How has war affected the Korean identity? Do you think that war has given Koreans a stronger or weaker sense of their own national identity?

Would you consider Sookan and Inchun to be children or adults? Why?

How are various objects in the story used to symbolize hope or despair? Are there any objects which represent both ideas?

Is Sookan's Mother wrong to trust their guide, who betrays them? What other options might she have?

How is the Japanese occupation of Korea different from Communist rule by the Russians? In what ways are they the same?

What are some little ways that the Koreans resist their oppressors? Are these small acts of rebellion significant?

What role does Aunt Tiger play in the story? How does she make Sookan's life easier?

What are some "impossible goodbyes" in the story? Which are the hardest goodbyes?