“Your life can be different, Young Ju. Study and be strong. In America, women
have choices.”1
Korean people tend to define women as wives, mothers, caregivers, or
just simply as girls, always with regard to their sexual behavior rather to their
individuality as a person. For over five hundred years Confucianism has been
the mainstream of Korean culture and tradition, setting the social role of
Korean women. Koreans still strongly believe in Confucian values, behave,
feel, and think in Confucian ways, despite the fact that Koreans, particularly
Korean Americans and specifically Korean American women, have
experienced new social realities and such social changes as modern
socialization, westernisation, Christianization, industrialization, and immigration
to the American socio-cultural setting.
The major premises for this paper are (1) a view on women in Korea and
Confucian values in Korean society. (2) What happens when a traditional
immigrant couple arrives in America and that a departure from traditional
roles often results in domestic violence. (3) The role of Korean children in
Korea and in America. These considerations build the theoretical background
for (4) an examination of a Korean American novel of a family experiencing
new social realities upon arriving in the United States.
The paper will show that the Confucian values are still dominating in
Korean American families and that a departure of the traditional family
setting is hard or impossible for single family members, especially for the men
who see their patriarchal authority over their wife and children erode. The
women begin to question the superior position of their husbands and children
experience a time of confusion and frustration for their parents often disagree
about new ways of raising them. This paper will also show that the problems
and examples given in the novel A Step from heaven by An Na are typical for
Korean American immigrants and that children are again the ones that suffer
the most.
1 Na, An: A Step from heaven. New York, 2000
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Women in Korea
2.1 Confucianism of Korean Society
3. Korean immigrant couples in America
3.1 A departure from traditional roles
3.2 Domestic violence in Korean immigrant families
4. Korean immigrant children in America
4.1 Children in Korea
4.2 Korean children in America
5. A Step from Heaven
6. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Themes
This paper examines the influence of traditional Confucian values on Korean American families, focusing on how the clash between these ancestral expectations and modern American social realities contributes to domestic violence and intergenerational conflict. The research highlights the struggle of women and children as they attempt to balance cultural identity with the necessity of adapting to a new environment.
- Impact of Confucianism on gender roles and family hierarchies.
- Challenges faced by immigrant couples departing from traditional structures.
- Root causes of domestic violence in the Korean American immigrant experience.
- Psychological and behavioral pressures exerted on Korean American children.
- Literary analysis of An Na’s "A Step from Heaven" as a reflection of societal issues.
Excerpt from the Book
A Step from heaven
A Step from Heaven by An Na is the story of the girl Young Ju Park and her family. At the age of four Young Ju migrates with her father and mother from Korea to the United States of America and all of them experience – in different ways – the tremendous cultural clash as explained above. Of course, each family member deals with the problems their facing in their new home in their own way, mother, father, Young Ju, and later her U.S. born brother Joon Ho.
The story begins in Korea before the migration. Young Ju`s Uhmma (“Mom”) lives, of course, with her husbands family, which exists only out of Young Ju`s Apa (“Dad”) and her Halmoni (“Grandma”). Mr. Park is violent towards his family when drunk and because there is no Grandfather anymore, nothing can be done about it: “Halmoni, […] says that a long time ago Apa was young like me and she could boss him around. But not anymore.” After her husband’s death and according to the “three obediences” she has to obey her son when widowed. There is nobody left to judge him, except for God, “he is the only one who can”. Why Mr. Park is violent is not all clear, frustration because of low income seems to be one reason. Only when his older sister who already migrated to the U.S. invites him to follow her, the new perspective lifts his spirits and Young Ju starts thinking that the U.S.A must be heaven, from what is explained to her and what changes it evokes in her family.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's premise, stating that Confucian values continue to dominate Korean American families, often leading to conflict and domestic challenges.
2. Women in Korea: This section details the historical impact of Confucianism on Korean society, emphasizing the institutionalization of patriarchal structures and the subordination of women.
3. Korean immigrant couples in America: This chapter explores how the transition to American culture forces a shift in gender roles, frequently resulting in marital strain and domestic violence.
4. Korean immigrant children in America: This analysis focuses on the high academic pressures and psychological struggles faced by children caught between traditional Confucian upbringing and American social expectations.
5. A Step from Heaven: This section provides a literary analysis of An Na's novel to illustrate the practical, often traumatic, reality of the cultural clashes previously discussed.
6. Conclusion: The concluding chapter reiterates the urgent need for Korean families to adapt their value systems to thrive in the United States and calls for community action against domestic violence.
Keywords
Confucianism, Korean American Families, Immigration, Gender Roles, Domestic Violence, Patriarchal Authority, Cultural Clash, An Na, A Step from Heaven, Acculturation, Parenting Styles, Academic Pressure, Identity, Socialization, Feminism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper explores how traditional Confucian values shape the experiences of Korean American immigrants and the subsequent conflicts that arise within these families in the United States.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the clash of cultural ideologies, the erosion of patriarchal authority, domestic violence, the psychological impact on children, and the struggle for individual identity.
What is the main objective of the author?
The goal is to demonstrate that traditional Confucian structures are often incompatible with modern American life, leading to domestic dysfunction and the need for new, egalitarian social norms.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author utilizes a sociological approach combined with a literary analysis of An Na’s novel, "A Step from Heaven," to synthesize cultural theory with real-world case studies.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The text is structured to move from historical background (Confucianism) to specific family dynamics (couples and children), culminating in a narrative analysis of a literary work that mirrors these issues.
How would you characterize this work?
It is a critical analysis of the intersection between cultural heritage and immigration, highlighting the necessity of shedding oppressive traditions to foster healthy, functioning families.
How does the author characterize the role of the father figure in the novel?
The author portrays the father, Mr. Park, as a man struggling with his eroding patriarchal authority and financial inadequacy, which leads to abusive behavior as a way to "prove" his masculinity.
What is the significance of the "cloud" metaphor used by the protagonist, Young Ju?
The cloud represents freedom and a vision of a "heavenly" life in America; reaching for it symbolizes Young Ju’s quest for independence and her desire to escape the oppressive traditions of her family background.
- Citar trabajo
- Johanna Niemann (Autor), 2001, Korean American Families, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/17522
