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52 pages 1 hour read

Yoon Ha Lee

Dragon Pearl

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2019

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Symbols & Motifs

The Dragon Pearl

The Dragon Pearl is the titular object of the book. While there is no mention of a specific dragon pearl in Korean myth, it is most directly comparable to the figure of Mireuk, the creator god. Like the pearl, Mireuk’s powers include the ability to create lush worlds of life and also to destroy a world; this duality matches the opposing uses to which the Dragon Pearl might be put. Once Min realizes that the Dragon Pearl has been found, she wants to obtain it in order to heal damaged planets like Jinju and give their people better lives. By contrast, Hwan sees the Dragon Pearl for its destructive capabilities and wishes to hold the threat of its power over any worlds that oppose him. As an example of The Damaging Effects of Lying, Min ends up with the Dragon Pearl at the end of the book, and her triumph illustrates the failure of the captain’s underhanded methods and deceptions.

The Dragon Pearl is not seen until the last section of the novel, where it plays a crucial role in fully developing the dynamic character of Min. On the Fourth Colony, Min uses the Dragon Pearl to bring life back to the world and offer the ghosts a proper burial on a thriving planet. In a matter of moments, the mysterious terraforming device revitalizes mountains, plains, and plants: something that would take a group of dragons much longer. Using the Dragon Pearl makes Min appreciate the complexities of terraforming and forces her to consider The Conflict Between Ethical and Self-Serving Actions on a much grander scale. The Dragon Pearl holds both the ability to fix Jinju and the ability to bring prosperity to all such planets that have been overlooked as a result of societal strictures that have allowed wealthy planets to prosper while poorer ones suffer. Min ends the book with the understanding that turning the Dragon Pearl over to the government will only enforce the status quo. Instead, she takes it upon herself to do what others have either failed to do or refrained from doing, thus becoming a beacon of hope in a way that the mere possibility of the Dragon Pearl was for her earlier in the book.

Charm

Charm is the term given to fox magic in Dragon Pearl. Min uses Charm throughout the book to hide her identity, make people believe things, and conjure objects. Overall, Charm serves as the motive force behind Min’s considerable character development, for each time she relies upon her skill at deception to solve a problem, she is forced to confront the unpleasant reality that living a lie compels one to lose one’s own identity. At the beginning of the book, Min has little practice with Charm because her mother doesn’t let her use it in the house. Despite this, Min understands the basics of her power because she has experimented with it when no one was around. Her Charm is a tool she uses to complete her self-appointed quest, but she soon learns that Charm is no substitute for tenacity and strength—magic only supplements her innate cunning by helping her to bring her ideas to fruition.

Away from home and far from her mother’s rules, Min feels less afraid to use her Charm, but her experimentation soon evolves into heavy daily usage. After her time in Nari’s gambling den allows her to see how effective Charm can be, Min leans on this talent more and more often to get out of tough spots and into places she couldn’t otherwise access. All the while, she struggles with the ethical issues surrounding Nari’s unscrupulous use of Charm to trick people into gambling despite their natural reservations. However, Min rationalizes her own usage of Charm by clinging to the idea that her mission to find Jun is more noble than Nari’s exploits, and this keeps her from seeing the similarities between her actions and Nari’s uses of Charm. Once aboard the Pale Lightning, Min starts to see how her use of Charm hurts others. A notable example occurs when she regrets tricking Haneul and Sujin because she has begun to see them as real friends. At the end of the book, she understands how she almost lost her true self behind the lies she told with Charm, and she deliberately chooses not to use Charm to save the Fourth Colony, instead calling upon the Dragon Pearl’s innate ability to fix the planet and thereby offer the ghosts their final rest.

The Pale Lightning

The Pale Lightning is the ship Jun was assigned to in the Space Forces and the location of much of the story, and its abstract significance shifts to acquire new meanings as the novel progresses. For example, Min’s arrival on the Pale Lightning represents how plans often go awry. Ever since Jun left home, Min has wanted to join the Space Forces, and while she gets the chance here, she does so in disguise and not as a true cadet. The ship itself stands as the complete opposite of Min’s life on Jinju; it is advanced, well-structured, and exciting. It should be everything that Min wants, but with her brother’s disappearance overshadowing the experience, Min cannot enjoy it as much as she would have without her quest to find Jun. During her first few days aboard the ship, Min struggles to find her way around and figure out the details of cadet life, showing how even desirable changes can be stressful. Additional irony can be found in the fact that the daily life aboard ship resembles the common rhythm of life on Jinju, for in both places, Min is tasked with doing chores and fixing things; thus, it becomes clear that the basic aspects of life remain the same, even in the most exotic of locations.

Later in the book, the Pale Lightning’s role shifts. In the beginning, it’s a goal for Min to find, and once she’s there, it becomes the thing that she believes will solve all her problems. As her investigation on board raises more questions than it solves, however, Min realizes that one place cannot fix all her problems and that finding answers is not as straightforward as she once thought. In Chapter 20, Min connects with the ship itself during the fight with the mercenaries, and in this moment, the ship becomes far more than just a location. Instead, it is portrayed as a sentient being with strengths, weaknesses, and life energy—just like any human. The ship, like a person, has meridians that link to its different systems. When a person is sick, their meridians become imbalanced, and the same is true of the Pale Lightning. After this experience, Min continues to personify the ship, feeling guilty about using both it and its crew to serve her own ends. However, this new understanding doesn’t stop her from further damaging the ship’s already damaged meridian as a distraction to allow her to escape and continue her mission. After the final confrontation with the captain, Min returns to the Pale Lightning for a final voyage, where she’s given a guest cabin to protect both her and the Dragon Pearl from those who might steal it. Thus, the ship ultimately becomes a refuge, and a temporary home, emphasizing that Min’s experiences have improved her character and therefore allowed her to develop a healthier relationship with the Pale Lightning itself.

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