The main idea of this episode is the reality that characters live might be the illusion, and there is the real world which America has won the war. There are a lot of things happen in this episode. Joe runs away with the film after he takes it from Juliana and Frank. After that, Juliana and Frank go to Lem and Karen who only give them a help. Lem and Karen suggest killing Joe, and Juliana reluctantly agrees with it.
Back in San Francisco, Ed tries to destroy the gun which Frank has attempted to assassinate Japanese Crown Prince. However, he is caught instead of Frank by chief of the factory and accused of assassination of Crown Prince. On the other hand, in Berlin, Wegener stopped by his family before he goes to the castle Hitler. He hugged his family for the last time, and finally heads to the castle. He tries to shoot Hitler, but Hitler has already recognized. Moreover, Wegener cannot kill anyone because of guilt, so he commits suicide instead. Juliana has lured Joe to the dock, and Lem tries to kill Joe. However, Juliana determines to believe Joe, and she releases him. And, when Tagomi meditates, and suddenly he goes to different world that he knows. Is there a real world? Or Tagomi just sees illusions? Prediction: There may be parallel world which America has won the war, and probably at there, there is possibility that Tagomi’s wife and son are alive, since film has showed that Frank has died and Joe has shot.
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In Man in the High Castle’s ninth episode: Kindness, the main idea is Juliana’s kindness when she pays back her favor Joe, even though she should not have to. Juliana and Joe get caught by Yakuza, so Frank cannot leave San Francisco. However, Lem and Karen barely set Juliana free from Yakuza. Juliana tries to release Joe in turn, but the price for him is 50,000 yen. Juliana promises Yakuza to give money, and she goes back to the Ed’s apartment. Juliana asks Frank to ask money to Frank, but Frank seems ignoring her and just leaves. However, Frank liberates Joe with his 46,000 yen, and they escape with the film. They meet Juliana and split up with two sides. Joe pledges that he will help escape. Juliana and Frank head to school, and at there, they play the film. Ironically, at the film, there are Frank and Joe, further Joe kills Frank with the gun. Juliana and Frank are panicked about what they have seen. What is the truth?
Arnold is discharged from the jail, and he is ordered to kill Hitler from führer. What choice Arnold will make? Prediction: I think Arnold will run away and I hope, as well. It is because Arnold is one of the kindest men who tries to prevent the war, and the person who feels guilt about what he has done before. In terms of that I hope he will survive until the end of the series. In Man in the High Castle’s eighth episode, End of the World, is literally about ending world, especially for John Smith: Obergruppenführer. His son is diagnosed incurable disease from doctor, and after listening the news John Smith has shocked. Even for the cruel Obergruppenführer, son’s sickness is the end of the world.
For the resistances and the Japanese, Juliana and Joe were kidnapped by Nazi, and moreover, Nazi has robbed the film. Film has an important role in getting hegemony, but both of them lost the film. Nobody knows how Nazis will use the film, therefore, for opposite two powers, it is end of the world. Dear Chan, It was the hard day to believe. I thought my son was healthy enough, but he was not. Doctor said that my son will be paralyzed. I told the doctor that it was his mistake, but the reality was unacceptable. Especially, when the doctor gave me the drug for euthanasia, my heart was scattered. Even when John called me due to film, I could not talk properly. It was the end of the world for me. I even sold my country without hesitation for the prosperity of my family. However, now it became useless. For Nazi, I could have sold my soul, but now I do not know what is right or wrong. Merely, I hope my son would be healthy again. I lost my judgement, and I lost the ambition. To me, my family’s wellness was the priority, but in this situation, what can I do? If there is the God, I want to ask him that why do you have to take my son due to my sin. I would rather tell the God to bring me instead. John Smith. I am sympathetic to John Smith because John’s son is innocent. Moreover, even though John is described as cruel in the series, he is also a parent. In Korea, people say “even though I put my children in my eyes, it is not going to be painful,” which means parents can sacrifice for children. As a parent, probably John’s world is already collapsed and scattered. Especially, the pain which he has to kill his son with his hand would be horrible. Therefore, even though he is a villain in this series, I sympathize with him at this episode at least. In Man in the High Castle’s seventh episode, The Truth, main idea is finding the truth. Especially, this episode is focused on Juliana. She has the truth which she does not want to confront: the death of Trudy. However, Juliana has to confront the hardship, even though she knows that there will be cruel end.
