Week 8: Biblical References

     Pachinko has a lot of biblical references in terms of characters names (which may or not be obvious depending on how familiar you are with the bible). Characters share names with biblical figures whom they share a lot with.

    Isak, for example, is very similar to Isaac from the Bible. Abraham, one of the most important patriarchal figures in both Christianity and Judaism, is the father of Isaac. Abraham and his wife have Isaac when they are both very old, as a gift from God, which they are incredibly grateful for. However, God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to him, similar to how people from that time may have sacrificed an animal. Abraham is reluctant, but decides to goes through with it. Right before sacrificing his son, an angel stops Abraham. In this sense, Isak and Isaac have a lot in common. Both are 'sacrifices'- Isaac literally and Isak in terms of his selflessness in general and specifically to Sunja. 

    Noa is clearly a reference to Noah, whose story with the ark is probably the most famous bible story. Noah is tasked with bearing the sins of the world as God floods it as a sort of reset on humanity's sin. Noa is in a similar role. Noa is carrying the burden of his family's ancestry. It is not an exact comparison (being Korean is not the same as the entirety of humanity's sin), but the feelings Noa carries and their implications on his character are similar in some ways. 

    Other characters are less clear. Yoseb could refer to one of two Josephs. Jesus's father is named Joseph, and in that sense, it is hard to see a comparison. Isak is almost more like this Joseph, taking a wife that is having a kid that is not his despite his doubt. The other Joseph, Joseph of Arimathea, is the one who owns the grave Jesus was buried in (and came back to life from). I wonder which Joseph Yoseb will turn out like and for what reason. I feel the same about Mozasu, too.


Comments

  1. Audrey SchroederMarch 2, 2023 at 10:47 AM

    Hey Jalen! As someone who isn't religious I don't really know much, if anything about the characters in the Bible. So, your blog post was very informative. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. HeatherLMarch 2, 2023 at 5:39 PM

    Hey Jalen! I didn't even think about Noa and Noah both carrying the burdens of those close to them and the way this affects their sense of duty, responsibility, and sacrifice. I also liked your note about Joseph of Arimathea - I had only been comparing Yoseb to Jesus's father Joseph and the patriarch Joseph who interpreted dreams and had the many-colored coat. I wonder if Lee had a specific Joseph in mind when choosing Yoseb's name, or if she too wanted that to be up to interpretation.

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  3. CassiMarch 3, 2023 at 3:00 PM

    Hi Jalen! I am not super familiar with the Bible or Biblical characters, so I really enjoyed hearing your insight on how these characters connect! I found the connection between Isaac and Isak particularly interesting. I think it is a cool choice to have Isak's sacrifice (in being with Sunja, raising Noa, helping out at the church) being lived out in a much more realized way, yet still clearly referencing the sacrifice that was the Biblical Isaac.

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  4. Gema Sanchez GamezMarch 6, 2023 at 3:14 PM

    Hi Jalen- I agree that sacrifice is a very prevalent theme in Pachinko and is reflected in the Biblical names of several of her characters. I also believe that Noa was born with the task of rescuing the relationships of everyone in his family. He gave them a reason to leave after so much struggle.

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  5. Catalina DegnanMarch 6, 2023 at 10:08 PM

    Hi Jalen, I like your thoughts on the characters of Isak and Issac and especially how the theme of sacrifice binds them together! This is also something I noticed in my own analysis. While I focused on Isak's big sacrifice (being imprisoned for sticking up for his beliefs), I think there is a lot to be said of his smaller sacrifices, such as marrying Sunja. While I didn't see this as a sacrifice at first, after reading your analysis I definitely see how it can be interpreted as that!

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  6. Griffin JonesMarch 7, 2023 at 12:32 AM

    I find the biblical references in Pachinko really interesting and it's clear that the author put a lot of thought into them. The similarities between Isak and Isaac, as well as Noa and Noah, are definitely noticeable and add depth to the characters. It will be intriguing to see how Yoseb and Mozasu's characters develop and which Joseph they may be more similar to. Overall, the biblical allusions add another layer to an already complex and fascinating novel.

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