Primary Source Analysis – A Quiet Odyssey (Literature & Language Essay)

Your name
Subject and Section
Professor’s Name
September 27, 2020
Primary Source Analysis – A Quiet Odyssey
Understanding the relationship between literary works and the cultural and historical context that surrounds them is essential for anyone. It allows the reader to have a better analysis of the text and a deeper appreciation of the author’s message. In this article, the author would like to analyze the works of Mary Paik Lee entitled A Quiet Odyssey. In her work, the author described her experienced from childhood as a Korean Immigrant back in the early 1900s. Specifically, this paper would try to delve deeper into her experiences and describe the family, social structures, and beliefs of some of the pioneer Korean immigrants back in the days. All in all, the author believes that by looking at Lee’s recollection of her upbringing, a better understanding of the Korean culture becomes easier.
The Korean Immigrant Society
Just like any immigrant society, Lee’s work has shown that the ‘pull’ factor for immigrants in the United States was the demand for low-cost labour, while the ‘push’ factors were the plunging economy and the famine that they experienced in Korea. Accordingly, the migration of Koreans in the United States has resulted to a mixture of their traditional culture (i.e., family structure) with the local culture of the place (i.e., Christianity) as time goes by. Nonetheless, both of their traits and the circumstances that they faced had created a trend that shifted their roles, functions, and traditions into a more homogenous society.
Practice of Faith
One of the notable traits that Koreans seem to possess based on Lee’s recollection is their faith and determination. Lee noted how Korean immigrants are keen on participating in religious services and establishing communities based on religion. This includes simple daily gatherings to week-long celebrations that most immigrants attend to. However, rather than being a mere expression of their faith, the author noted that both churches and communities serve more than a single function. For her, these churches act as their comfort zone and an asylum wherein they find their identity within a culturally distinct society.
In her work, she noted that “Orientals and others were not allowed to live in a town with the white people”. Thus, these people were required to establish their little settlements outside of the town area and live in “rows of one-room shacks...