The 10 major events in the book are:
1. Changing of Korean names to Japanese names
2. The Olympics race (Sohn Kee Chung)
3. Kanji Learning (Sun-Hee won award for best kanji student)
4. Sharon tree forced to be chopped off in all Korean homes
5. Tae-Yul's bike being taken away by Japanese soldiers
6. Neighbourhood accountings (When Mrs. Ahn could not count in Japanese)
7. Tae-Yul volunteering to work at airstrip
8. Uncle working for the resistance
9. All Korean houses' metals being taken away
10. When the whole war is over
The first point is when all the Koreans were forced to take Japanese names. The people who do not change their names will be arrested by the police and would be sent to prison.
The second point is about the Olympics and when the national all-time champion Korean runner’s name (Sohn Kee Chung) was changed to a Japanese name (Kitei Son). The Japanese only did that to gain fame from the Koreans and to build up their reputation so that international people would recognise them.
The third point is about Sun-hee winning the award for being the best student in kanji. She did not want to be called a chin-li-pa (betrayer of Korea) as she was not one even though other people think of her as one, as she was the best in kanji. She just wanted to do her father (vice-pricipal of the school) proud.
The fourth point is about the Sharon trees being chopped down in all Korean homes. The Japanese did that because they wanted to replace the national trees of Korea to the national trees of Japan. As the Japanese wanted to chop down the pride of Korea and mock them as they do so and represent Korea as Japan.
The fifth point is about Tae-yul’s bicycle being taken away by the Japanese soldiers. They did this so they could take advantage of the Koreans to use them as source of materials to help in war efforts as they have lack of materials to make weapons for warfare. They did this so that Koreans will recognise Japanese to be more superior to than Koreans no matter what the Koreans position or status is.
The sixth point is about the neighbourhood accountings and how Mrs.Ahn could not say the word six in Japanese. It is about how the Japanese do not have respect for the elderly and how they expect so much from only an elderly woman. They also have no respect for the Koreans no matter what age they are.
The seventh point is about Tae-yul volunteering to work to build airstrip and how the Japanese were mistreating him and treating him like a slave. They punished the workers by standing with a shovel on their head and some workers get slapped hard on the face for working too slow. The Japanese also do not care whether these workers are students or slaves as they think they are more superior compared to the Koreans.
The eighth point is when Uncle was working for the resistance and how they wanted to overthrow the Japanese as they wanted the independence of Korea. They wanted to have their freedom and rights for their own country, and also to preserve their Korean culture and heritage. They also wanted Korea to be free from the dictatorship of the Japanese.
The ninth point is about the metal being taken away for war efforts in all Korean homes. This is another example of the Japanese taking advantage of the Koreans as sources of materials for the replacement of insufficient war materials. They think that they can take anything that belongs to the Koreans just because they are more superior than the Koreans and how they can use Koreans whenever they wanted to.
The tenth and final point is the ending of the war. The war ending is a great celebration for the Koreans as they are free and have gained their own rights and culture back from the Japanese. All the countries under the dictatorship of Japan have finally been freed and Japan has finally fallen. The empire is thus broken.
2. The Olympics race (Sohn Kee Chung)
3. Kanji Learning (Sun-Hee won award for best kanji student)
4. Sharon tree forced to be chopped off in all Korean homes
5. Tae-Yul's bike being taken away by Japanese soldiers
6. Neighbourhood accountings (When Mrs. Ahn could not count in Japanese)
7. Tae-Yul volunteering to work at airstrip
8. Uncle working for the resistance
9. All Korean houses' metals being taken away
10. When the whole war is over
The first point is when all the Koreans were forced to take Japanese names. The people who do not change their names will be arrested by the police and would be sent to prison.
The second point is about the Olympics and when the national all-time champion Korean runner’s name (Sohn Kee Chung) was changed to a Japanese name (Kitei Son). The Japanese only did that to gain fame from the Koreans and to build up their reputation so that international people would recognise them.
The third point is about Sun-hee winning the award for being the best student in kanji. She did not want to be called a chin-li-pa (betrayer of Korea) as she was not one even though other people think of her as one, as she was the best in kanji. She just wanted to do her father (vice-pricipal of the school) proud.
The fourth point is about the Sharon trees being chopped down in all Korean homes. The Japanese did that because they wanted to replace the national trees of Korea to the national trees of Japan. As the Japanese wanted to chop down the pride of Korea and mock them as they do so and represent Korea as Japan.
The fifth point is about Tae-yul’s bicycle being taken away by the Japanese soldiers. They did this so they could take advantage of the Koreans to use them as source of materials to help in war efforts as they have lack of materials to make weapons for warfare. They did this so that Koreans will recognise Japanese to be more superior to than Koreans no matter what the Koreans position or status is.
The sixth point is about the neighbourhood accountings and how Mrs.Ahn could not say the word six in Japanese. It is about how the Japanese do not have respect for the elderly and how they expect so much from only an elderly woman. They also have no respect for the Koreans no matter what age they are.
The seventh point is about Tae-yul volunteering to work to build airstrip and how the Japanese were mistreating him and treating him like a slave. They punished the workers by standing with a shovel on their head and some workers get slapped hard on the face for working too slow. The Japanese also do not care whether these workers are students or slaves as they think they are more superior compared to the Koreans.
The eighth point is when Uncle was working for the resistance and how they wanted to overthrow the Japanese as they wanted the independence of Korea. They wanted to have their freedom and rights for their own country, and also to preserve their Korean culture and heritage. They also wanted Korea to be free from the dictatorship of the Japanese.
The ninth point is about the metal being taken away for war efforts in all Korean homes. This is another example of the Japanese taking advantage of the Koreans as sources of materials for the replacement of insufficient war materials. They think that they can take anything that belongs to the Koreans just because they are more superior than the Koreans and how they can use Koreans whenever they wanted to.
The tenth and final point is the ending of the war. The war ending is a great celebration for the Koreans as they are free and have gained their own rights and culture back from the Japanese. All the countries under the dictatorship of Japan have finally been freed and Japan has finally fallen. The empire is thus broken.
