Sumik’o’s mysterious background are said in the near future. Their own elegant attitude derives from their experience with socialism and her college education, which offer their own rational borrowing from the bank and set their own over the status you to Taeyong has speculatively offered their particular just before. After Sumik’o’s second visit to Taeyong’s office, Taeyong and you will Sumik’o get into her flat, and you will she fully opens up in order to him on the their own earlier in the day lifetime along with her aspects of thinking of moving Seoul. Afterward, she went to college or university, but she didn’t surrender their particular demand for socialism. When their particular father made an effort to wed their unique off which have a giant dowry, she escaped domestic once more and later turned into searching for Korea and you will decided to move to Seoul to follow another type of lifetime.
Their abilities of domesticity within her apartment-such as, and make teas and you will toast or taking off their particular male visitor’s coating-serves as an indication away from their unique prior existence that have a beneficial socialist guy as well as their awareness of bourgeois details out-of romantic like and courtship one result of their unique center-class family history
That novella are had written regarding article-KAPF stop period, the word “socialism” used to be censored given that “XX” and you can next substituted for “opium,” an elaborate selection of Ch’ae’s whenever Sumik’o tells their facts. She claims, “The some body labeled XX because the opium, best?” (Age 46). XX can often be utilized in place of censored conditions, however, writers along with willingly tried it instead getting conditions that might be individuals to have censorship. thirty-five Of the substitution “socialism” with “opium,” the words treats the previous since an addictive material. At the same time, it asserts a particular ambiguity about the notion of socialism. Including, the second report by the Sumik’o creates an uncertain meaning: “In the long run, I found myself a different opium fan. However, becoming bookish, I happened to be including an opium addict which don’t take opium” (E62). Sumik’o’s demand for socialism and her college education classify her once the a socalled new woman, and this Taeyong finds where to meet chubby single women out reputable. These characteristics could be the particular attributes of the the lady in the Korea at that time. 36
She has a mix of different [Stop Page 270] qualities: a beneficial sexualized, beautiful body; a desire for socialism; and you may a possible to have domesticity
Sumik’o’s socialist prior is the reason for Taeyong’s respect on her, however, their particular ideological investment is additionally the reason of its split. She goes through a successful change of a good socialist to good Japanese imperial loyalist throughout the novella. Taeyong, on the other hand, stays during the Seoul instead their own and you may continues to limit their life so you’re able to his limited conditions. Their own socialist past becomes an imperialist enterprise when she moves in order to Seoul after which further with the Chinese region-Manchuria. Her go on to Seoul scratching their unique “conversion” (K. chonhyang, J. tenko) out-of socialism along with her merger toward Japanese expansion endeavor. At the end of the story, Sumik’o makes to have Manchukuo by herself, unlike recognizing their completely new plan to go back to Tokyo-a strategy she to start with as well as advised to help you Taeyong. The past step of Sumik’o’s successful “conversion” contrasts towards the “non-conversion” out of Taeyong, just who she results in. 37
At the same time, Taeyong’s updates while the a good colonized subject shines as he spends day which have Sumik’o. Like, it converse in the Japanese, maybe not Korean. New disagreement ranging from socialism and you may imperialism also plays a part in Taeyong’s feel. The guy indicates that he had been an “opium addict” (we.age. socialist) previously but doesn’t proceed with the addiction any further. Neither do he support imperialist ideology. He shows you you to his unsupportive ideas into the japan Empire produced him end composing novels. However, mysteriously, during the an extended monologue one criticizes the state of modern neighborhood, he implies that the guy fully supports japan “samurai spirit” (that is, the prices of your Japanese army), that he claims is dependant on company “principle” (E87). Which outline has actually often already been understand as the a proof to have Ch’ae Mansik’s collaborationist attributes. not, regarding story, japan samurai heart is displayed among the grounds as to why Taeyong don’t build novels any more. Japan “principle” try an honest suggestion but also a thing that he you should never totally learn, to make your stop the writing regarding books [End Page 271] totally of respect for it. Taeyong including condemns almost every other modern-day publishers having composing mediocre works for currency alone. The guy insinuates these particular work was collaborationist writings. Ch’ae, since copywriter, is safeguarding himself having writing so it extremely part for monetary explanations, a romance story you to definitely helps colonial ideologies.