A hero in Korean culture is the person who presents himself capable of meeting the society’s needs and display promising results; a hero who has the physical qualities that express them worthy. In the novel, Our Twisted Hero by Yi Munyol, the character Han Pyongt’ae finds himself struggling with the corrupt system at his new school. When Han first meets Om Sokdae, the class monitor, he does not know what huge authority he claims to have. It takes Han a while to fully grasp Sokdae’s abilities and what he is capable of controlling. Han recalls, “ the result of being thrown suddenly into a very strange school environment and the feeling of being threatened by the rigidity of this new order ” (Munyol 15). From this quote, the author conveys the sense of shock and confusion of Han yet to his surprise, …show more content…
The students do not speak on Sokdae’s actions because of the results he provides for the class. This is evident when considering the tasks that he makes them do. Sokdae presents the class as model for the entire school; the classroom is orderly maintained and always functioning best when Om is in charge. Sokdae’s appearance also implicates his importance as a leader in the classroom. Han describes him as,“ a head taller than me and equivalently stronger...uncommonly skilled fighter” (24). This represents how Om Sokdae's physical appearance impacts his leadership role in the class. By being bigger, smarter, and stronger, the lower leveled students pay more attention, resulting, in giving him more authority. Furthermore, it brings forth the idea of vulnerability shown upon the students. Because Sokdae is leader, it displays the lost and weak power shared amongst all the students. Without someone to guide them, their left clueless as to where they belong. Munyol’s use of a leader demonstrates the importance of unity and togetherness that is vital in Korean