Escape From Camp 14 Analysis

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“A book without parallel, Escape from Camp 14, is a riveting nightmare that bears witness to the worst inhumanity, and unbearable tragedy magnified by the fact that the horror continues at this very moment without an end in sight.” – Terry Hong, Christian Science Monitor. Human rights is one of the most critical topics in todays society, mostly in places where people are abused frequently and are put in dangerous conditions every day. Shin Dong Hyuk was born into these conditions and his story is now showing how important humans rights are. He is helping people realize how important human rights are by sharing his story, which is about him being isolated in a North Korea camp with no education or knowledge of the world, hard labor, and physical…show more content…
Because I was born there, I thought that the people who carried guns were actually born to carry guns, and prisoners like me were actually born as prisoners. I had no idea other countries existed like America. I had no idea that the world was round. I though everybody lived in a prison camp like this. Camp 14 was all that I knew for the first twenty-three years of my life. It is horrifying that fifteen thousand people are believed to be imprisoned here, forced to live and work surrounded by an electric fence.” Me – “What are your earliest memories in the camp and why did you betray your parents?” Shin – “My first memory is when I was five years old and it was when my mother took me to a public execution. I was fourteen years old and I was young and immature when I reported my parents. One of the reasons why I did it was because I thought it was the right thing to do according to the camp rules. My second reason is because I thought I could get a full stomach of food if I reported a crime that big of a deal.” Me – “What were some of the most fearful things you had to go through in the camp?” Shin – “I had to watch my teacher beat a little girl to death for hoarding a few kernels of corn. It was a violation of prison rules, which the other students and I were required to learn by heart.…show more content…
This trauma is so agonizing because there is no solution to this trauma. Even if I quit this job, get treatment, or win the lottery, it won’t help at all. Even though now I’m living in peace, eating whatever I want, and wearing any clothes I want. These are the only things I’m satisfied with. Definitely, my pain is much less than the people who are suffering in North Korea now.” Me – “What is the main human rights issue in North Korea?” Shin – “The majority of people think the North Korean problem is just a problem in North Korea. International organizations believe they cannot help. This is North Koreas hugest human rights issue. I cannot say the North Koreans can solve the problem. Also, it cannot be solved by South Korea. The biggest hope is from the international community.” Me – “Can you explain how you have got some of your scars?” Shin – “I have been tortured over a coal fire, which made serious burn marks all over my back and lower buttocks. When I was in the sewing machine factory, I dropped a sewing machine, which was very expensive. One of the guards took a knife and cut off part of my finger. When I was crawling over wires while escaping, my legs were burned severely.” Me – “What was the purpose of your escape from North Korea?” Shin – “When I was living in the camp, I never knew the emotions “bad and “good.” Nor did I ever think to
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