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Post by Justin Yu on Dec 4, 2015 9:39:30 GMT
The main character of "Dreaming of Kimchee" appeared to have dealt with a long period of depression at the time and it would be rude for her to describe herself as being neurotic or "possessed by evil spirits" for being worried about her new marital status (p438). The main character was in a long lasting affair that eventually led to her lover leaving his wife for her. Those two years, however, is an extremely long time to wait for love, especially when that love is being divided in two. Societal pressures, as shown in the magazines she always read which told her "married men rarely leave their wives to marry their lovers," in conjunction with her sedentary lifestyle only compounded her loneliness and depression. This depression did not just magically go away after they got married and it would be strange for her not to hold some anxiety over her relationship (as anxiety is a key symptom of depression). This anxiety also included the guilt that she carried when she crossed his now ex-wife by "ruining" their relationship. While such issues were somewhat ironed out by the end, this was the first time seeing a pungent smelling food such as kimchee being used as a symbol for the couples' close relationship. Is there some other sort of significance this kimchee served other than bringing the two closer together while they ate and slept?
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