Unbreakable Bonds Forged In Bondage

By Fran Withrow 12.2020

 “White Chrysanthemum” is the gripping story of two girls living through the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1943. Hana, her sister Emi, and their parents make their home on a small island off the coast of Korea. The children are warned to avoid the Japanese who control the area, but one day Hana notices a Japanese soldier about to find little Emi, who sits on the shore while Hana and her mother are diving for fish. Fearing for Emi’s safety, Hana distracts the soldier, who kidnaps Hana and forces her to become a “comfort woman,” or sexual slave, for the Japanese army.

Hana is housed with other young girls and women in appalling conditions, and all the women are forced to service any soldier who is interested in them. Despite battling hunger, exhaustion, and beatings which bring their bodies down, most of these young women never give up hope and remain determined to survive. The incredibly resilient Hana, for example, ceaselessly plans what will surely be a life-threatening and dangerous escape so she can return to her beloved mother and sister.

The story skips back and forth between Hana in 1943 and Emi in 2011. After Hana is stolen, Emi and her parents face their own traumas at the hands of the Japanese, and Emi’s world is forever altered by an unfortunate encounter with one particular soldier. Yet Emi— like Hana— is a strong character who never breaks down or crumbles. Her courage after witnessing her father’s murder and finding out who is responsible for her mother’s death is nothing short of remarkable.

In 2011, Emi, now an old woman, continues her relentless search for her sister, but knows that time is running out. How the author resolves Emi’s search as well as Hana’s desire to escape sexual slavery is poignant yet brilliant and will leave you nodding your head in satisfaction.

Author Mary Lynn Bracht is of Korean descent, and this personal connection led her to craft this story. She brings to life in unflinching detail the horror of sexual slavery and the despair faced by women whose bodies are seen as the only valuable thing about them.

Bracht’s historical notes are compelling to read as well. Currently only about forty survivors remain of the thousands of women and girls who suffered Japanese slavery during the war.  It was not until 2015 that South Korea and Japan reached a truce of sorts over the issue of “comfort women.” However, the “halmoni” (grandmothers who survived the enslavement) have not accepted this truce and continue to work for an acceptable resolution to the issue.

War is hideous and there are always atrocities committed on all sides. Bracht explains that she focused on individuals rather than nations in her story for this reason. She has written a compelling, fascinating tale that is sure to raise the reader’s awareness about the desperate plight of women in sexual slavery. Her story is also a testament the unbreakable bonds that women forge with those they love, and their willingness to risk everything to save those they hold dear.

Graphic designed by Doug Dobey