In The Tale of a Yangban, status becomes something to trade; in The Tale of Gwangmun, a beggar's name becomes the basis of credit. Turning to Heo Gyun's The Tale of Songok the Mountain Dweller, we find poetic talent out of step with the treatment it deserves. Compare the weight of a person's name at its first introduction and at the end of the account. Before reaching a broad conclusion about criticism of the status system, this selection asks who judges people, and on what grounds.
The Tale of a Yangban · The Tale of Gwangmun · The Tale of Songok the Mountain Dweller
The Tale of Master Yedeok follows a day spent carrying manure in detail; The Tale of the Recluse Eom records the daily life of a man who does not pursue office or fame. In The Tale of Gwangmun, acts done without seeking an audience become known only later. Rather than loosely grouping the three as admirable people, compare how they make a living, how much they depend on others, and how they respond to praise. Read how the repetition of everyday life becomes the basis for judging a person.
The Tale of Master Yedeok · The Tale of the Recluse Eom · The Tale of Gwangmun
Old Min overturns others' thinking through questions and answers; the magistrate in The Tale of a Yangban uses contracts to expose what lies inside a social title. In The Horse Brokers, the gap between the language of friendship and private motives becomes the subject of debate. Before accepting an eloquent character's conclusion, look at how the listener responds. This reading compares whom comic language targets and whether it turns back on the speaker too.
The Tale of Old Min · The Tale of a Yangban · The Horse Brokers
After reading about a literary talent in The Tale of Usang, encounter the extraordinary deeds in The Tale of Master Namgung and The Tale of Jang. Poems that demonstrate ability, other people's testimony, and stories heard at second hand persuade readers in different ways. Rather than immediately treating strange events as historical facts, this selection asks how their placement shapes the memory of a person. It also leaves visible the places where the material tells us nothing, such as the missing ending of The Tale of Usang.
The Tale of Usang · The Tale of Master Namgung · The Tale of Jang