Saturday, February 16, 2013

A Quiet Odyssey


Quiet Odyssey is the autobiography of Mary Paik Lee, a Korean immigrant woman in the United States. I don't think I've ever read such a humbling life story. After the Russo-Japanese war, Japan imposed control over Korea, and many Korean families took refuge in the United States. Her family, and almost every other Korean family, suffered atrocious poverty and racism in this new land. Although her parents worked hard and took every job they could find, their living conditions were reliably inadequate for the growing family, and they were almost always hungry.

Even though their lives are miserable, Lee's narrative has a quiet strength to it (hence the title, Quiet Odyssey), and she never writes off the United States as a hopeless, stupid, hypocritical country, which I'm sure I'd be quite keen to do had I been in her place. Instead, she finds refuge through nature and small acts of kindness from the few compassionate people she meets in her life. She speaks highly of her family and her husband, emphasizing the importance of family and love during times of hardship.

Here are some quotes that especially struck me:


"I asked Father why we had come to a place where we were not wanted ... He explained that anything new and strange causes some fear at first, so ridicule and violence often result. He said the missionaries just lowered their heads and paid no attention to their tormentors. They showed by their action and good works that they were just as good or even better than those who laughed at them. He said that is exactly what we must try to do here in America — study hard and learn to show Americans that we are just as good as they are. That was my first lesson in living, and I have never forgotten it."

"I saw Father and Mother sitting across from each other at the table holding hands, with tears flowing down their faces. I realized how much agony they were suffering, and that my own feelings were nothing compared with theirs. I had been so absorbed in myself that the thought of my parents' suffering had never entered my mind. Seeing them that way made me realize how ignorant I was. It awakened me to the realities of life."

"One boy stood up and asked, 'Are you really a human being like us?' My answer was, 'I have two eyes, a nose, a mouth, two ears, two arms, two legs — just like all of you. The only difference is the color of my skin and hair. I have black hair and dark skin. Do you know that there are more colored people in this world than there are white people? Some are black, brown, yellow, or red. They are all human beings. They speak their own languages, of course, but they love, fight, hate — just like you. When you grow older and are able to travel to other countries, you will see that America is not the only country in the world."

"Living in the country gives one the privilege of discovering that humans are not the only ones to have feelings of love and caring. Ducks and geese mate for life. If one is sick or injured, the other will bring it food and try to protect it. I have seen many that were shot and unable to leave with their group. Their mates stayed with them until the wounded ones died; then they flew away to rejoin their group. Witnessing such devotion makes one feel humble."


Lee's perspective towards her life and her experiences inspire one to work hard, complain less, and never take a single moment for granted. After finishing her autobiography, I wished that I had learned more in school about Asian American history, and I wish I knew more about our despicable treatment of Asian American immigrants that came here less than a generation ago!

For anyone who's craving an eye-opening, historically enlightening, touching and inspirational narrative, I highly recommend Lee's story. Let me know what you think!

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