Eastern Sentiments by Yi, Taejun - Book Report/Review Example

 Eastern Sentiments by Yi, T’aejun The Koreans have a style of writing which is very distinct from the rest of the world and especially the English writings which are common everywhere as the most popular writing media. The short anecdotal writings of Yi, T’aejun, in his book Eastern Sentiments, just make it easy and convention to the readers and lovers of short stories. Similar writing styles have persistently evolved and are still evident in the Korean newspapers to date. The short anecdotal essays written in this format makes it very easy and interesting to read an even comprehends with great ease. Yi, like many Korean writers, adopts this style in most of his writings, a fact that makes it very easy to his readers to come to terms with the various issues raised therein. In his book the Eastern Sentiments, Yi’s ideas can be described as a man drumming praise on his own self and nation and praising the good that are borne therein. The book is rather patriotic and upholds the good of Korean in a very descriptive and valuable way which impresses everyone who comes into close contact with the same. The level of patriotism and love for one's own nation which surpasses that of the colonialists only fascinates the rest of the world but impresses the rest f good reading folk. It was very hard for the Korean to have written a glorification note to his country, in a format common with memoirs, amidst the harsh memories of the times when the nation was undergoing tremendous troubles of colonialism under the fierce Japanese rule. Some scholars have argued that Yi, T’aejun’s work was a major inspiration to the Koreans amidst the tribulations they underwent. It is a signifier to the success they had gained in attaining their current freedom and economic development that have seen their great value and influence in the global brink. It is a show off to the goods that lay unseen to many at a time of anguish and subjectivity based on rationalism and debut of the Japanese harsh rule over the Korean inhabitants. Like Martin Luther’s ‘I have a dream’ speech that stimulated the spirit of togetherness and imparted the hope to the hopeless black Americans at the time when they were undergoing the greatest sufferings of their lives. When they faced great discrimination and persecution from their white colonialists- as colleagues with whom they lived in the same nation, Yi, T'aejun's message to the people of Korean was strong and adorable (Pollock). Through the book, they could see hope; they could see splendors that adored their own nation and not the impetus Japanese rule which imposed intrinsic tribulations upon them. The Korean writer did his glorious work in the modern times but making allusion to the past times when the nation was in a terrible position and economic dismay. It is a reminder to the treacherous journey and connection to the present success. I am going to present an illustrative review of Yi, T’aejun article Eastern Sentiments by drawing connections on the issues raised therein with the past and the present events in the Korean context. Yi begins his writing by noting his imperfection in the writing spree. It is hard to ascertain why Yi would have to do this amidst the availability of a wide range of reviewers and renowned publishing houses in the world today which can offer accurate guidance to splendid writing. He notes that his language may not be perfect, and this can be easily seen by the readers, just like he does to the other texts and apologizes for the misuse of terms, incorrect verbial or adverbial uses and other grammatical errors. He states in clarifying this aspect; From the time to time, I cannot help but wish my writing could be as easy to correct as other people. In my own writing, I fail to pick up on mistakes as obvious as incorrectly used verbs, but in other people's writing even a slight mistake with an adverb immediately leaps out before my eyes and is not easily passed over (Yi, pp103). It is rather fascinating for a writer to recognize his mistakes prior to the commission of the real mistake. This is a pioneering sentiment in the field of literary works as one may argue. On very few occasions do writers give an apology in their writings for the .linguistic mistakes committed therein yet such are often present. To some writers, upon the realization of such mistakes, they have argued for the poetic assumption in order to defend their works. Yi’s opinions concerning the matter as Ashcroft, Griffiths and Tiffin record are very different and lucid, a clear indication of his good intentional assertions about his writing. He does not regard himself with great authority, neither does he advocate for complete coverage of his work on all aspects of the human society. He rather gives room for positive criticism and corrections in all manners deemed relevant to the consumers of his work, the fact that distinguishes her from many writers across the globe. He does not drum support for his own achievements but leaves this to the rest of the world to do. Yi does not claim for himself a good writer title but leaves this point blank for the rest of the reading folks to judge the validity of the same. He gives them the chance to appraise him on the basis of his arguments, to which he seems loyal while at the same time focused upon. Yi, T’aejun in his writing drums praise in every aspect of the Korean society making it rather difficult to grade the writer in any of the present categories. He cuts across all the specialties and views of the present writers. Some have argued that the writer, Yi, T’aejun, lacked an area of specialization in literature displayed in his article Eastern Sentiments. He drums tremendous praise to every sphere of the Korean nation from the natural environment to the socio- cultural aspects of his precious nation, a true patriot and lover of his nation and people. All these facts display the riches that are unforeseen for many, but which existed since the colonial days. Talking about the physical sceneries that have natural adored the Korean nation (White), the beautiful sceneries of nature and the apparent vegetative cover that draws the attention of every nature lover, Yi, T’aejun gives a vivid illustration of the blooming flowers of the nation, probably symbolizing their present bloom and blossoms in the world economic realms. In a statement he says; Autumn flowers know nothing of heat haze and birdsong. Their bloom and fade under the cold moonlight and amidst the sound of old insects. That is their sorrow and glory (Yi, pp 61). While describing the natural appearances and adornments, Yi, T'aejun