Summary

In Chapter 5, Jin Sik was often away from home taking care of his business. When he was home, he would entertain city officials at home with food, drink, and stories to keep them from informing on him.

In school, Yeonmi struggled to read and write and needed special help. Her father would read her books when he was not working, but the only books available had political themes. When Yeonmi was finally able to read for herself, she could not get enough books. She describes how every subject the children learned in school was infused with propaganda. The students were discouraged from individuality and not taught to think critically. They were taught to be afraid of Americans.

When Yeonmi was seven or eight, she saw the movie Titanic at her uncle’s house. At that time foreign media was illegal. Her aunt...