"Come in!" my grandmother shouted. When I stepped into the house, a huge TV screen caught my eyes. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee came from the kitchen. "Sit down my dear", said grandmother as she hugged me. Grandfather looked up from his reading papers, smiling. After drinking some hot coffee, my grandparents got comfortable on the sofa as I prepared to start the interview. Before I began, my grandfather spoke in firm voice, "My dear, I want you to remember that nothing is greater than love and hard work in life. Keep that in mind as you interview me." I nodded. I have always heard from my father that grandmother and grandfather's life and marriage was 1960s version of soap opera. A Slight excitement swirled in my chest.
I started off with questions about their childhood. To my amazement, they were born in two contrasting families. Born as the youngest 6th child of his family, my grandfather lived in a small town in Chungnam. At the time, everybody was poor. However, grandfather's family was wretchedly poor. "We didn't have much to eat," he said "so we picked grass and dug up tree roots to cook for food." With grass his mother made pancakes. She also roasted rice brans (used to feed livestock now) and grinded grains of barley to make porridge for the family. Deep sadness was reflected in his eyes as he added, "Sometimes my sisters went to relatives' house to beg for food." I held his hand, as I carefully questioned if he worked when he was young to feed the family. His hand was very rough working for so many years. "My father died when I was 9, so I started working at age 11. For 10 years I spent my life as a servant in other households milling rice, threshing grains, and plowing fields." Sadly, there wasn't enough money for him to buy proper food so he went to a bread factory afterwards to make more money. Sipping his coffee to wet his throat, he gazed at grandmother. "My childhood was totally different from his," her voice was very soothing and gentle. I was surprised to find that she was born in China, Manchuria. Her family was not Chinese but her father was a doctor of oriental medicine and had business there. The herbal medicine shop her father opened earned so much money that they became rich when they came back to Korea. Immersed in her old memories, she softly whispered, "My father was the landlord of many lands of his and he allowed peasants to work on his farm. All of my four older brothers had decent jobs such as a principal and a chief officer of the fire station. We always ate white rice."
By then, my curiosity level reached its limit. I blurted out, "How did you two get married? You are from two very different economic backgrounds, how did you meet?" Grandfather chuckled. They first met when grandfather was working as the servant. She lived right next door. "At first, I just pitied him but he never gave up to ask for hand in marriage." Grandmother saw not his family background but his potential of working very hard. However, grandmother's family was outrageous that she was marrying nobody with no money and no decent job. But there was nothing impossible for my grandfather. When he wanted something, he got it. When they were 23, they finally got married. But this was just the beginning of extreme hardships. Grandfather was so poor that he did not have his own house. "We had to live in his brother's house. So I brought all my furniture but I couldn't bring them into the house because the room was too small," grandmother seemed to remember clearly, "What's worse, he had to go to the military for 2 years leaving me alone at his brother's house." He wrote letters to grandmother everyday but there were difficulties in keeping touch. However, grandmother always remained patient. "Wow, it's hard for girls to wait their boyfriends in the army even now with SNS and cellphones, but it's amazing you did it by just writing letters!" I couldn't help commenting. "Your grandfather was a romantic man, he never forgot to write letters," grandmother seemed proud.
"My last question to you is what hardships did you go through to succeed like you did today?" I asked with curiosity. His long fingers were touching his chin, perhaps in deep thought. "I had many failures", he said "but that's the key to success" After his military service, grandfather decided to start a business in Yongsan, Seoul. Selling his entire possessions, he bought one handcart to sell cabbages and white radishes. At first, he lost more money than earning money. To make things worse, his house was torn down as the area was being redeveloped. "But he never gave up, he worked even harder," said grandmother grinning. Finally, my grandparents settled in Seongnam where many evicted residents made living there. Starting from scraps, he developed his cabbage selling business into a big one. "I worked very hard sleeping for only 4 hours a day for 45 years selling fruits and now I own many buildings and lands," his lips curled into a huge smile, "and I wouldn't have made it if it weren't for my wife who never complained and always trusted me."
Hi Kyeongju, this is Mi Hyeon. First of, I really liked your essay. I mean it! (1)The best thing about your essay was that it was descriptive. I could imagine myself in the picture, as if I am part of it. (2) There was nothing that I could not understand about (3) and I think the thesis statement is "nothing is greater than love and hard work in life" (4) and I think the thesis statement was the most effective direct quotation. (5) But I think it was mostly direct quotations than indirect quotations. (6) I think it would be better if you had your own opinion from the interview in the essay.
ReplyDeleteHello Kyeongju, this is Donghee. 1) I think you wrote it quite specifically, especially when describing the general atmosphere of the interview. You have very comfortable and close relationship with your grandparents. You obviously care about them and they also care much about you. 2) You were clear about what you were writing so nothing I cannot understand. 3) Interestingly, unlike most interview related writing, the thesis statement is on the top part of your writing ; "Nothing is greater than love and hard work in life". Your grandfather knows how to speak efficiently and effectively. This helped me to grasp the topic of the writing. 4) For me, this quotation was the most effective ; "We didn't have much to eat," he said "so we picked grass and dug up tree roots to cook for food". You used the quotation well there, If you used indirect quotation or just omitted the part it wouldn't have much effect. I can immediately understand how poor his family was. 5) I think there are a bit too much direct quotations. You can make them into indirect ones, and only make direct quotations of the ones that would be much more effective when used into the direct form. 6) You wrote it well, but maybe you can add your own opinion in the writing as Mihyeon pointed out. This is great writing. I love it!
