Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Pachinko, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Survival and Family
Imperialism, Resistance, and Compromise
Identity, Blood, and Contamination
Love, Motherhood, and Women’s Choices
Summary
Analysis
A couple of years later, Yumi is hit by a cab driven by a drunk driver and soon dies. She pushed three-year-old Solomon onto the sidewalk at the last moment, and he survived with only a broken ankle. Mozasu now regrets never having taken Yumi to the United States.
Yumi and Mozasu don’t get to enjoy married life or parenthood together for very long. Yumi sacrifices herself for Solomon’s safety at the last moment, instinctively giving up everything for her son.
Themes
Hansu comes to Yumi’s funeral to pay his respects. His driver interrupts him to say that there’s an emergency in the car. He finds his new 18-year-old mistress, Noriko, impatient to be taken shopping. Hansu hits her until she falls silent and her face is practically ruined, although she survives.
In a chilling juxtaposition to his kindness to Mozasu, Hansu attacks his young mistress for annoying him and seems not to mind if he does kill her. It’s a rare glimpse into the darker depths of his character and a clear reminder that Hansu is only interested in people as long as they’re of use to him.
Themes
Sunja continues living with Mozasu to help take care of Solomon. One day Hansu is watching them both from his car outside Solomon’s school. He thinks of Sunja all the time and still desires her, even though, now past fifty, she is no longer beautiful. Hansu finally calls out to Sunja, and she is upset that she hasn’t heard anything from him for six years, since she showed up at his house. She begins weeping that Hansu has destroyed her by ruining everything between her and Noa. Then Hansu tells Sunja that he’s dying.
After the violent scene with Hansu’s mistress, it’s jarring to see him staring at Sunja and desiring her. She’s never witnessed his dark side and has always stayed in his good graces, but the darkness has always been present under the surface. At the very least, however, Sunja regrets Hansu’s continued hold over her life and the way it’s damaged her relationship with her son. Hansu interrupts Sunja’s accusations by dropping a shocking piece of news.
Themes
