I’ve never been flying a kite in my life. That’s why ı really want to try. But before ı read Linda Sue’s Park’s book “The Kite Fighters”, ı thought kite flying was a very boring activity. Maybe it is. Maybe kite flying is really boring. But ı don’t know that yet.
İn this book, for two children (Yong-sup and Ki-sup), flying a kite has a great meaning. They improve this simple task with innovation. Our story begins in 1473 in Seul, Korea. We meet a younger brother named Yong-sup and an older brother named Ki-sup. At the beginning of the book, it becomes clear that these two brothers are different in both character and skills.
Yong-sup has a perspicacity and is very skilled at flying kites. He is also sociable, energetic, and commercially inclined. Ki-sup, on the other side is more introverted has an artistic soul, is mature, patient, and farsighted. Although the two children are very different from each other, they have a very harmonious brotherhood relationship. It reminds me of Fullmetal Alchemist and Getting Lost on the Map and hundreds of other books where we find brotherhood conflicts. In addition to the brotherhood conflict, there is another important conflict in this book: between father and son.
The most disturbing thing in the book was the hierarchy within the Lin family (mainly due to Korean culture). For example, for dinner, the mother and daughters would prepare all day and the father and sons would eat first in silence without speaking. I found it very harsh and sad that the mother and daughters ate later and separately from the father and the other boys.
Later, while reading, we learn that a married woman never leaves the house, she takes care of the work and management of the house and does not get involved in money matters. The children in the book could not ask their mother for money when they needed something. Because they knew that their father never gave money to their mother. We feel sorry for the children because their father is a very serious and stern-looking person and he never smiles.
How can a child feel at home if they don’t feel comfortable with their parents? How can there be good communication and healthy bonds if the family can’t laugh together, if children can’t talk to their parents about their problems? That is why I love Islam. The old Korean society described in the book reminded me of the crude state of the jahiliyyah Arab world to which Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu aleyhi vesellem), the Prophet of Islam, was sent to explain Islam. When I read this book, I remembered that fathers did not value their wives and daughters, they were rude and worshipped their ancestors. For example, the two children in the book, Yong-sup, and Kim-sup, respect their father so much that they cannot express themselves freely against any of his words.
It takes great courage for children to stand up in front of their fathers and express themselves. On the other hand, Prophet Muhammad brought greetings, peace and prosperity through Islam to people who worshipped their ancestors and did not question their traditions. Islam is what he preached.
Prophet Muhammad exhibited good qualities that were very different and unacceptable to the people of that time. For example, he played games with his own daughters and did not discriminate between his daughters and sons. He loved all his children and showed affection and time to all of them, chatting with them. He rejected class privileges in society, considering the people to whom he preached Islam as “equal” and “free”.
Fortunately, as the book progresses, the father-lin mentioned in the book realizes that something has to change and tries to establish a warmer relationship with his sons.
Kite Fighters is an impressive children’s book. But I, the author of this blog, think that adults should also get reacquainted with children’s books in order not to forget their own essence, that is, the purity and cleanliness of childhood, and to renew their joy. Happy reading to everyone ❤
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