BlockCToll+of+Innocence


 * 1) Why did Hongyong decide to leave the Grandfather and one of her daughters behind?
 * 2) Why did Meenah decide to stay at home? Do you think she really believed that the whole family will come back home from the South? Or do you think she just sacrificed herself just to help her grandfather?
 * 3) On page 112, Hongyong says "...women should never start wars. War was a man's game, but the women and children seem to suffer the most". Do you agree or disagree with Hongyong?
 * 4) Why do you think the UN forces dropped the bombs on the refugees? Was it necessary? Think about the ultimate result from bombing.
 * 5) How were Confucian principles affected in the midst of the war? Were they more utilized or rejected?
 * 6) Do you think the U.N. pilots were aware of whom they were bombing at the time? Would Hongyong's predictions that they would stop the killing come true if they did know?
 * 7) Hypothesize why Honyoung goes to Sinmak instead of Haeju?
 * 8) Explain Why Hongyong got rid of her home deeds and documents?
 * 9) What influence did Christianity have in the decisions that Lee makes? What do you think was the cause of religion playing such significant role back then?
 * 10) Analyze the following quote on page 221. "War forced people to close their hearts, to shut out the cries of other people's children. War forced us to worry only about our own burdens, and even that was a great responsibility to bear."
 * 11) What do you think about Hongyong's decisions to abandon agi? Do you think it was the right decision? What would you do if you were in her place?

__Shattered Faith__
 * 1) Why does Hongyong choose to remain in the camp and not go with her mother-in-law? Would you have done the same? Or would you have chosen a different path?
 * 2) Who comes to see Hongyong in the camp? What does he tell Hongyong about Yongwoon?
 * 3) What does it mean to be "children of war"? According to the text, how does war influence children's behavior?
 * 4) How does the family make money? What does this show about the situation for war refugees?
 * 5) Why did the ROK soldiers re-attach Daekun's jaw and allow him to live, giving him medical assistance while killing other innocent civilians from the North?
 * 6) Why did Honyong feels like a "living ghost"? What can you determine about women during that period? How did she felt and why?
 * 7) Why is knowing he still lives and not being able to touch him is worse than knowing nothing? Do you agree?
 * 8) According to the letter sent by Yongwoon's daughter, how did the North Koreans view Americans?
 * 9) Analyze the phrase, "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. A mother's love" (288). What can you infer from this and how might this phrase relate to the title?