Finding Junie Kim

Food plays an important role in the story. It has symbolic significance and provides realistic insight into Korean culture and family. Discuss the role of food in the story. Use plenty of examples from the text to support your response.

Discuss the role of friendship in the novel. How does war influence this? Use multiple examples from the text to support your response.

Bullying plays an important role in the novel, especially regarding Junie’s mental health. Discuss Junie’s response to Tobias’s bullying behavior. Explain your answer using several examples from the text to illustrate your response.

Discuss the structural significance of placing the rising racial tensions in America alongside the history of conflict in Korea and The Korean War. How does this parallel imagery shape your understanding of conflict? Cite several examples from the text to support your response.

Discuss the significance of the different settings in the novel. Why does the setting matter in this story? Explain your answer using examples from the text to illustrate your response.

Discuss the dual characterization of Doha/Grandpa and Jinjoo/Grandma. How does this approach to characterization shape your response to the novel? Incorporate examples from the text to support your response.

Silence and the importance of voice in the face of evil is an important theme in the novel. Discuss how Junie’s understanding of these concepts changes over time. Cite examples from the text to support your response.

The Korean War is sometimes called The Forgotten War. Junie’s oral history project provides a narrative opportunity for Junie to learn more about this War. Describe the significance of Book 2 and Book 4 as historical fiction. What role does this history play in the development of Junie’s identity? Explain your answer using examples from the text to illustrate your response.