Sample Translations
Soo-hyeon Shin Red Pencil E ng l i s h
Book Information
Red Pencil (빨강 연필) BIR Publishing corp. / 2001 / 3 p. / ISBN 9788949121338 For further information, please visit: http://library.klti.or.kr/node/772
This sample translation was produced with support from LTI Korea. Please contact the LTI Korea Library for further information. library@klti.or.kr
Red Pencil Written by Soo-hyeon Shin, Illustrated by Sung Hee Kim
A Story about the growth of a boy named Min-ho by handling secrets and lies after obtaining a magic "red pencil" with which he can write any story without hesitation. This book was awarded, with a review that "it successfully explores confrontation with a hard-to-avoid temptation, a rare subject for a Korean youth book, in an interesting and effective way. Moreover, it creates an independent child who makes a decision without help of assistants," illustrating his mind in a detailed way. The writer was surprised to hear from her nephew while she helped his homework of keeping diary, "You should consider readers when you keep a journal." And the surprise inspired her to write this story with addition of fantasy component, "a magical red pencil." This book implies what a truthful and sincere writing should be like and also describes the growth of a child who overcomes his greed. The red pencil represents Min-ho's desire and needs, but it gives him happiness and suffering at the same time. The stories written by the red pencil make Min-ho a famous and top-performing student. However, the more the pencil beautifies his reality, the deeper his pains and worries get. The writer tells about the robust growth of Min-ho by describing his confrontation to the red pencil by himself without telling anyone. As the pencil makes the situation more complicated and more, Min-ho thinks what to do with the pencil, inviting readers to think what they would do. Sung-hee Kim, who is emerging as a respective illustrator by many contests home and abroad, illustrates the scenes of "Red Pencil" in depth. The illustration of linocut (linoleum block print) shows strong lines and sophisticated colors, helping readers follow the mind of Min-ho as vividly as a red pencil moves for him.
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Synopsis At school, Min-ho finds a red pencil on his desk. As soon as he writes with it without any expectation, he finds its magical power to write any story in a surprising way. Better yet, this pencil doesn't wear down no matter how much he writes with it. The red pencil makes Min-ho's mundane life special. The excellent writing written by the red pencil under Min-ho's name earns him applause at school and home and popularity among friends. On the other hand, Jae-gyu who used to be the all-time winner at writing homework or contests started to be suspicious and jealous of Min-ho for his sudden improvement in the writing skills. But the increasing secrecy isolates Min-ho more than ever. He wants to tell the truth about the red pencil, but he is too afraid to disappoint people who are praising him. Min-ho's father went away from home after a big fight with Min-ho's mother a few years ago. His mother works late every night, so Min-ho is always alone at home. But, on the writing homework with the theme of "my home," the red pencil writes a lie about Min-ho's family as if they were an ideal happy family, which makes the situation more complicated. After deciding not to use the red pencil any more, Min-ho cuts the pencil all the way just leaving the lead. But the pencil returns to the original shape as if nothing happened. On the national writing contest, Min-ho decides to use the red pencil for the last time, after fighting with Jae-gyu. But Jae-gyu hides the pencil behind Min-ho's back, and Min-ho has to write without the pencil. On the contest with the theme of "happiness," Min-ho writes about "pain." Though he does not win an award, his honest and heart-felt story lets him be discovered by the judge. Min-ho decides to remove the red pencil which describes his desires instead of him. He burns it at the furnace at the backyard of school, but the pencil is not burnt but is staring at him. Min-ho has to close his eyes in pain. Then the pencil disappears without a trace.
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Min-ho calls his father who becomes awkward to him after long time with no contact. He hears father's voice finally. Now it's a new beginning for him. But does the red pencil really disappear for good?
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