Finding Junie Kim

“The problem with the falling nightmare is that even after waking up, I’m still scared, as if there’s more to come.”

Junie often uses symbolism and concrete imagery to convey the emotional significance of everyday things. In this instance, the nightmare is symbolic of the dread she feels at riding the bus and returning to school. It illustrates the depth of emotion she faces in response to the ongoing racism and bullying she experiences.

“Hey, it’s the North Korean commie!”

The racial slurs and racist language that Tobias uses are examples of historical and social-cultural context central to the narrative. Tobias demonstrates his ignorance of Junie’s heritage, assuming she is North Korean when she is South Korean. He also assumes all Koreans are communists, disregarding the years of conflict that surround the issue of communism in Korean culture.

“I whip my head around to see who made the last comment and am not surprised to see it’s one of the obnoxious boys wearing a red Make America Great Again hat. It was my mom who explained to me that the slogan was about exclusion and not inclusion.”

An example of social-cultural context and didacticism, the red hat and slogan that Junie describes are references to phrases used by the Donald Trump presidential campaign, which establishes the contemporary context of the novel. Junie’s commentary demonstrates the elements that shape her point of view and establishes a measure of didacticism that points to an endorsement of specific social messages and the rejection of others.