Joe is caught by John, while he is looking at the object about the film. John had recognized before Joe gets caught, and John starts to interrogate Joe about Juliana. Meanwhile, Juliana has discovered Arnold, her stepfather, works in Nippon Building. Juliana escapes the building in hurry, and comes back to her house. Frank has waited Juliana, and he confides the assassination attempt to Juliana. Juliana sees the illusion of Trudy in the market, and she thinks that Trudy might be alive. However, unfortunately, Juliana finds out that Trudy has died. Tagomi secretly has given her an address where the Trudy’s body is, and Juliana goes there and confronts the cruel truth: her sister’s death. As an order, Joe has tried to protect Juliana, but he comes to the West Coast to catch Juliana. Will Joe obey the order or just refuse to follow it? Dear Chan, Hi, this is Juliana. I am sorry to hear that you are in hardship. I know how you feel. I was like you when my sister died. I was stuck like you for a while. I kept asking myself what if she was not dead, but actually she is still around somehow? And I even told Frank “I saw Trudy, I was in the market, and I saw her. I know it sounds crazy, but… I saw her.” However, that was an illusion, and she was dead. I know you are upset with something. You know nothing happened to you. It is just you that leash yourself in the cage in your mind, and cannot move forward. How do I know? Sometimes, Chan, move forward without hesitance, even though the truth in front of you is something hard to confront. I want to tell you this: the truth is of the highest importance and only with the truth you can one move forward. Just move forward towards the truth like I did do for my own. Listen the small voice inside of your heart, then the light will wait in front of you. Best, Chan 02/27/17 Episode starts with that Joe heads to John’s house to celebrate VA’s day. Joe is warmly welcomed by John’s family. Joe socializes well with John’s family. While the atmosphere of the party gradually arouses, John and Joe go to the airport to pick up Helen’s (John’s wife) mom. At airport, John and Joe meet Wegener (John’s old friend).
On the other hand, Juliana goes to Nippon building again. Tagomi gives her a job. However, due to the job in Nippon building, the relationship of Juliana and Frank becomes distant. Frank cannot understand why Juliana got a job from the Japanese government which killed their precious families. However, to Juliana, it is important to unveil the meaning of films. While Joe enjoys the party, Wegener and John keep subtly arguing. Wegener asks John that all the missions that they have done for the prosperity of Reich were whether righteous or not. John answers that sacrifices are inevitable for the victory, so he says those were righteous. Frank, after having an argument with Juliana, like the bird which lost its way, goes to his sister’s former boss, and he observes prohibited Jewish ceremony. At first, he reveals antipathy, but he starts to chant with the family over there. Like he has a lot of complicated feelings, while he is listening the chant, he cries. John counsels about the issue of Wegener to Joe. John has already recognized that Wegener was hiding something, and agonized that he has to accuse his old friend to government. Joe advises John to accuse his friend, and the episode ends as Wegener being arrested. “My heart tells me he’s a good man. But my head? My head says we should take him out in the woods, interrogate him, shoot him in the fuxxcking face.” Wegener was my brother. From before, we were always together, and we fulfilled missions together. One day, I got an information that Wegener is coming suspiciously. Wegener was filed with mysteries. He was no longer my brother. As an official of Nazi Reich, I have to investigate him. However, I want to give him a chance. I called him to my house at VA day celebration party. I treated him like I used to treat him, and he was just my old friend Wegener during the party. While I was drinking the champagne with Joe, Wegener suddenly asked me a question. “Do you think the missions that we have done were right things? So many people were sacrificed.” As a German, I had done what superiors ordered me; I had learned that is for the country; and that is the way to become a patriot. After the day, I have pondered a lot, whether report Wegener to the headquarter or not. Wegener was using fake identification, moreover he was traveling with diplomatic visa somehow. I wish he confessed me something before I report him, but he did not, and I do not have any choice now. My heart keeps telling me he is my brother, but my head horribly shouts that report is what to do as a patriot. I called the military police, and they arrested Wegener in front of me. Wegener bitterly smiled, and he followed them without resistance. I cried. I still do not know what was the right decision as a patriot or as a friend. Juliana talked to Ed through the phone. She heard that Frank plotted something horrible. After she listened it she went back to San Francisco.
