Pachinko

Pachinko

World literature for me is like a buffet meal, where you can have your pick of international cousiens to your taste. This time we landed in Korea and Japan of 1930s, with stories of times pure to their culture and history. Lives of small ordinary people in the back ground of big historical events and culture diaspora.

Every time I learn about a new culture my hearts fills swell and emotions attached to the people of a different world. So different yet so similar. They have their own stories of families and generations where good people get into difficult circumstances. Every time a character died or suffered, I felt sad. I felt that how life is tough. I learnt the Japanese word for it ‘Sho ga nai’ it can’t be helped - the constant theme of endurance, that one endured lives. A very Christian philosophy but applicable to all cultures. The tough times of early 1930 and 40s were horrible. For me world war has been mostly European bespoke or some American, and the stories of other countries like Japan, China, even Korea are not spoken much. Somehow English has become the universal narrative of such stories. The non resident second or first generation survivors from these countries who settled in UK or America share their family back stories. They haven’t lived but they have listened and observed and seen, they are the traveling story tellers like the olden days, they wanted to travel to get stories. And in some way also find their past. Probably the natives of these countries are not so comfortable in English and the lack of good translators. These stories need to be told, they need to go to newer worlds. So we can know each other and connect. I connected to each of the characters. Sunja the matriarch, Kyongee the sister in law, Yengjin the mother, the women fraternity and how they stood strongly as the men failed. The woman’s lot is to endure and that’s why the feminist theme comes out strongly. But still women rule, behind the curtains as mothers, daughters, wifes and sisters. They help each other grow and endure this life together. That’s what women do. 

Men in trying to be men breakdown with the burden, of caring for family and working hard. Their roles are difficult, it’s not easy to be a man in such a tough world. They become tough and be their gentle selves. The losses each character felt, to lose a lover, to loose the husband, to loose a son, to loose the ability to save your children. The pain of all of it. Min Jin lee writes beautifully and touches your soul. I look forward to all her books now. 5 stars, must say!

There are so many little things you learn about a new culture. I learnt the name of Korean traditional dress - ‘Hanbok, the cultural differences and complex relationship between Korean and Japanese, the foods of rice cakes, and types of breads. Or the words - Yobo meaning darling, Sho ga nai- a Japanese phrase which means it’s can’t be helped’ so deep it explains a lot of Japanese culture and philosophy! All cultures have underlying themes, even sub cultures in a country. A lot of it is by the theme of the religion they follow, but sometimes it’s the amassed and hereditary behaviors which parents give to their children. It’s part of the passing of name and other traditions. The life philosophy- that’s why we have these different themes even for class - like middle class, upper cluster, upper east side, filmy, lower class, gangster class, losers class, scholars class, bully class. All kinds of classes are based on economic, religious, financial, achievements, physicality, and so many other status symbols. The ways how we relate and judge others relatively. It’s an interesting study and probably needs to be done, like a sociological documentary of human behaviors. Why we do what we do. 

There were male characters who also had interesting shades. I remember their names so well. Isak the Saint, Hansu the lover, Kosub the big brother, Noa the lost, Mozasu the simple, Solomon the pure. All of them true men but trying to do the best they can. Each of them and the side characters grow onto you. The male pride and the goodness reflects and conflicts all the time. They respected and loved their women except privacy Hansu. He was a complex character who moved in and out of the frame, taking care of the one he loved and his son from far. He only wanted to protect and he did but he ended up making it worse. The love between Hansu and Sunja is not what you call a love story.  They did love each other and Sunja’s beauty is not what poems are written off. If Hansu was married to Sunja life would have been different but may not be better. 

And how can I not talk about the epic game and the name which inspired the book. Pachinko. The Japanese pin ball game which is not luck but fixed. But everyone wins. So it’s not considered gambling. Would a perfect society allow people to fix games and make money. But life is like that. Life is not abundance. It’s a fixed life, you only try and sometimes you get it and sometimes another. But you take something back and that is what keeps you going. Keep giving but never getting enough. That’s life and that’s pachinko. It’s also what immigrant Koreans have been known for in Japanese society. They have a place which they have built and now being inherited. 

I can talk and discuss this book for ever but I can only request that you must read this book. It’s a wonderful story and must be shared. An epic of four generations and their sufferings. Don’t we all have a family history and story to tell. Tell me yours and I will tell you mine. These need to be told.