Analysis of Escape from Camp 14
Escape from Camp 14
1-Shin Dong-Hyuk is the main character of the book Escape from Camp 14, his story is a tragedy, throughout his life he believed that everything happened because he deserved it. The North Korean State molds everyones thoughts to make it easier to control the people. There is virtually no freedom with the borders of North Korea. Shin lived a hard life in the camp, feeling pains that are not comprehendible. The way his story is told, it makes it hard to continue to read during some rather graphic times.
2-“Police could be bribed; indeed, many lived off bribes.” (Harden, 125)
Due to the North Korean famine in the 90’s everyone (excluding the “dear” leader and his family) would do just about anything to get food, or money. It is told that any
Vagabond could safely travel within the country and have a chance of defecting to china with a little cash, food, and cigarettes. Within the country of North Korea there are laws that prohibit individuals from traveling between cities. Any North KoreanCitizen has to have proper paperwork, which included permission from the government.
3-“‘I am evolving from being an animal,” he said, “But it is going very, very slowly.
Sometimes I try to cry and laugh like other people, just to see if it feels like anything. Yet tears don’t come. Laughter doesn’t come.”’ (Harden, 181)
Shin’s identity has almost been completely destroyed, his mind is in a state of survival.
He has PTSD, which is common among people who have escaped concentration camps.
Shin is told within the camps to snitch on the other people, he is told everyone is a just an animal. The people in the camps are rewarded by snitching, they are beaten less, and receive a little more food. Whenever someone is executed, the other prisoners are told the individual deserved it, and so the people usually do not think anything of it. If someone’s family member commits a crime, it is said that their blood is tainted and so everyone in their family has to work harder
1-Shin Dong-Hyuk is the main character of the book Escape from Camp 14, his story is a tragedy, throughout his life he believed that everything happened because he deserved it. The North Korean State molds everyones thoughts to make it easier to control the people. There is virtually no freedom with the borders of North Korea. Shin lived a hard life in the camp, feeling pains that are not comprehendible. The way his story is told, it makes it hard to continue to read during some rather graphic times.
2-“Police could be bribed; indeed, many lived off bribes.” (Harden, 125)
Due to the North Korean famine in the 90’s everyone (excluding the “dear” leader and his family) would do just about anything to get food, or money. It is told that any
Vagabond could safely travel within the country and have a chance of defecting to china with a little cash, food, and cigarettes. Within the country of North Korea there are laws that prohibit individuals from traveling between cities. Any North KoreanCitizen has to have proper paperwork, which included permission from the government.
3-“‘I am evolving from being an animal,” he said, “But it is going very, very slowly.
Sometimes I try to cry and laugh like other people, just to see if it feels like anything. Yet tears don’t come. Laughter doesn’t come.”’ (Harden, 181)
Shin’s identity has almost been completely destroyed, his mind is in a state of survival.
He has PTSD, which is common among people who have escaped concentration camps.
Shin is told within the camps to snitch on the other people, he is told everyone is a just an animal. The people in the camps are rewarded by snitching, they are beaten less, and receive a little more food. Whenever someone is executed, the other prisoners are told the individual deserved it, and so the people usually do not think anything of it. If someone’s family member commits a crime, it is said that their blood is tainted and so everyone in their family has to work harder