Trees on a Slope

Sun-wŏn Hwang

Published by University of Hawaii Press 2005

Trees on a Slope

Sun-wŏn Hwang
With contributions by: YANG, JUNG GIL
Translated by: Bruce Fulton

In the series Modern Korean Fiction

https://doi.org/10.1515/9780824874483

Overview
Contents

About this book

Hwang Sun-won (1915–2000) is one of modern Korea’s masters of narrative prose. Trees on a Slope (1960) is his most accomplished novel—one of the few Korean novels to describe in detail the physical and psychological horrors of the Korean War. It is an assured, forceful depiction of three young soldiers in the South Korean army during the latter stages of the war: Hyŏnt’ae, the arrogant and overconfident squad leader; the stolid and dependable Yun-gu; and "the Poet" Tong-ho. The war affects the men in different ways. Before he can return home, Tong-ho takes his own life after shooting an officer and a prostitute. Hyŏn-t’ae, finding himself removed from situations of mortal danger, spends most of his time drinking; in the end he is arrested for abetting in the suicide of a young girl. Only Yun-gu is able to make the successful transition to postwar life. His ability to survive the encroachments of others, exploit limited resources, and capitalize on the lessons of harsh experience make him emblematic of Korea over the centuries.

Trees on a Slope will introduce an English-reading audience to an important voice in modern Asian literature.

Author / Editor information

Fulton Bruce :

Bruce Fulton is Young-Bin Min Chair in Korean Literature and Literary Translation, Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Part One
1 .LIKE WALKING Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	3
2. SEVERAL DAYS LATER. Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	15
3. FOR THREE WEEKS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	20
4. WAR SURVIVORS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	29
5 .A CHILL WIND BLEW Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	34
6. “WOW!” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	54
7.IT CAN HAPPEN Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	61
8 .IT WAS THE END Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	82
Part Two:
9 .WHEN CHRISTMAS DAY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
10. YUN-GU’S ROUTINE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	109
11. IT SEEMS THAT Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	124
12. HYO˘ N-T’AE AND SO˘ K-KI Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	130
13. GOING TO BED LATE Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	136
14. “HERE YOU GO— it’s that time of month again.” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	147
15. THE WOMAN Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	153
16. SO˘ K-KI HAD LOST Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	165
17. “I BOUGHT THE TICKET. Your flight leaves Tuesday. Remember that.” Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	174
Afterword Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191

Language: English
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 208

eBook

Published: March 31, 2005
ISBN: 9780824874483