When My Name Was Keoko

Korean national symbols appear frequently throughout the text. From Uncle’s lessons about Korean imagery, to references of Korean scriptures, to Omoni’s Rose of Sharon tree, characters find ways to cultivate and embrace their Korean heritage in secrecy. Punishable by law, the Japanese have stripped away the Korean’s sense of history—a tactic commonly used by oppressive forces who wish to demoralize a nation. The only way Koreans can maintain their sense of national pride during Japanese occupation is to teach the younger generations about it in informal and subversive ways.

Among these instances, Uncle teaches Sun-hee and Tae-yul about the Korean flag—which they have never seen before since it is illegal to display. Uncle draws it on paper while his young family members watch in awe and wonder, imagining they will one day see it flying above Korea. Uncle advises them, ““Keep it in your minds always—what the flag looks like and what it means” (23), insinuating that it’s more than an image, but a source of pride and comfort. Afterwards, he must burn the paper so there is no evidence of his treason against the Emperor of Japan. Another time in which Korean