While Frank was almost triggering the gun, Japanese prince got shot. Frank flee away from the area. When Frank was running away, he dropped the necklace of Juliana, and Tagomi grabbed it. Frank and Juliana had an awkward reunion at their apartment. Frank seemed that he could not give up Juliana even though he knew that it was not Juliana’s fault. Everything was changed, Juliana was not welcomed by dojo, and the relationship between Frank and Juliana was awkward. Moreover, Juliana and Joe got interrogations. Juliana and Joe successfully got over the pinches, but something bad things seemed to be started. The interesting scene was Tagomi was helping the business who has the microfilm. Tagomi tried to convey the microfilm through the businessman, and it was successful. Juliana went to Randal’s house to get more information about resistance, and met one woman. The woman told Juliana to get a job in Nippon Building. Juliana had an interview with a man. At this scene, people could see very uncomfortable sexism. Interviewer asked Juliana inappropriate thing, and the episode ends with the scene Juliana ran out from the room. And Juliana bumped with Tagomi. Does this scene stand for the tangled destiny between Juliana and Tagomi? Disappeared Freedom Pal, I want my country back Freedom is the right thing My father told me every man was free before I’m not afraid to die I want to do the right thing I will never see you again The opportunity is coming And I will fight for the right thing Racial discrimination Heil Hitler, Heil Hitler Somebody innocent dies In the blame and the torture Destiny isn’t a choice People in power kill people refuse to obey People have to stop it for the better world Restraint The man was suddenly exterminated He might come back But, Jesus he might be killed by agent We have to work What else can we do? He will come back, pal Cops look for him Nobody seen him Guy makes little paper animals He should have careful Internal Conflict Hiding maniac comes back It moved around I think he comes back Where he lives? For protection of me, I try to catch him I do not want to do something like revenge I won’t give up I promise to me But from inside it has tortured me Now I cannot trust me Patriarchy Like it is normal Justify repercussion that we supposed not to Summary: The Marshal found out where Juliana and Joe were. Juliana and Joe barely ran away from the Marshal, and went to warn Washington that he will be killed.
On the other hand, in San Francisco, Frank was plotting to kill crown prince. Ed figured out that he would kill someone, and tried to stop him. However, Frank, he was already determined to kill crown prince. Frank visited American antique shop to buy "three” bullets to put in his revolver. Ed did not want Frank to be a murderer, and persuaded Frank until the end, but for whom already lost his sister and family, it was impossible to be rational. Finally, he went in front of crown prince, and he started to consider whether kill prince or not. Will he kill the prince and become the murderer?
Summary: Juliana thought that the Origami man was her contact, so approach her at reservoir. However, Juliana was endangered because Origami man suddenly tried to kill her. From the Origami man’s back, Joe Blake came to reservoir to save Juliana. Juliana threw Origami man into reservoir, and she felt guilt about the fact that she killed a man. Juliana and Joe went back to their hotel, and Joe assured Juliana by saying that he also killed a man once for a self-defense. The day after, they left the area that they were staying. The Marshal, the bounty hunter, started to chase Juliana and Joe after he recognized his friend Origami man was killed by them.
