The Son and His Mother

Abstract

I first saw a wall-full of this series at Kyobo Book in Seoul in July, '04. I bought one copy, came home, and worked to order the full set of thirty booklets, workbooks, and audio cassettes from the publisher. Each set cost 9,800 Won. I have divided that cost among the book (6800 Won), booklet (1000 Won), and cassette (2000 Won). The colored booklet features twenty-eight thick, sturdy pages and excellent color reproduction. The art is cartoon-like, simple, and direct. This dramatic version of the story has the mother promising not to punish the son (6); he only needs to tell her the truth. He steals a toy car his first day at school, and then a book of fairy tales. I note that he did not steal fables! He might have learned better! This mother will even ask him What did you steal this time, my son? (14). He is caught robbing a bank. She visits him in jail and asks Are you okay, my son? His answer: No! I am not okay. I am in jail! There he bites her ear. She claims I never did anything! His response: That's just it. You didn't do anything. You never punished me. And now I'm in jail. Why didn't you punish me when I first stole the toy car? Her answer: Because I loved you. I'm sorry, my son. His last word is It's no use now. Are those glasses he wears or a burglar's mask (17 and -- without the cigarette -- the cover)? It strikes me that here and regularly in this series the illustrations are Western rather than Korean. Spare the rod and spoil the child.