the authorities, which are described as “giants.” The life of the people who lived in urban poverty is symbolized by the character of the “Dwarf,” and his family, who had to be split apart because of the circumstances. Even though this is a short novel, it makes the audience open their minds to understanding the significant implications of Korean society.
Another keyword the audience can keep in mind while reading is the “little ball” that was launched by the dwarf. The dwarf always dreamed of going to the moon, which symbolizes the hope of the people for an ideal and happy society. The father dies in the story, and later in the novel when the daughter finds out about it, she sees an illusion of him launching a small metal ball into the sky. This shows the earnest hope the dwarf had but could not achieve in his life. Ultimately, the small ball being launched toward the sky portrays that the hope the dwarf once had, was not meaningless.
Written by Jimin Sohn |Staff Editor
Revised by Madison Sailakkham |Managing Editor
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