A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
An Na. 2002. A STEP FROM HEAVEN. Penguin. ISBN 0142500275.
B. SUMMARY
A Step From Heaven is the story of a Korean family, told from the point of view of the female protagonist Young Ju, who at the age of four emigrates with her family from a tiny fishing village in Korea to Mi Gook, i.e. the United States. As a young child, Young Ju thinks Mi Gook is heaven, based on all the praises heaped upon it by her relatives. However, Young Ju and her family quickly come to realize that life in the United States is not easy as both of Young Ju’s parents are forced to take on menial jobs in order to support the family.
Young Ju’s mother, whom she addresses as Uhmma, is a quiet, hardworking, and devout Christian woman who is also a loyal wife. Young Ju’s father, Apa on the other hand, is an alcoholic who vents his frustrations by physically abusing his wife and children, i.e. Young Ju and her younger brother Joon Ho. Young Ju initially resents her younger brother, who is prized by his father for being a son, and feels ignored and saddened that her father has such a low opinion of women.
As Young Ju grows older, she excels in school whilst her parents toil away at low-paying jobs, handicapped by their inability to speak fluent English. She is torn by a desire to be more like her American friends, whilst being beholden to the Korean traditions which her parents strictly adhere to. Young Ju begins to feel embarrassed by her poverty, especially when she compares her circumstances with her best friend Amanda, a middle class Caucasian girl who has supportive and loving parents.
The abuse continues unabated over the years, with Young Ju’s mother Uhmma bearing the brunt of Apa’s alcoholic-fueled violence. It is only much later that Uhmma finds the courage to begin a new life with her two children, away from her husband. Young Ju matures into a self-possessed and confident young woman with a bright future ahead of her.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
As an example of realistic fiction, this debut novel strikes all the right chords. It is lyrical and poignant, and in Young Ju, the author has created a sensitive and thoughtful protagonist who is well-delineated. Many adolescents will relate to Young Ju’s need to find her ‘voice’ and become her own person. The novel is narrated from Young Ju's point of view and will resonate with adolescents who have emigrated to the United States and have experienced the process of acculturation (and in some cases, assimilation) that comes with emigration.
The themes of self-identity, acculturation, family, poverty, and domestic abuse are dominant throughout the novel and credibly portrayed. The themes elicit empathy for the main character, Young Ju as well as her mother and brother. These themes are credibly woven into the plot, and make the reader feel as if these are real issues and problems faced by real people, as they very well could be. These themes are also contemporary themes, given that there is a large population of migrants in the United States who experience many of the conflicts that Young Ju and her family experience throughout the course of the novel. This increases the credibility factor of the novel.
The main characters are credibly portrayed. Young Ju is portrayed as an intelligent and sensitive young woman who goes against the cultural stereotype of a submissive Asian girl. She is vocal when she feels that she has been misunderstood or unfairly treated, especially with regards to her father. Apa, the father character in this story is portrayed in a negative light, yet does not come across as a caricature. As the story progresses, the reader becomes aware that there are extenuating circumstances which have caused Apa to turn to alcohol as a means of drowning his frustrations and sorrow. I did feel that Uhmma was rather weak-willed, and for most of the story, appeared to embody the cultural stereotype of the weak-willed and subjugated Asian wife. For many years, Uhmma suffers physical and emotional abuse, and watches as her children get beaten by their father, and it was hard to sympathize with this character until she sort of redeems herself towards the end. Though the story has lots of Korean cultural references, these references enhance the storytelling and do not overwhelm the story.
The author’s writing style is quite simple, with easy, unadorned language that conveys the main characters’ experiences. Korean words and expressions are woven into the story in a manner that is not jarring, and do not detract from the reader’s engagement with the story. Due to the difficult life led by the characters, the mood is bleak for the most part, though this is offset by the brilliant portrayal of Young Ju, who is kind, gentle and ever hopeful of a better life. It is this sense of hope that shines through at the end.
D. AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
National Book Award Finalist (2001)
ALA Printz Award (2002)
Children’s Book Award in YA Fiction –International Reading Association (2002)
Publisher’s Weekly: “In fluid, lyrical language, Na convincingly conveys the growing maturity of her perceptive narrator who initially (and seamlessly) laces her tale with Korean words, their meaning evident from the context. And by its conclusion, readers can see a strong, admirable young woman with a future full of hope."
E. CONNECTIONS
*A Step From Heaven can be used as a launching pad for discussions on the immigrant experience, and young adults can be introduced to other books with a similar theme (read-alikes):
Alvarez, Julia. 2010. RETURN TO SENDER. Yearling. ISBN 0375851232.
Husain, Aliya. 2010. NEITHER THIS NOR THAT. Lulu. ISBN 0557223022.
Sheth, Kashmira. 2004. BLUE JASMINE. Hyperion. ISBN 0786818557.
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2002. ESPERANZA RISING. Scholastic. ISBN 043912042X.
Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. KIRA KIRA. Atheneum. ISBN 0689856407.
*Readers Theater on A Step From Heaven
*Creative expressions: Korean food is depicted in this book, such as kimchi, seawood soup, sticky rice, etc. Children can be encouraged to describe some of the traditional food of their respective cultures, and this can be further extended to cover traditions and rituals specific to their culture.
*Young adults who are interested about the author's background can check out this link:
http://www.anwriting.com/author.html
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