argues that he does not close his windows and other openings of his house since he will be concealing himself from the good and free adornments that nature has provided to the Koreans to enjoy. The sweet melodies voices of the birds, insects and the humming of the passing wind, all offering free soothing affair to the ears of everyone. This is a clear consolation to the troubles of the past by twining it amidst the success of the present time. Metaphorically Yi, T’aejun observation of the present prospects in the economic scene and the coming to the world lamp light prompts him to write such sentiments to the unsuspecting society and to reawaken the memories of the forgetful society. The heat haze that befell them during the colonial days and the birdsongs that they sing today, economically at purr with their colonial masters, this is rather ironical and subjective yet assertive. In his arguments, Yi, T’aejun seems to have a great concoction of feelings and opinions about the western cultures compared to that of the Korea. He links this to the hard work and determination with which his folks worked while the whites were busy making merry with beautiful women in their precious apartments during the old days. He asserts, in a statement; When the Europeans were in their rooms drawing beautiful naked women, were not the Orientals out in their gardens sketching strange stones... Victory lies with the Westerners in our modern age. However much we may look down upon them; the lament of the East lies in having to follow furtively in their wake (Yi, pp 81). In a sarcastic manner, Yi, T'aejun despises the western cultures based on the immorality and its capitalistic aspects claiming its inappropriateness in the Korean context. He tries by all means to assert the importance and greatness of the Korean language among other languages at a time that it was less regarded. Arguing that literature must remain literature and be accessible to all who like it, he potentially locks out millions of his readers and cares not about their feelings and opinions until Janet Poole comes in to provide a lucid translation of the story to the entire world for global appreciation and recognition. The art of writing in the local languages dotted various parts of the literary world in the 1940s when there was no common language used as an international language (Boehmer). During Yi's time, we can as well argue in the same direction. Even the works of Shakespeare, Mc'Opollo, Homer and the rest would not have reached the entire global populations should there be no universal language put in place. Yi's work could only be brought to light and see the adoration of a new life with the experience of the world by communicating in a language that was common to the rest of the world. Potentially Yi’s work remained food to the Koreans and probable a few Japanese who understood his context so well. It was after the translation by Poole that the world realized the richness in Yi’s story and begun appreciating it. The western cultures came about with the introduction of the English language as the most common medium of communication as well as the language of the media. This was during the western civilization when the western cultures and mannerisms were assumed by all people on the earth. Many nations were abandoning their own cultural traits including their local languages in favor of the western ones for the sake of gaining prestige and recognition. Most publications during this period were written in the English language with only a few writings done in the local languages mostly at the local levels for local consumption. During the time when this book was written, most Koreans were writing in Japanese, the language of their colonial masters, since this was the most famous and regarded language among the locals. Opposed to all these ideas, Yi, T’aejun came to publish his work in the local Korean language for both local and international consumption. It is somehow less sensible how a prolific writer of Yi’s caliber, who writes for the entire world, would potentially lock out his very audience to the language barrier. It is somehow confusing as Yi, T’aejun tends to scorn the use of foreign languages when he uses them himself. He writes the following in relation to this fact; Everywhere modern literature, and the novels that represent it are written in the vernacular language. This is where the secular nature of the novel lies. As a form that describes the daily life of millions of people in the daily language being used by those millions of people, the novel cannot exist without being somehow popular in nature ( Yi, pp 76). Yi justifies his use of the Korean language in writing his texts appreciating the fact that it needs more exposure at the expense of the foreign languages influences on his own local one. It is, however, ironical that, in the same story where he conveys this message, he uses the Japanese title (無序錄) for his story. One is then left to question the level of seriousness Yi accords to his statements concerning such facts. Whether this is a mere argument, or a serious assertion, is subject to arguments. Yi, T’aejun’s hatred to foreign cultures and mannerisms does not end at this point but scales above language alone. He despises their lifestyle too claiming its wastefulness and unethical in the Korean context. However, he seems to like and appreciates the western things and comfort that comes with them. He commends sincerely the western architecture, dressing styles, the proliferation of the western languages and traditions that slowly came with it gradually replacing the local cultures. He revels in the western culture while at the same time, scorning it for its evils and inappropriate mannerisms in the Korean domain as well as in the global context. George Orwell scorned and wrote ill about the government for whom he worked and stayed in. Martin Luther king as well opposed the western dominion over the blacks in America while at the same time assumed her traditions and mannerisms. To this extent, therefore, we can deduce that activists against the western cultures and mannerisms, as well as those in other regions, are mere hypocrites. They fully squander the goodies they oppose in the dark then come to light only to deny the fact by saying the opposite. Yi falls in this category. He opposes the cultural diversity in the region that he enjoys and later on greatly benefits him. Apart from other themes described in Yi's Eastern Sentiments, traditions come out very loudly in its various forms and structures yet this is the most influential theme in his writing. In his wide array of address to various