Kim is punished for deflating the rubber balls because that was not part of his instructions from the Japanese. This technique makes much sense, as the objective is to collect as many balls as possible and as quickly as possible. While Kim is collecting the balls, his grandmother suggests that he deflate the balls so he is able to fit more into his bag. The rubber balls were needed for the Japanese war effort.
Kim and his classmates are ordered to collect as many rubber balls (previously given to the children from the Japanese) as they can from every household. The chapter titled, “An Empire of Rubber Balls,” encapsulates the confusion and frustration felt by the Koreans as the Japanese forced their way into their society. Ancestry and identity are very important aspects of life in Korea, and to have that ripped from you is beyond devastating. The Japanese stripped the Korean’s of their way of life, but they still had their identity – until that was forcibly changed. Identify becomes the third theme of the novel. Kim watches as his father and grandfather weep for their names and their identity. Kim, his father, and his grandfather visit the cemetery of their ancestors. The story reaches its peak in the chapter with the same title as the book, “Lost Names.” In this chapter, Kim and his family are forced to change their Korean/family names to Japanese names. Honor becomes another strong theme in the novel. Kim frequently finds himself getting into trouble (and severely beaten) for disobeying his Japanese instructors. Kim struggles to honor his family and achieve success in his school, as these ideas are conflicting. Upon returning home, Kim attends a Japanese school. Throughout the story, Kim’s family returns to Korea (in the aptly titled chapter “Homecoming”). Family is a constant theme in this novel, as it becomes apparent that Kim’s parents, grandparents, and siblings are the most important aspects of each other’s lives. It is clear to the reader that Kim’s mother is very supportive of his father, and that his father will do whatever it takes to ensure that his family is safe. This chapter sets the tone for the rest of the novel. The first chapter, “Crossing,” describes his family’s flee from Korea to Manchuria in search of a better life.
Kim’s story begins when he is just one year old. By the end of the novel, the reader empathizes with Kim, his family, and their story. Kim’s story is told through seven heart-wrenching chapters. Kim describes his book as fiction because much of it was written from his memory and the memory of others, which may, or may not, be entirely accurate. Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood, written by Richard Kim, is a story about a Korean boy growing up during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1932 – 1945). Review by NCTA teacher Brianne Brown (Pittsburgh)ġ0th Grade American History II (Reconstruction - Present Day)
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