Homecoming Summary and Analysis

The boy's first day at the new school is in second grade. The Japanese principal wanted him in first grade because his first year was in a missionary school. The family returned to Korea a week earlier from Manchuria so the eldest son by tradition could help his father with farming and the family apple orchard. The boy's father knew the assistant principal. He asked the principal to let the boy qualify by testing for second grade. The evening meal with grandfather, father and boy celebrated his testing. Grandfather asked the boy if he knew his father did things to be proud of, but father said he was too young. Grandfather warned him the Japanese will be mean to him but not to cry when they are.

On the way to his first day at school, both mother and father accompany...