factors in his essays in his surrounding, Yi talks about virtually every happening in the world and compares them with those that goes around him. Sometimes appreciating them while at times, he bitterly scorns them. It is very hard to understand Yi's opinions concerning the various issues he raises in his writing. He does not have a specific stand in his arguments. Perhaps this is a technique he employs in order to enable every reader to draw his or her own conclusions concerning the various issues he raises thereof. His descriptions are very vivid and complete but at the same time lacking an actual conclusion to determine his side of the argument. Here, Yi dislodges himself of the blame games which may arise out of his famous and sincere arguments. Like the biblical connotation of not passing judgments on others while scorning and bitterly rebuking whatever wrong is going on around, Yi seems to be a good applicant of this opinion. He tactically manipulates people’s thoughts and opinions on various issues and leaves them to decide on the way forward. Referring to the western manner of interaction Yi scorns the way people relate in this context asserting the coldness involved in the whole affair. This makes him hate the western mannerisms even more as he notes in the statement below; …“finally meet a friend for whom I have long yearned, only to find him a nuisance.” (Yi, pp 47) He laments the unfriendliness and personalization of the individuals' own affairs, everyone focusing on his own affair without being concerned with the other. The dawn of the bourgeoisie and the low class persons in the society that acutely oppose slow takes over the society he has known to be liberal and communistic. The segregation of the society into compartments based on people’s social and economic levels makes relations much more complicated and unnecessary. All coming about due to western influence, the society is divided into various classes, each class relating with their likes. The poor begins to befriend the poor and the middles, as well as the high income earning classes relating with those in their own caliber. Slavery then crops in, and the formally free men of his nation are entrapped into self-proclaimed slavery. Searching for money and riches and all aiming at raising their living standards by earnings much more every day, slowly the opinions of the western men are getting embraced by the locals and he feels bad about it. People get engulfed in their own affairs and are unable to meet their friends, relatives, and other close allies to exchange pleasantries s they used to do before. Everybody minding his or her business, friendship ties are broken, and relations are seen as a burden to one. One chooses his or her friends carefully to avoid making mistakes over the same, the fact that was absent in the past society. One meets his long time friend and the warmth of friendship is long gone amongst friends such that no one appreciates another on the basis of who they are but for what they are. Yi seems to hate all these. The fact he raises, however, comes to take over the social contexts they have wallowed in for a long time. His writings are but a prediction of the future events that would befall the Korean society. In order to achieve the recent status in the global sphere, the Koreans themselves had to work tirelessly day and night having much more minimal times to associate with their close relations. This aspect seemed to have engulfed the Yi's society faster than he expected, and he sounds to like the fruits that come with all. Yi as had been mentioned before in this paper sound with hatred to the capitalistic affairs and mannerisms just as other communists' writers such as Carl max and his fellows who strongly opposed the capitalist systems of societal structure and advocated for communism. Yi is in opposition to Harden Garrett’s arguments in his article Life Boat Ethics that “To be generous with one’s own possessions is quite different from being generous with those of posterity” (41). Garrett, being a true capitalistic ideologist using the lifeboat parole to establish the paranoid of capsizes changed the perceptions of the western developed nations putting the worlds resources at the brink of collapse to pollution and exhaustion. Similar happenings are cropping up in Yi's society, and he seems to be alarmed at their proliferation. He calls such capitalistic ideas hybrid systems which to him see not to last long to see the light of day and he does not like them as he precisely say of them; …hybrid Chrysanthemum… Which bloom all to artificially, as if their heads had been permed.” (Yi, pp 44) Surprisingly enough, these hybrid systems seem to thrive and take over the entire world only to amaze Yi in his rest bed. He would not want to see his own community accepting the foreign ideologies and preferences as they do today. As if performing a mock dance to the arguments raised by Yi, the Korean society slowly melts to embrace the western cultural mannerisms present in the region to date. In conclusion, I would like to applaud Yi, T’aejun for the good work in the literacy field as he comes out to raise his ideas in a complete and generous perspective allowing room for every reader to draw his or her own conclusion. Yi, T’aejun, by taking the spectator writer’s position describes every event taking place in his country, scorning and rebuking them where necessary then turning around to adore them presents a very beautiful literary piece of the ages. The pertinent ideas he raises in this piece are like a projection into the future as well as a reminder of the past. The manner in which he fuses the two aspects is rather pleasing and interesting, a sign of a good and focused writer. Writing the piece in his local Korean language only helps clearly to bring out his intentions and ideologies concerning the various issues raised therein out his intentions and ideologies concerning the various issues raised therein. Works Cited Ashcroft, B., , G., Griffiths and H., Tiffin. The Post-Colonial Studies Reader. London: Routledge, 1994. Boehmer, E., . Colonial and Postcolonial Literature: Migrant Metaphors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985. Pollock, S., . ‘Introduction’ in Literary Cultures in History. Reconstructions from South Asia. Ed. S., Pollock. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003. White, H., . Metahistory. The Historical Imagination in Nineteenth-Century Europe. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1973. Yi, T'aejun, . "Eastern Sentiments." Janet, Poole, . Translation and introduction. New York: Columbia University Press, 2009. 208. Read More