A Single Shard

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2001

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-8

Chapters 9-13

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

Foxes and Thieves

Foxes and thieves symbolize fear and illustrate the theme of Fear Versus Courage. While the connection between the two might not seem obvious, Crane-man draws an interesting parallel at the beginning of the story when he says that a thief is “no better than a dog” (20). Foxes are members of the canine family and close biological relatives of dogs. In addition, foxes have a special meaning in Korean folklore: “They were known to be fiendishly clever. Some people even believed that foxes possessed evil magic. It was said that a fox could lure a man to his doom” (82-83). Significantly, Crane-man is also frightened of foxes. The old man ran away when a fox crossed his path on the way to the monastery. Because he allowed fear to stop him, he ended up living under a bridge.

Foxes and thieves intimidate Tree-ear as well. However, unlike Crane-man, Tree-ear does not run away from these sources of terror. Tree-ear encounters a fox on the journey to Songdo, but remains with Min’s pottery despite his intense fear. Later, Tree-ear has an even more threatening encounter with two robbers who steal his money and shatter his precious sample vases. Although Tree-ear puts up a good fight and doesn’t back down, the robbers destroy his pottery. Tree-ear’s dread at the thought of returning to Min empty-handed is enough to cause him to contemplate suicide briefly. However, he gathers his courage and decides to complete his mission at all costs. Tree-ear ultimately conquers his fears and confidently brings back the prized commission for Min.

Kind Eyes

At several points in the novel, Tree-ear notes the expression in other people’s eyes. This recurring motif speaks to the theme of Lost and Found Families because he senses a kindred spirit within eyes that radiate kindness. In one of his earliest interactions with Ajima, Tree-ear immediately sees that her eyes “were bright and soft, set in a small face netted with fine wrinkles. […] Like Crane-man’s eyes” (40). The boy draws a parallel between Crane-man and Ajima. At this point in the story, he doesn’t understand the reason for the similarity between the two, but readers will soon see that both offer him a family connection that he has never known.

Much later in the story, Tree-ear makes the same comment about the royal envoy: “Emissary Kim looked at Tree-ear. There was kindness in his eyes—like Crane-man’s, like Ajima’s” (128). The boy makes an explicit connection among three generous people. Although Emissary Kim does not bear familial kinship, Tree-ear and Kim bond over their mutual love of finely crafted pottery.

In contrast, Tree-ear is repelled by the eyes of foxes. In fact, he fears looking at these creatures directly because he believes their eyes hold malevolent hypnotic power: “The fox turned its head. For an instant the firelight gleamed in its eyes. Don’t look! Tree-ear shouted to himself. Don’t look at its eyes—it’s your only chance! And he squeezed his eyes shut to block out the fox’s evil stare” (108). Tree-ear learns how to avoid the fearsome gaze of the fox and seek out the kind eyes of those who wish him well.

Pottery-Making

Making high-quality celadon pottery is an arduous, multi-step process requiring care and patience. The process symbolizes the potter’s commitment to the Dreams of a Lifetime. Min and Tree-ear share an all-consuming fascination for the craft. As Tree-ear spies on Min making a vase, he is enthralled as the shape emerges from the potter’s wheel and perplexed when Min rejects a seemingly well-made vessel: “To his eyes the vase had been perfect, its width half its height, its curves like those of a flower petal. Why, he wondered, had Min found it unworthy? What had he seen that so displeased him?” (24-25). Eventually, Tree-ear will learn how to see flaws in even a good piece of work.

The author takes great care to describe the entire process of celadon pottery-making by showing the preliminary tasks necessary to create a finished work of art. First, Tree-ear chops wood until his hands bleed. Then, he cuts chunks of clay until his back aches. Later, he learns to rinse and drain the clay multiple times until it achieves the proper consistency. While all these steps might seem like busy work, they give Tree-ear a feel for the craft. One day when he is mixing clay, he realizes that he has developed a sense for the clay’s fitness: “The clay had long since lost any feeling of roughness, but somehow he knew. One more draining—perhaps two […] a clear vision emerging from a cloudy dream” (77). Previously, Tree-ear needed Min’s expertise to know when a batch of clay was fine enough. Now, he intuitively knows this himself. Both characters pursue a drive to perfection through pottery making. Even though by the end of the novel Tree-ear still hasn’t touched a pottery wheel, he believes that one day he will. His is a lifelong dream, and, like Min’s work, it can’t be rushed.