BaMBoO GrOvE FiNAl PoST #5

1: I was mostly happy with the ending, and ending on the note of finding Hideyo was a really good idea. I think that without the epilouge, where it tells you what happened to her father, im not sure i would have been too happy! I think that Yoko could not have done a better job with the ending, and it was a good way to leave us hanging on what happened to her father, and having Hideyo come home at the very end. This makes you somewhat satisfied with the ending, but keeps you interested even when the book is over.



2: I think that they wanted to keep a little reminder of who they really were even though they had to act otherwise. The family wants to keep a little piece of home with them through the hard times. I think that through these little customs, the Kawashimas remind themselves that they will always have each other and their traditions. Its like a sentimental thing.



3: I admire the whole family for being so strong through this horrible event. If i had to pick 1 person, it would be Yoko. I really saw the most change in Yoko. She went from sort of spoiled, to aprreciating what she had and just being alive. She grew so much over the course of the book. She wanted to complain, but she didnt, because she realized that it wouldnt do any good.



4: I learned a lot, but mostly about the traditions the Japanese and Koreans had. For example, the Japanese carried rucksacks on thier backs, and the Koreans carried a bag on thier hips. I also learned about the historical events going on at the time of the war. The Korean army wasnt all made up of evil people, but they were forced to fight against the Japanese because the government held a grudge against them. I also learned what life was like in a refugee camp, not very good.



5: I think that the moral of the story is that you should never give up. The Kawishimas never gave up, and that helped them through the tough times. They also grew stronger mentally, and gained a feeling that they could accomplish anything. Like Yoko says, "I competed with life and death when young, and I won."