Under The Black Umbrella Summary

Under the Black Umbrella focuses on Japan and their rule of Korea. It gives personal encounters the Koreans had with the Japanese. Under the Black Umbrella unveils the hidden truth of a forgotten issue: Korea and the effects imperialism. Many of the stories told can be categorized into three sections, the conformists, the resistors and the passive aggressive.

Kang Pyôngju tells the story of his grandfather, a leader of a village in Korea. His grandfather lived in what he describes as an era where “earthquakes rocked the country. The modern world knocked, pounded, and battered its way into our consciousness.” (Kang, pg. 233) His grandfather opened this door and while doing so found change standing in in front of him. He was one of the first

He was intrigued by the martyr Cho Ahn, and that was the start of his movement. The history of Korea was washed away by the Japanese, so finding books about Korea were hard to come by. Yi gathered several of his classmates to find books and learn about their motherland. The only way they were allowed to gather was in the name of a bible study. However, they eventually got caught. The discovery of their organization led to the members being arrested. They had the truth beat out of them and were imprisoned. He was forced into the military effort, working for a factory, as well as forced to join in Japanese customs. When released, a red line marked his record indicating that he had been in prison causing no one to want to hire him. After the liberation of Korea, he moved down South to escape from the communists who had been contacting him to restore Korea. (Chapter 8 1572-

Many formed groups that advocated independence for Korea. Students were watched diligently because education meant knowledge and awareness of injustice. Martyrs were the ultimate sacrificers, many dying in prison. To resist meant to denounce the Japanese, creating a target on not only the resistors back but their family. Yi was a warrior in the sense that he persevered through the consequences of his actions. In terms of motivation, he craved to save Korea from the hands of imperialism. He did not easily give up which is a trait that is admirable. To love one’s country as deeply as Yi is patriotic.

Others resisted silently, drawing no attention to their protests. Yan Sôngdôk lived near a seaport, home to many Japanese. Korean tradition was to wear white clothing, but that was not well liked by the Japanese. The Korean children childishly protested the Japanese sometimes by throwing “chicken dropping onto their laundry” (Kang pg. 1799). As Yan grew up, he found other ways to resist and that was through music. (Kang, Chapter 9, pages