Clay Walls: A Novel"Clay Walls weaves the complex threads of Korean culture into the tapestry of American society while telling the story of the early Korean immigrants, who arrived in Los Angeles in the decade prior to World War II, and of their American born children. Haesu, a yangban of the nobility class, is betrothed against her wishes to Chun, a farmer's son. Bound not by love but by tradition, she follows him to America where they begin their life together. Born in a land where class defines one's status, Haesu's rank in the United States is acknowledged only by her fellow Koreans. Servility is anathema to her and she fiercely resists the slights she experiences in California. Chun, on the other hand, embodies the Taoist mentality. "If you want muddy waters to become clear, you have to lie still." he tells Haesu. He seeks no affirmation of his wotth from strangers, wanting it only from his resentful wife. These two irreconcilable strains of Eastern tradition, personified in Haesu and Chun, are treated as one by a disinterested America which fails to distinguish one Asian immigrant from another. Within the walls of their home, however, the Chuns wage unrelenting warfare over their differences. It remains for their children, born in the United States, to integrate these conflicts and, ultimately, find their place in the new World."--from jacket flap. |
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Alice arms baby began bowl boys called Captain cards chair Charlie chopsticks Chun Chun's Clara dance dollars door dress Edwards Military Academy Elena everything eyes face Faye felt Five-card stud floor Franchot Tone friends gave girl going Grand Central Market Haesu asked hair hanbok hand Harold and John head heard hicktown Jane Japanese Jimmy Karl kimchi kitchen knew Korean Kudara laughed lips looked Mama Miss Song Momma Moonja movie Nagano never night nodded okay ondol Papa picked pulled Pyongyang Reedley Rudy Vallee Samsung screendoor sewing shoes shook shouted sighed sleep smiled someone sound stay stood stop street Sunchoun talk tell There's things thought told took truck turned Uncle voice waited walked waved What's Willie wondered words worry yangban Yobo