t bowl, throws her rag into the bucket and mutters "Sangnyun" or Korean for "low woman" (1). Mrs. Randolph is shocked and in retaliation refuses to pay Haseu what she is rightfully owed. In response, Haseu carefully plunks the unacceptable pay on the table in front of Mrs. Randolph. In her broken English, she picks up a single dime and says outloud "car fare" (2).
Ronyoung shows Haseu brilliantly regaining her dignity by refusing to be broken or demeaned by Mrs. Randolph's bullying, insensitivity or dishonesty. Already within the first two pages, the tone of the novel has been set through the use of the toilet and the dime. Life in America will be dirty and demeaning. It will demand that these new immigrants learn to master money and adopt to American materialism. Yet Haseu's dignified rebellion appears not only to be justified, but a soul-saving behavior. It is Ronyoung's skillful use of poetic imagery which has so immediately and efficiently established the novel's guiding tone. The pages will follow will illustrate how Haseu regains her composure and achieves a new status for herself and her family.
Haseu and her husband Chun are staying with another Korean immigrant family, Clara and Mr. Yim, as they attempt to adapt to their new lives in America. Her husband and the household are taken aback by Hasue's quitting her new job. Quietly, Haseu plots how to advance economically and socially within this new country. She decides that she and her husband should sell fresh produce in a cart. Chun balks at the idea, but indicates he will be willing to follow his wife's suggestion if Mr. Chin approves. Ronyoung skillfully presents Haseu's terror at approaching Mr. Yin. Haseu is terrified because she honors Mr. Chin's higher status. Mr. Yin is a "yangban", a man born of a higher status to her own and additionally a scholar (11). Again with compression Ronyoung indicates that the lives of these Korean immigrants had kn...