The Island of Sea Women

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What did you find most surprising, moving, or distressing about the characters and their story? Which aspects of this time period and culture would you like to learn more about? 
• Lisa See is also the author of Shanghai Girls, Dreams of Joy, On Gold Mountain, Peony in Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, among other titles. Have you read any of her other works? What commonalities do you see between her other works and The Island of Sea Women? 
• If you have also read Sumi Hahn’s The Mermaid from Jeju or encountered other media dealing with the haenyeo, how would you compare See’s treatment of this subject? 

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• The Island of Sea Women is a work of historical fiction. Do you enjoy reading about history? Do you prefer historical fiction or nonfiction, and why? How do your preferences impact your engagement with See’s ideas?
• The way of life of the haenyeo is dying out by the end of the novel. What is your attitude toward these kinds of cultural changes? Do you think they’re inevitable? Did you feel bad for Young-sook as “the last of the last”? (4) 
• After Mi-ja explains her decision not to help Young-sook’s family, Young-sook is able to forgive her old friend. Would you forgive under these circumstances? How might your own experiences with friendship and loss impact your answer?
• What are some of the things—both tangible and intangible—that the characters believe should be passed down from one generation to the next? Do you share their beliefs, or do you have different ideas about inheritance and family legacies?
• The haenyeo work hard to develop their extraordinary abilities—abilities that free them from some of the constraints that other humans live with but that also come at a cost. What extraordinary ability do you wish you had? How would this ability benefit you? What might you be willing to sacrifice in return?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• What struggles do Young-sook and Mi-ja encounter as a result of their historical and cultural moment? How much agency does See suggest individuals have in the face of historical trends, and how (if at all) do you see that reflected in the world around you?
• Many people view history as an inevitable march of progress in which power and resources are ever more widely distributed to formerly marginalized sectors of the population. How does the story of the haenyeo fit into this worldview? Do you know of similar examples from the past or from the contemporary world?
• The haenyeo live in a semi-matriarchal society. How does this make their culture distinct from the mainstream Korean culture of their time? What lessons can patriarchal cultures learn from the example of haenyeo culture?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Why might See have chosen to alternate between a third-person and a first-person point of view in this novel? Are there any drawbacks to this approach?
• The sea both gives to and takes from the haenyeo. What parallels does the novel suggest between this relationship and the one that exists between mothers and daughters? What is the effect of this comparison?
• Neither Jun-bu nor Sang-mun is a typical haenyeo husband. What is conveyed by their differences from other haenyeo husbands and by their differences from one another? What might See’s purpose be in giving her main characters such husbands? 
• How do the main characters and their relationships function as an allegory for the political events taking place in Korea at the time? What does the story suggest is the way forward for modern Korea?
• On page 36, Young-sook says, of friendships among the haenyeo women, “[W]e come together by choice […] we tie ourselves together through moments.” What are the different kinds of “ties” that bind Young-sook to Mi-ja? Do all of these ties fit Young-sook’s description of haenyeo friendships? 

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If you were in charge of curating a museum exhibit on the haenyeo, what are some of the objects and exhibits you would make sure to include? What messages would you hope your collection would convey?
• Imagine adapting this novel for the screen. What would the first shot of the movie be, and why?

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