LTI Korea 
DLKL 
SIWF 
Dream of the Amazon Workers: A by Ha Seong-nan scrap
by Kang Gyesook
October 23, 2014
Author Bio 작가 소개
Ha Seong-nan
Based on the mass suicide of members of the “Odaeyang” cult in 1987, this novel begins with the protagonist, a survivor of a similar event, returning to the cement factory where the incident occurred. The filth and the dank smells of the factory hint at its mythical origins of primeval energy. Now it is only the site of a mysterious and horrifying incident, but the protagonist’s memories of the workers at the factory reveal that it was far more than that.
The factory was built as a community of hope, dreams, and solidarity by women, marginalized by society, who had experienced the violence of patriarchy first- hand. The community is described as being full of laughter, love, and independence, built by women who had broken away from the patriarchal status quo, who were in effect, modern-day Amazons.
An even more pervasive violence was at work, however, underpinning the very existence of the community. The world of the Amazons turns out to be a house of cards built upon the sacrifice of its members to richer, more powerful men, a community so weak it was destroyed when even that failed. The unresisting deaths of its members were the work of the powerful men reigning above them. This is why the protagonist continues to fear the cold, clammy hands that pressed down around her throat. The suspense throughout the novel pinpoints how the weak can only keep their simple happiness by compromising with injustice, which in turn makes them all the more vulnerable, revealing the amount of brutality and corruption that still persists in society today. 
Writer 필자 소개
Kang Gyesook
Did you enjoy this article? 별점
Did you enjoy this article? Please rate your experience
More From Issue Vol.10 Winter 2010
More Content Like This
