So Far From the Bamboo Grove

In So Far From the Bamboo Grove, the Kawashima family had to flee from Korea on July 29, 1945. That was because the Koreans resented Japanese occupation of Korea. A group of Korean soldiers, calling themselves the Korean Communist Army, were fighting against the Japanese army and killing Japanese living in Korea. Americans and Russians were also fighting against the Japanese because Japan invaded many Asian countries.

As I read the beginning of the story, I felt worried for the Kawashima's. I also pitied them, since they were being chased by many Korean soldiers.

Yoko, the youngest daughter of the Kawashima family, lived in Korea with her family. That was because her father had work as a government official in Manchuria (an area in northern Korea, according to the book. In fact it is northeast of China). Since the Kawashima's are Japanese, some Koreans disliked them. When the Japanese invaded Korea, many Koreans became oppressed for years and many were killed by Japanese. The resentment built up, and the Koreans rebelled. The Korean Communist Army began killing any Japanese people they found. That forced the Kawashima's to flee their home in Korea.

At one point in their flight, a group of Korean soldiers found them. Ironically, the bombers (who were trying to kill Japanese) accidentally killed the Korean soldiers. That was because the Koreans did not know what to do when a bombing began. They were killed, but the Kawashima's survived by lying flat on the ground.

Yoko and Ko are sisters. Ko, referred to as Honorable Sister, had more authority. Still, the two of them acted like equals. Yoko thought Ko was bossy, since she kept telling the family what to do. However, she was really just trying to keep them safe and alive.

The life or death situation that the Kawashima's faced made them stronger and braver. I don't think most people would react the same way: instead of trying to save themselves, they would just panic and wait for the "knight in shining armor" to come and save them. Unfortunately, in this story, the knight in shining armor wasn't there. It was due to the fact that Ko did not panic that the Kawashima's made it out of their house and to the train to Seoul.

The part where the Koreans attacked the Japanese ammunition factory made the deepest impression on me. It was hard to believe that anyone could be so angry that they would attack and kill people less than twenty years old. Then I learned that the hatred was really caused by the invasion and cruelty of the Japanese army.

Eventually, the Kawashima's were able to get to the harbor. They got on board a boat to Japan.
Yoko was disappointed when she got to Japan, since it seemed so barren. That wasn't a surprise: Two atomic bombs had just been dropped on two cities. These cities were destroyed.

After the attack at the ammunition factory, Hideyo (Yoko's older brother), who survived the attack, escaped back to his home. Unfortunately, his family already left. Hideyo gathered supplies for a long journey to find his family: Food, water, a cooking pot, candles, and matches. He also got clothing. That proves he was strong and able to survive, like Ko.

It was very crowded in Seoul and Pusan. The family had to protect each other.

Mrs. Kawashima was brave, strong, honest, and generous. Yoko and Ko were very much like her. For example, on the medical train (Chapter 2), they gave food, water, and blankets to others. They faced bombs and soldiers without backing down, and they helped each other.
Ko was able to handle any situation. I am sure that if she were trapped on an island alone, she would be able to escape. If I were in a difficult situation, I would want her with me. Having Ko with me would be a great example to learn survival skills. She would know what to do, where to go, and be able to keep me strong.