Fight for independence or remain loyal to Japanese employer?

Use this forum to discuss the January 2021 Book of the month, "The Vanished" by Pejay Bradley
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Iris Marsh
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Re: Fight for independence or remain loyal to Japanese employer?

Post by Iris Marsh »

Like many of you already said, I think it's understandable that he chose for safety, considering that he also had an obligation to protect his family. Especially since his wife was expecting another child. It was probably the 'easy path', but at least he did something, however small. However, you could also argue that he should've fought for a free Korea because of his family; because he wanted his children to grow up in a free Korea. It's a very difficult choice.
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Post by Joy Phill »

My answer is an affirmative yes. Mr Koo left the heavy burden of providing for his family in the hands of his pregnant wife. I believe Mr Seoh to be a more responsible family man.
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Post by Shirley-Tome »

His immediate loyalty had to come to his family first. There are probably few who would do otherwise!
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Post by Mutai Marshal »

His decision may not portray patriotism. However, his decision was supported by the fact that he was taking care of his family's interests. I, therefore, will not bash him for his decision.
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Post by Lalit_kendre14 »

These sorts of choices are what I call "two difficult situations" choices. One is about self-safeguarding (taking of yourself and your family), and the other is about the master plan (battling for the fate of your reality). As a female, in the mid-1900s, I would truly just have the decision of supporting my significant other's choice. I envision that I would be tangled and that I would likely pick self-protection until things had the opportunity to be awful. Truly, however, none of us truly understand what we'll do until we are in reality in that circumstance.
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Post by Sres0 »

I believe Mr. Koh did the right thing. Maybe out of fear, but I believe people like him were so necessary at the time.

He was the one to support Mr. Koo whenever he was hungry or needed money, and that's because he had a well-paying and stable job. A revolution needs those who will fight and those who support the fighters. Also, Mr. Koh was working in a good place. He didn't have to surrender his dignity by changing his name to a Japanese counterpart or work tirelessly for less money than a Japanese would.

If the revolutionaries die, people like Mr. Koh are the ones that will stay in the country and continue the Korean legacy, as he still had a will to live as a proud Korean.
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Post by kalgaonkarsnehal »

B Creech wrote: 01 Jan 2021, 07:21 Japan had occupied Korea for many years when the South Korean King was poisoned. Mr. Seoh worked in the Japanese Bank and had just gotten a promotion. His friend, Mr. Koo, approached him about joining an uprising to regain their independence from Japan. Mr. Seoh had a decision to make: fight for Korea's independence with his fellow Korean's, or protect his job, and probably his family. If you have read the 5th chapter, do you think he made the right decision?
Mr. Seoh was a practical man. He would feel for his country and tried to help his friend, but he realized his primary responsibility was to his family and their well being. I think from his perspective he made the right decision.
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Post by Kennedy NC »

Most times personal interest does override group interest and the decision by Mr Seoh to protect his family is a pragmatic one I can real with.
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Post by Megamind136 »

He felt reluctant about fighting for independence because of what he got. But I felt he should have fought for independence, who knows what the other side has to offer.
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Post by Noriel DM »

I think it is a tough decision to make. He could choose to fight for their independence but he has a family to protect also. Who knows what can happen if he chose to fight for independence. Well, everything happens for a reason.
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Post by Noriel DM »

B Creech wrote: 11 Jan 2021, 14:42
Booksmart-56 wrote: 08 Jan 2021, 14:11 Mr. Seoh had a family. Therefore, his obligations as a father required him to support his family. Yet, in some way, he was fighting against the Japanese by ensuring the continuation of his culture, language and heritage through the construct of family.
I agree he had family obligations. I think deep inside he wanted to fight, but he put his family first, and that is how it should be if possible! Plus, his wife was expecting another child and the burden put on her if he had chosen to fight would have been tremendous!
I agree with this too. I also think that he wanted to fight for their independence but because he had a family to protect, he decided not to fight. I think every parent will do that.
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Post by Noriel DM »

In my opinion, every parent will do what Mr. Seoh did. A parent will want a better future for his family but also, he needs to protect them. Thus, Mr. Seoh chose the latter.
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Post by K+SQUARE »

His choice was neither good nor bad, it was simply based on the simple question "which is more important right now?" His decision to keep on supporting the resistance in his own small way was still a risk in itself. As mentioned in earlier comments, no one knows what he or she would have done if faced with this same dilemma at that particular moment.
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Post by jaym_tan »

He needed to really support his family so they can be secured, yet he also resisted the Japanese in some ways so he could defend the his culture.
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Post by Gabriella H »

Yes, Mr.Seoh's decision was a way to appease his guilty conscience, and I felt annoyed about his refusal to take a definite stance. However, I like to view things from a realistic and balanced point of view. He had mouths to feed, and if he couldn't feed them, no one else would've done so for him. It's easy to crucify him until one finds themself in a similar situation. I don't completely blame him, though, because even the movement didn't have a defined structure. Why should he have thrown his whole life, his family's future, and all he had worked for behind a movement that didn't have a clear plan and was also suffering from internal conflict?

Seeing how things eventually played out, if he had thrown everything away to be a revolutionary, he would've been on the losing end at the end of the day, and his children would've paid the price.
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