Draft

Gathering of Pearls, written by Korean author Sook Nyul Choi, is the last part of the trilogy novel that is about a girl who came to America to study in college. Her name is Sookan which is quite similar with author’s name, and it provides evidence that this book is probably based on its author’s experience, as both of them have similar background.

On the cover of this book, a girl who is sitting on ground kinda uncomfortably is picking up some pearls. As soon as you start reading this book, you would easily figure out the girl was Sookan, so the only inquiry that is not yet solved is what are those pearls meaning. And the answer of that inquiry would be in your mind if you read through the whole book. Pearl, the valuable gem that Sookan tries to gather and not lose on the cover, represents her valuable experiences in America, her relationship with family and friends.

In this book, Sookan has struggling between being follower of her sister which is going back to Korea as soon as possible and becoming nun, and being Sookan herself which keeps staying in America and studying. The main reason of her struggling is because she is the only international student as well as the only little sister. She couldn’t quit her

In this book, Sister Reed gave Sookan the pearl necklace which was very precious and valuable to her. I don’t know how much value a pearl has now; however, I think it has really high value at the time period in this book. Anyway pearl is really valuable thing, and Sookan is gathering it. What I thought is pearl is representing Sookan’s valuable experiences and people. From the time when she came first to America to the end of her freshman year (in this book), she gathered knowledge (learning), gathered friends, teachers, and people (meeting) and became a new person. And according to Sookan’s mother’s words, “Tough times are the times when one gathers one’s pearls”, the pearls are not only just an experience but it is the achievement after putting a lot of effort and struggling. All the pain and sorrow she had taken turned into a great motivation and encouragement to her.