An Na's A Step From Heaven: Bleak Realities, A Hopeful Future

Abstract

An Na's A Step from Heaven (2002) is a coming of age novel that follows the emotional maturation of its protagonist, Young Ju, who migrated from Korea to the United States at the age of four. Through the heroine's perspective, readers become involved in the grim conditions the family is forced to face, such as poverty, social marginalization, cultural dislocation and domestic violence. However, the novel avoids a totally tragic and fatalistic approach to ¡ts subject matter, since Young Ju is finally able to overcome all suffering and find the promise of a better future. As will be argued, novels such as A Step from Heaven tackle harsh and complex issues- widely present in today's multicultural and globalized world — that need to be understood by young adults for them to grow awareness of these social realities. For children and adolescents in similar conditions, it is always reassuring to read books peopled with individuals who, as in the case of Na's heroine, set a positive example of endurance, courage and optimism.