Gathering of Pearls is a fictional novel which was written by a Korean born author named Sook Nyul Choi. This book narrates the stories of a Korean girl, Sookan, who comes to America and starts a new life in a foreign country. On the cover, Sookan sits on the floor and gathers pearls all over which come from a broken pearl necklace. Around the image, flowers like plum blossoms grow. The image on the cover of Sookan gathering pearls represents her difficulties in life, inner conflict, and her guilt over the death of mother; however, Sookan gathers those pearls from her life and turns them into energy to fight for a better life.
Sookan met a lot of hardships when she first came to America. There were many differences between Korean culture and American culture. Sookan's culture was traditional and conservative, but American culture was open and free. For example, Sookan was surprised when she saw her American friends who were in the same grade could talk to seniors relaxingly. They never used any honorific terms or words to talk with elders. Many obstacles were also on Sookan's academic path. Sookan wanted to make her family proud, so she decided to choose very hard courses. However, her high demand on herself led to her extremely busy schedule. Keeping working so hard everyday made her felt immensely tired. She knew she could not stay in this kind of situation anymore, but she still continued to do it because of her stubborn characteristics. Nevertheless, Sookan gradually adjusted with help from her friends and teachers, and she overcame those difficulties in her life. From those difficulties, Sookan harvested friendship and approval from her teachers for her hard work.
While Sookan was overcoming difficulties in America, she also experienced many inner conflicts. Her main inner conflicts were mostly about her sister's order. She got letters from her sister about writing journals and sending them back to Korea. Her sister wanted Sookan to share all of her thoughts so she and Sookan would not grow apart. Her sister also wanted Sookan to go back to Korean to be a nun and continue her work. Sookan wanted to follow her sister's order and satisfy her; however, Sookan was a bit mad at her sister for always demanding her and not understanding her. Nonetheless, Sookan felt sorry for her anger because she should respect her sister and do what she wanted her to do. Sookan didn't know what should she do: to abide her sister or go on her own way. A lot of confusion and conflicts were going on inside of Sookan during that period of time. However, Sookan inspired by her firiends' and mother's words, which she finally chose to follow her heart and decided her future goals. Those inner conflicts helped her be conscious of what she truely wanted and became brave to walk on her own path.
Sookan's guilt toward her mother's death influenced her a lot from inside. When Father Lee came to her school in America and told her that her mother was already in Heaven, Sookan could not believe her ear. She could believe that her beloved and kind mother has left her forever. Sookan didn't even get a chance to see her mother for the last time. She blamed herself that she shouldn't come to America in such a hurry. She could wait for a few months and accompany her mother. When she got her mother's letter, Sookan knew that even at her mother's last minute, her mother was still worried about her and wanted to not interrupt her study. In her mother's letter, her mother wanted her to continue her own life in America and not be sad because of her death. Sookan knew that her mother wanted to turn her sorrow and pain into pearls which symbolized energy to live in a better life. Although mother's death left her a life long guilt, Sookan understood that she won't sink in the pain and sadness, and she would gather those sorrow to expand her life width and walk steadily to her future.
Sookan picked up those pearls in her life which were composed by life difficulties, inner conflicts and self-accusation, and she restring it into understanding and wisdom in life. She didn't fear challenges and troubles, instead, she overcame and defeated those hardships and confusions. The voice inside of her told her that she would find herself a direction and insisted to walk on firmly without turning back. Those flowers around the image of Sookan on the cover symbolize Sookan's strong, brave and persistent personality. For Sookan, pain and sorrow are indispensable elements of her life, because she needed to readjust herself and keep running on the right track. A brighter and better future is waiting for Sookan with full of treasures like pearls.
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