Write a short review of the novel -- what do you think of it? Do you like it or not and why? Would you recommend another student to read it or not and why? Be specific.
Lillian Xu
English II
Mrs. Guarino
Nov 18th, 2015
Reviewing Gathering Of Pearls
The book Gathering Of Pearls is a novel written based on the author, Choi Sook Nyul's real experience, which basically talks about how to blend into American college and culture as a foreigner. She experienced the brutal Japanese Occupation when she was young, and moved to MA, the United States for education.
The protagonist of the book, Sookan Bak, a nineteen years old Korean girl who studies aboard in America, has already finished her first year in college. She eventually realizes the differences of culture during her first year of studying between Korea, her homeland and America, where she studies, and adapts both culture while she is steeping in the American environment. Because of the Korean war, Sookan's family isn't wealthy; instead, it can even be described as very poor. Sookan's mother spends all their money and even borrowed some from their relatives to buy her the ticket to America. The poverty of her famiy makes Sookan a hard working scholarship student. Sookan has to work for school in her private time every week for fifteen hours, and has to get a good grade for all; this makes her life very tough when she first comes to America, because her English is really poor; but when she gets used to it and know English better, she finds it easier. During her first year at school, she makes a lot of new friendswho treat her very nicely, both teachers and students, and she has also went to a mixer to have better communication with the community.
I found this book very interesting; Sookan is very different from the other students who study aboard now. Nowadays, only children in the rich family are sent to foreign countries for studying, and they don't have to worry about money at all, because their family have prepared a plenty for them to use. Some students even buy a lot of luxuries and they don't pay any attention on studying. It might be very suprising to the wealthy kids that how hard Sookan's life is, and how she is doing tons of jobs while they are playing and having fun. I think all students that studies oversea should read this book, because this book explains how a student can have happiness without materialized satisfaction, and how a student can seek happiness in daily life without spending a huge amount of money. Different from material satisfaction, Sookan get's happiness by hanging out with friends and seeking it through little details in her life; taking photo with each other, having dinner at home, and even cooking together. These are really easy simple things to do at free time. There is no need to build people's emotions and moods on wealth.
The book Gathering Of Pearls demonstrates the story of a young Korean girl Sookan studying aboard, conquering the difficulties both in her daily life studying and adaptation and adjustment of a different culture. Many things happened in her first year of college, her mother's death, her roommate Ellen's marriage, her friend Marci's family issue and such and such. She succesfully handled all of these, and improved significantly. I really recommand all oversea students to read this book, because it tells a completely different world of studying aboard.
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