Analysis of Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden - Term Paper Example

In modern world today, freedom is a concept that lies in the hearts and tongues of every individual. From teenagers, especially teenagers to adults, every single person is rather aware of their rights. When talking about rights, there are no surprises in the fact that freedom takes the number one spot on that list. Many a times, one is left thinking whether we take it all for granted? All the time that we waste on arguing about independence and freedom, is it even worth it? Believe it or not, as common as this word “freedom” is, and as much as it is used today, it has an absolutely different meaning to every single person. For some freedom is to go out and enjoy life without any interference, for others freedom is to say and speak your mind. But, there is one person out there for whom freedom is the will to walk free and eat whatever he wants. (Lunch with the FT: Shin Dong-hyuk) This definition of freedom belongs to Shin Dong-hyuk, the first person ever to escape the gulag in North Korea. Born behind the brutal and cruel bars of a North Korean prison, Shin’s story is empowering, extremely sad and eye opening. Shin spent his childhood and entire teens in this barbaric prison, where evil torture was the boss and the helpless were punished for no reason. Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD); Shin tries to lead a normal life everyday. PSTD is a condition in which a person has experienced something extremely traumatic and is constantly shadowed by that feeling. Normally, if such patients are given a little space and time, they return to a normal life; but in some cases, these symptoms worsen over the time period.(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) In this case, even today Shin fights every day to find some normality in his life; but sadly the demons of his past just won’t let go. Shin’s story became public when Blaine Harden wrote a personal account on his life during his time and after the escape based on several interviews. “Escape from Camp 14” is Shin’s story, but it speaks for the thousands of other prisoners held in North Korea who did not have the courage or the fate of Shin to escape from that dreadful place. But why scrutinize a person who is free now? This is not the question though, one question will always remain, and that is: “Is Shin really and truly free?” By escaping the torment and torture of that prison, did he set himself free or is he bound in mental anguish for the rest of his life? Shin was born in the labor prison, and his birth was the result of a forced union between his mother and father, neither of the two had any choice in it and just did what was forced of them. For as long as Shin can remember, he thought of himself as the product of a sin. Camp 14 was one of the many labor camps in North Korea where people were detained for as long as they live and generations were punished for the mistakes that their ancestors made. The reason Shin was in his prison was because his parents were there, and they were there because Shin’s uncle had committed the heinous crime of trying to escape. Easily, generations were imprisoned and they paid for the mistakes and crimes that they never committed. Shin was merely four years old when he witnessed the first death sentence of his life. The trauma that he experienced cannot be described. The first ever memory of Shin is of the brutal execution of a man, “Then there were gunshots and I remember being very scared.”(Lunch with the FT: Shin Dong-hyuk) Living in this atmosphere, Shin had no idea of the world outside, for him Camp 14 was home. His entire childhood was spent doing harsh physical labor that obviously was never paid for. Even the slightest of mistakes were rewarded with greater punishments. Shin has the tip of his middle finger missing, and this was the result of him dropping a sewing machine. Body parts being cut was just the tip of the ice berg as far as punishments were concerned, people were easily beaten to death, literally. (Lunch with the FT: Shin Dong-hyuk) The list of Shin’s horrific tale from Camp 14 is never ending, just as we think that this is it, it cannot get any more brutal, and it does. For twenty three years, Shin paid for crimes he never committed, instead he got used to the instructions and code of conduct there. So much that he told on his mother and brother about their escape plan, which eventually led to their death. This act of his can easily be associated with the Stockholm syndrome, a condition in which the person subjected to abuse and torment bonds emotionally with the abuser and considers him as the “good one.” (Counselling Resource)Since Shin had lived in those horrific circumstances since the day he was born, he was accustomed to the “All according to Rules and Regulations” code. Anyone who tried to escape was supposed to be killed instantly, thus he told on his own mother and brother in hope of a reward, which was a meagre extra portion of food.(Lunch with the FT: Shin Dong-hyuk) Over the time, Shin’s painful past has led to a very major and intense impact on him mentally. For every normal individual, going through such extreme circumstances from such a tender age is bound to leave its mark. Just like his body, Shin’s mind is scarred for life. Even though he is a free person now and works for the human rights, is he actually enjoying his newly found freedom? Does he sleep in peace at night? Such questions still remain. Is Shin free from mental torture? Or what are the things that act as barriers to him finding psychological freedom? Shin clearly suffers from PSTD, and not just the minor PSTD, but he is a rather major patient considering his history. Even after years of his escape, Shin remains aloof and awkward at social interactions. He is jittery and fiddles which are clear signs of the disorder that he developed due to the traumatic life that he has led. Ever since he escaped, he has been questioned about his experience, he has been asked to relive the moments by narrating them, and as a result he still hasn’t found a clean slate yet. However, Shin is very clear about his stance now, he is keen on erasing the terrifying memories; “I do not want to think about the past anymore.” (Escape from Camp 14, by Blaine Harden, review) He suffers from guilt and shame of the fact that he made it out alive while others still suffer. For him being the lucky one has come with its consequences. Constant reminder of the people he left behind, even though he had no attachment with anyone of them. The lack of love in his life has led him to be socially awkward and even though he wants to, he cannot start a normal life and have a girlfriend. His PSTD causes him to have nightmares; he suffers from regular panic attacks (page 164, 165). Paranoia is common in his behavior, thus he remains isolated (page 164). His lack of family ties and emotional bonding has further aggravated his isolation. Shin Dong-hyuk is a man of great bravery, but at the same time he remains vulnerable as well as noble. He wants to use his experience to help others and open eyes of people living in luxury in order to make them appreciative of what they have. He is paying a great personal cost for helping the society because every time he recalls a day in that camp, he relives it; and there is nothing worse than feeling trapped even when you are free. His Post traumatic Stress Disorder fails to let him live free and aware. However, his condition is improving slowly and steadily. As a man, he believes and enjoys small perks of life and considers them freedom: ordering and eating whatever you like, walking free, dogs as pets’ rather than guard animals etc. His personal experience in Camp 14 has left him broken, crippled and shattered; his personality was never allowed to bloom or groom, these are things that will definitely shadow his confidence in the walk of life. Shin is the representative of the thousands of voices, dead or alive and he knows it. He carries that burden every morning when he wakes up; he feels the duty to tell people of the hidden evil. It is sad and unfortunate, but then again, a lot of people would give anything to be in Shin’s place right now; and he is thankful of that. His religious seeking has steered him a little towards peace; one can only hope that Shin achieves the psychological freedom from the conniving demons of his past. Works Cited Counselling Resource. 2014. 9 February 2014. Escape from Camp 14, by Blaine Harden, review. 2014. 9 February 2014. Escape from Camp 14: One Mans Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom inthe West. New York: Penguin Group , 2012. Lunch with the FT: Shin Dong-hyuk. 2014. 8 February 2014. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 2014. 8 February 2014. Read More