Overall, reading and discussing Human Acts in class has added significant value to my learning and understanding of the world because the novel makes us confront the harsh reality of the world and question humanity. I thought this was extremely fascinating as I don’t usually read this type of genre, however, it helped me understand the great depth there is to explore and the value I can gain from learning about historical events that perhaps, aren’t from my culture. My main takeaways is the importance of history and memory. Many people have made sacrifices for causes they believe in, and it’s the duty of society to retell their stories and ensure that their sacrifice wasn’t in vain. Although there may be extreme censorship, it’s important to remember key events and history in order to learn from our mistakes and not repeat them.
The text challenged my thinking because of the style in which it was written. At times, I found it difficult to follow what was happening given the changing tenses, narrative perspective, etc. However, through providing stories of various narrators, Han Kang was able to add depth to the reader’s understanding as it helped facilitate my understanding of the impacts of the Gwangju uprising on all members of society, emphasising the significance of this event.
In the future, i’d love to continue reading these types of novels as although it may not be a satisfying or relaxing read, it can provide a lot of knowledge about past events and question our morality as human beings. Thinking outside my level of comfort promotes critical-thinking about topics we may not think about on the daily, and truly consider why we are the way we are, and what influences our actions.
