The Farmer Isolation

Chuanyue Xia A91117683
LTEA 142
05/06/2018

Alone in the World:
Isolation as a Theme of Korean Identity in "The Farmers" Have you ever been in a situation where you felt completely isolated? Isolation can occur because of geographical or spacial reasons, but for social, political, and economic reasons as well. In Cho Myung-hee's 1927 short story "The Farmers," a variety of these factors isolate the farmers in the village beneath the Bukmang and Satae Mountains, as they all suffer during a drought. One could argue that isolation is a theme that describes not only these villagers, but much of Korea as well, making this an interesting theme to examine within the short story. In "The Farmers," Myung-hee examines the geographic, political, and

In addition, the author suggests their political isolation makes it so that even those villagers who reach their intended destinations will not know how they will be received there, or even whether they will be safe. Finally, Myung-hee takes a critical look at the villagers' attempts to reach out to one another and others in their community for support during the drought. By examining these three aspects of isolation via the experience of the villagers, Myung-hee paints a grim picture of the hopelessness felt by the small farming community while simultaneously suggesting that many individuals in Korea may face the same suffering in the face of adversity. While many social, geopolitical, and economic problems of Korea take the spotlight in the international arena, Myung-hee's "The Farmers" indicates that Koreans may face an even more basic, human problem due to their profound isolation. Furthermore, this sense of isolation is consistent along each of many different metrics - geographic, political, and even social. While individuals from other cultures may be able to rely on neighbors, allies, friends, and family, Myung-hee suggests that Koreans may be geographically, politically, and even culturally situated in a manner that makes it difficult for them to do so. This may be hard to imagine for many people, and even impossible to relate to. While the author offers no "solution," to this problem, this question presents an opportunity for future research regarding geographic opportunities in infrastructure development, political opportunities in strengthening relationships with international allies and neighbors, and cultural studies to further examine the factors that may socially divide and isolate Koreans from even their closest neighbors. Meanwhile, "The Farmers"