Cathy Park Hong’s paternal grandfather was nearly murdered by American soldiers during the Korean War, when they mistook him for someone else. Hong’s father, who was a young child, never forgets the incident. Hong cites this story to point out how immigration and Asian American identity are inherently linked to the U.S. government’s imperialism and atrocities overseas.
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Cathy Park Hong’s Paternal Grandfather Character Timeline in Minor Feelings
The timeline below shows where the character Cathy Park Hong’s Paternal Grandfather appears in Minor Feelings. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
United
...War. American soldiers broke into Hong’s family’s home, destroyed all of their possessions, and dragged Hong’s grandfather outside to execute him. He only survived because the village translator walked by and told...
(full context)
The Indebted
Hong returns to the moment when the American soldiers nearly murdered her grandfather during the Korean War. The village interpreter said something in English, and the soldiers let...
(full context)