Back in San Francisco, Frank was very depressed and could not get over the death of his sister, nephew and niece. He was seemingly going to kill the Japanese crown prince. Soon, the speech of Japanese crown prince was scheduled in German embassy, so Frank made replica gun. o Themes: The serious tensions between Germany and Japan. While the story proceeded, the episode showed that the conflict between two countries related to their benefits. o Motifs: Joe said that he killed the person for his self-defense at the hotel to assure Juliana. Probably, Joe became Nazi without knowing much thing, and he might be resistance by following Juliana after he would recognize the secret of the film. o Symbols: The Swiss song Edelweiss which comes out the beginning of every episode. Switzerland was the neutral country when the World War II occurred. The events that are happening in neutral area between the United States and Japan. Therefore, it has correlation between the song and the situation. o Conflict: Juliana’s conflict was very interesting. As a resistance, it is inevitable to kill somebody. She killed somebody even if it was a self-defense, and it makes audiences curious whether she will choose to kill more people. Connections: “Japan’s push to revise its constitution isn’t a bid to deny history, Abe ally says” (Washington Post) Originally, Japan cannot own army. They can only protect themselves from outside threat. After losing the World War II, to prevent Japan’s ambition which expands their power through the world, America demilitarized them. However, America, recently, allowed Japan to militarize to oppress China, and Japanese Prime Minister Abe pushes constitution revision to achieve his ambition which magnifies Japan’s power all over the world. This is quite similar to the past when Japan fulfilled invasion to other countries including Korea. As the episode showed us, Japan is preparing to cause another problem with other country, even if this is the timing to reflect their past not to expand their power. “The Yellow Wallpaper”
By Charlotte Perkins Stetson Date of Publication: January, 1892 Setting: The protagonist’s husband is a physician, and so does her brother. They both say that the protagonist has a mental disorder, and they consider it as not a big deal. However, as the person who has to get through all the depression and lethargy, she thinks she goes crazy. Biography: Charlotte Perkins had almost similar experience with this protagonist. She had a mental issues, but Michel, the physician of hers, oppressed her writing activity. Charlotte felt so much depression whenever she felt oppressed by her physician, and actually she experienced the moment that she feels like she goes crazy. Genre: Essay, Autobiography Genre within Genre: Novel Plot summary: As mentioned above, the protagonist of this story has mental disorder, and her husband and brother are physicians. Her husband regards her disorder as not a big problem, and oppresses her writing activity to prevent her useless imagination, even if she feels liveness through writing. Moreover, she experiences that she goes crazy sometimes. Finally, instead of writing, she was obsessive with her wall paper, and her imagination gets bigger and bigger. Finally, she becomes like what she imagines and escapes from her oppressive reality. POV: First-person Tone: chaotic, oppressive, and confusing Themes: Authoritative social atmosphere which oppresses women’s activities, and the great escape from rigid reality to imagination. Motifs: Protagonist’s imagination which makes her very rigorous, yet her husband does not understand what she gets energy from, and her husband authoritatively oppresses her like he is the absolute true towards her problems. Symbols: imagination and yellow wall paper can be significant symbols here. Imagination was the only evacuation of her depressive reality and the wall paper is the median that connects with her imagination. Underlying message: The protagonist finally goes out of her oppressive reality and crawl on her husband. This can be described as the challenge against authoritative patriarchal society at that time. As much as people oppress particular minority, they can be outburst with a violence. “Hills Like White Elephants”
Author: Ernest Hemingway Biography: Ernest Hemingway is the author and a discharged sergeant in the American army. He was born in 1899 in Illinois and died in 1961. He was significant as an author. He vastly affected modern novels, and due to his contribution, he was awarded the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes. His major works are The Old Man and The Sea, The Sun Also Rises, and “Hills Like White Elephant”. The Date of Publication: August, 1921 POV: From the point of third person, the author describes the girl’s psychology. Tone: It is very serious. Themes: Conflict between two people. Symbol: In this story, the biggest symbol is the ‘White Elephant’. In Buddhism, the white elephant stands for holiness. Maya, mother of Buddha, dreamed about a white elephant when she gave birth to Buddha. Therefore, among Buddhists, the white elephant was a sacred animal. However, also, it had the meaning of nuisance. In the past, among West South Asian countries, it was the custom to give a white elephant to other countries as a way of showing their appreciation, but for the country which obtained white elephant, it was a quite a nuisance. It was because the elephant lives over seventy years and eats tons of prey each day. It was hard to deal with, but also they could not just throw it away since it was a gift. Thus, it has a meaning of the nuisance, but it also cannot be easily thrown away. The second symbol is the hill. In any parts, there are not direct descriptions that the girl is pregnant, but from the guy’s words like “it is an awfully simple operation, Jig” the reader can slightly presume that the girl is pregnant. The hill looks like a pregnant woman’s belly; Hemingway tries to express her pregnancy through the hill. Motif: The guy tries to assure the girl several times, and he keeps mentioning that they will be happy even after the operation. However, if the guy truly wants to become happy with the girl, he should not mention an abortion. Underlying meaning: Especially, the white elephant is essential in this story and it has a dual meaning for the two main characters. Probably for the guy, the girl’s pregnancy is a nuisance, but for the girl, it could be the sacred gift of their love. |
Jacob (Chan Woo Kim)
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