How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Who is that girl? She cannot be me. Her hair is too big. It stands up big as a bush, just like the hair of the toy man with the rainbow face. Uhmma did not tell me this was curly hair. She said it would look like the sea. But it does not. I am a Mi Gook girl with big ugly toy-man hair. (5.58)
So… sounds like Young Ju doesn't like her new hair. More to the point, she now looks like a male clown—all that pain and suffering, only to produce more pain and suffering. It's interesting that Uhmma totally doesn't share Young Ju's perspective. Talk about a generational split.
Quote #5
What did I just tell you! Apa shouts. Woman, were you listening? Did you hear anything I said? I do not want to grovel anymore like some b****. (9.8)
How is Apa demeaning to Uhmma? He uses "woman" like it's some general category for stupidity, and he implies that Uhmma's a "b****" since she's the one who wants to stay at Gomo's house ("groveling" he calls it) until they get better settled in America. Apa can't just get personal with Uhmma—he has to drag down women in general too.
Quote #6
I wander over to the couch and start to tuck in the corners of the yellow blanket. Gomo says, What a good housekeeper you are. Here, sit down and watch what we are doing. You will have to learn how to be a good older Uhn-nee. It is your responsibility to help your Uhmma take care of him. (10.42)
We just wonder: if the situation were reversed and it was Park Joon Ho who was the older brother to a newly-born Young Ju, would Joon Ho get the same kind of responsibility speech? Hrm...