How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
I put my hands behind my back, cross my fingers, and tell everyone, "My brother. He die."
[…]
"I the only Park now. I keep name like boy." (11.2-4)
It sounds to us like Young Ju's got a serious case of sibling rivalry with a dose of gender envy on top. Who can blame her though? Even though her brother's just a baby, he's got their Apa wrapped around his little baby fingers… and mostly because he's a boy. Young Ju's just playing out a fantasy here in which she's the favored (and only) son who gets the honor of passing on the family name.
Quote #8
Apa, you have to stop [Joon], I say.
Young Ju, Apa says, shaking his head. Joon Ho is a boy. It is natural for him to pee outside.
I don't understand why Apa thinks boys and girls cannot be treated the same. Why they are so different. There is no dictionary for these kinds of questions. (13.40-42)
If we could only confront Apa on Young Ju's behalf… Where exactly does he think girls peed before toilets were invented anyway? There's no clearer example of Apa's sexism than this scene.
Quote #9
Pastor Kim smiles and gestures as though announcing me on stage. He tells my parents, Young Ju is looking very grown up. More and more like a demure young lady.
My toes curl inside my shoes at the mention of becoming a young lady. My shoulders hunch slightly forward to cover any signs of my developing young-lady body. (24.34-35)
Sounds like Young Ju's not just a tomboy, but a girl who doesn't want to be reminded of or have attention drawn to her growing, female body. Especially by a guy, even if he is a pastor.