BEHIND THE MASK
Choi, Yangsook. BEHIND THE MASK. 2006. New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 0374305226
Plot Summary
It is almost Halloween and Kimin has not decided what he should wear as his costume. Kimin's mother tries
to help him decide by bringing up two boxes from the basement that belonged to his grandfather. Kimin is
afraid to look because his last memory of spending time alone with his grandfather frightened him.
Grandfather turned around to greet him but face was scary and not that of his grandfather. Little did Kimin
realize his grandfather was wearing a mask used in special Korean folk dances. Morning comes and Kimin
decides to look inside Grandfather's wooden boxes. He finds old photographs of his grandfather wearing
masks and dancing. The other box contains the many masks grandfather wore as a dancer. Kimin decides
to be his grandfather for Halloween. Kimin goes trick-or-treating with his friends but does not tell them who
he is until the end when he trips and falls and his mask comes off. Kimin later shares his pictures and masks
with his friends as they dance around the room, like grandfather. Last year our art teacher exposed the
students to the mack dance Talchum. After learning about this brief part of the Korean culture each student
created a mask. Each mask was incredible. Behind the Mask is not rich in cultural markers but the
book can be used to illustrate a minute part of Korean culture as well as remind us of special
people in our lives.
Critical Analysis
Simple, colorful watercolor illustrations provide interest and marry the text to create a sweet story of a young
boy who learns something new and interesting about his Korean grandfather. Endpapers have examples of
the the expressive masks worn by the dancers of the traditional Korean folk dance, Talcum.
This story provides an example of what our lecture notes state about Japanese stories, "Common, Japanese
structural forms have a narrative that merely places one event after another, a narrative that proceeds entirely
through parallels and continually stresses sameness rather than differences, or a narrative that turns conflict
into accord," according to Elaine Aoki. Choi allows the reader to feel the emotion of a young boy who
remembers his grandfather as a wonderful loving grandfather until his last visit to Korea where a late night
visit to grandfather's room unsettles him. Kimin's last memory of his grandfather was not a pleasant
memory. He spies his grandfather looking into a box late one night and when grandfather turns to speak he
has on a scary mask. I am taking l liberty to assume that some of the Korean beliefs such as "lighting the
way for the wandering spirits" and "Kimin knew that Halloween was also a time to honor the dead"
have something to do with Korean beliefs. She also provides information about the Tal, which means mask
in Korean, at the end of the story. Kimin decides to honor his grandfather by wearing grandfather's mask
and dance clothes for his trick-or-treat costume. A letter written in Korean is translated into English giving
significance to the Korean language and showing the love of a grandfather to his grandson. Mother
translates the letter for Kimin and his friends because Kimin only knows English. There are other examples
of the Korean symbols/words sprinkled throughout the story. Kimin was later able to share grandfather's
pictures, masks, and dances.
Reviews
"The illustrations in muted fall colors enhance the story beautifully, and include endpapers with the stylized
masks depicted. This is an evocative look at a Korean tradition and an interesting intergenerational and
multicultural story for Halloween." - School Library Journal
"A note about talchum, Korean mask dance, follows the story. A unique look at Halloween, this
is a comfortable story about death and some of the traditions of Korean culture." - Kirkus Review
Awards/Connections
MY O'L MAN- written by Patricia Polacco
THE KEEPING QUILT - written by Patricia Polacco
2007 The Best Children's Book of the Year by Bank Street CollegeBest Children's Book of the Year
2007 NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
Author's web site:
http://www.yangsookchoi.com/
For more information about the Korean masks check out:
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/arthistoryinasia/ss/KoreanMasks.htm
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