Still Life with Rice

1. Still Life with Rice Helie Lee

2. Overview of Slide Show • Background of author • Historical Perspective/ Setting • Major Characters

3. Helie Lee • Born in Seoul, South Korea in 1964 • Family moved to LA (San Fernando Valley) • Attended El Camino Real H.S. & UCLA (‘87)

4. Helie Lee • Spoke to BHHS in 2006 • Continues to write and lecture • SLR and it’s follow up, In the Absence of Sun, chronicle Lee family history from 1912-1997

5. Helie Lee • SLR is Helie’s grandmother’s memoirs told by Helie • In the Absence of Sun follows Lee family’s attempt to reunite with Helie’s uncle in DPRK

6. Historical Perspective • Japan occupied Korea 1910-1945 • Complete domination of Korea culture-language-economy-traditions

7. Historical Perspective • Comfort Women • Japanese occupation ended by the end of WWII • Korea liberation short-lived

8. Historical Perspective • Koreas divided in 1948 • Soviet backed North & US backed South • DMZ

9. Historical Perspective • Koreas divided in 1948 • Soviet backed North & US backed South • DMZ

10. Historical Perspective • Conflict erupts in 1950-North invades South Cease Fire signed in 1953 Two Koreas follow two paths into future

11. Major Characters • Baek Hongyong • Helie’s grandmother • Born in 1912 in occupied Korea • SLR is her life story

12. Major Characters • Hongyong’s life parallels chaotic time before/after WWII • Dukpil Lee’s wife • Lee family escapes/returns/ escapes home

13. Major Characters • Dukwah Lee • Helie’s mother • Bridges the extreme gap between Helie and Hongyong

14. Internal Conflicts • Traditional Confuscian society • Hongyong’s religious conversion • Traditional Korean culture vs. Japanese/Chinese/American