ReplyDeleteLove and Hard Work
ReplyDelete"Come in!” my grandmother shouted. When I stepped into the house, a huge TV screen caught my eyes. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee came from the kitchen. “Sit down my dear,” said grandmother as she hugged me. Grandfather looked up from his reading papers, smiling. After drinking some hot coffee, my grandparents got comfortable on the sofa, ready to answer any questions. Before I began, my grandfather‘s eyes pierced through mine as he spoke in his profound voice, “My dear, I want you to remember that nothing is greater than love and hard work in life. Keep that in mind as you interview me.” I nodded. I have always heard from my father that grandmother and grandfather’s life and marriage was 1960s version of soap opera. A slight excitement swirled in my chest.
I started off with questions about their childhood. To my amazement, they were born in two contrasting families. Born as the youngest 6th child of his family, my grandfather lived in a small town in Chungnam. At the time, everybody was poor. However, grandfather’s family was wretchedly poor. “We didn’t have much to eat,” he said “so we picked grass and dug up tree roots to cook for food.” With grass his mother made pancakes. She also roasted rice brans (used to feed livestock now) and grinded grains of barley to make porridge for the family. Deep sadness was reflected in his eyes as he added, “Sometimes my sisters went to relatives' house to beg for food.” Trying to comfort him, I held his firm hands which were very rough working for so many years.
After a moment of pause, grandfather told me that he started working at a young age of 11 to feed the family after his father’s early death. ‘Eleven?’ shocked, my mouth dropped open. “For 10 years,” his face creased in deep wrinkles as he painfully remembered, “I spent my life as a servant in other households milling rice, threshing grains, and plowing fields.” His dark skin tanned from receiving too much sunlight, seemed to reflect the harshness of life. Sadly, he couldn’t afford to buy proper food by working only as a servant so he went to a bread factory at night to make more money. Sipping his coffee to wet his throat, he gazed at grandmother. She’s been quiet throughout the whole interview patiently listening. Finally she opened her thin lips, “My childhood was exactly the opposite of your grandfather’s,” her voice was very soothing and gentle. Having a father who was a doctor of oriental medicine and who also ran a successful herbal medicine business in China, my grandmother’s family owned many lands and never ran out of money. “I was very proud,” she continued, “that all my four older brothers had decent jobs such as a principal and a chief officer of the fire station.” Immersed in her old memories, she softly whispered, "We always ate white rice. Only rich people ate them.”
By then, my curiosity level reached its limit. I hastily blurted out my questions asking how the two met and got married considering that they are from two very different economic backgrounds. Grandfather chuckled as he sensed my excitement craving for more story. Full of questions and desire to hear more, I straightened myself perking my ears to listen. The more grandfather spoke, I felt more and more mesmerized by his story. It was like a drama or even a movie. The whole scene of my grandfather, a servant, meeting my grandmother who was the daughter of a rich man in the village, unfolded before my eyes. They lived right next door. ‘How romantic,’ I thought. Seeing grandfather for his potential to work very hard and his sincere love instead of how much money he has or how rich his family is, my grandmother soon fell in love with him. However, worries filled my chest as grandmother said, "When he asked for my hand in marriage, my family was outraged that I might marry the poorest man in the village.” Grandfather laughed, “But look, you’re my wife now,” adding in triumph.
After they got married when they were 23, it marked another beginning of extreme hardships. Since grandfather didn’t have enough to eat, it was obvious he didn’t have a house. “We had to live in his brother’s house which was so small that I couldn’t even bring in my furniture from home,” grandmother seemed to remember clearly. Worse, grandfather had to go to the military for 2 years leaving grandmother alone at his brother’s house. He never forgot to write letters to grandmother everyday but there were so many limitations in keeping touch. However, grandmother always remained patient. Even to this day, not breaking up with boyfriends in the army is difficult although we now have SNS and cellphones to keep in touch. "Wow, it’s amazing your love survived by just writing letters to each other!" I couldn’t help commenting. Gleaming with pride, grandmother looked at grandfather with loving eyes. Her eyes seemed to be telling me that grandfather was one of the most romantic man she’s ever met. A warm smile came across my face.
ReplyDeleteWhen I asked my last question about the hardships they went through together to succeed, my grandfather touched his chin with his long fingers, perhaps in deep thought. "I had many failures", he said “but that’s the key to success" After his military service, grandfather decided to start a business in Yongsan, Seoul. Selling his entire possessions, he bought one handcart to sell cabbages and white radishes. At first, he lost more money than earning money. To make things worse, his house was torn down as the area was being redeveloped. Wondering why only bad things happened to my grandparents, I felt pity and anger. As my mind wandered off thinking how unfair the world is, grandmother continued, “But those hardships made your grandfather the most diligent man in town.” Starting from scraps, he developed his cabbage selling business into a big one. “I slept 4 hours a day for 45 years selling fruits and now I own many buildings and lands," his lips curled into a huge smile, “and I wouldn’t have made it if it weren’t for my wife who never complained and always trusted me."