Adam Johnson’s The Orphan Master’s Son chronicles the life and fate of a North Korean citizen as he grows from a boy into a man. In the totalitarian, communist state in which our protagonist lives, individuals are often sacrificed for the supposed good of the state, and Americans are frequently denounced over the omnipresent loudspeakers of the country for their self-centric capitalist ways. It is of this communistic philosophy that the significance of names in The Orphan Master’s Son arises, for names provide identity and a sense of self that is often scorned by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
It is only fitting that the protagonist of the novel would then have unusual circumstances surrounding his name. These circumstances come from the realities of his upbringing, which are as such: while he is not an orphan, our protagonist grows up in an orphanage run by his father, for his mother has been kidnapped to the capital of the DPRK because of her beautiful appearance and voice. The main character’s existence is simply a painful reminder for his father of the fate of his wife, so the father is too ashamed to give his son a name. Thus, the son must name himself, and christens himself Pak Jun Do, after a martyr of the state. When asked to explain, Jun Do describes his namesake: “Even though he killed many Japanese soldiers, the revolutionaries in Pak Jun Do’s unit didn’t trust him because he was descended from an impure bloodline. To prove his loyalty, he hanged himself” (25). In this description, we begin to see a trait of the main character that is reflected in his actions throughout the story.
Another notable trait of Jun Do’s name is its similarity to the American name John Doe, which is often used for unidentified or generic people. This conveys the sentiment that our character may be seen as any North Korean citizen and that his specific story is not important, that it could be the story of anyone. This fact actually comes up in the text, when Jun Do is taken to Texas on a diplomatic mission. Americans discuss the similarity to John Doe: “John Doe? Isn’t that the name you give a missing person? … Actually, I don’t think John Doe is a missing person. I think it’s when you have the person, just not his identity. … A John Doe has an exact identity. It’s just yet to be discovered” (140). The assertion that Jun Do has yet to discover his identity is very powerful, for it aligns with another detail of the novel: Jun Do’s change of name and lifestyle.
When the diplomatic mission to Texas fails, Jun Do is placed in a mining camp, where prisoners are forced to work excessively with little to no food. This camp strips Jun Do of his name, for it has no meaning in this harsh environment: he is simply a worker for his great nation. His salvation from almost certain death comes when a renowned military commander visits the camp. He harasses the man formerly called Jun Do, but Jun Do kills him in defense. He is then able to steal this Commander Ga’s identity, and assimilates into a lavish lifestyle in the capital of the DPRK under this new name. While questions are asked, the true Commander Ga had fallen out of favor with the elite of Pyongyang (the capital) so his replacement is covered up. Under this new name, former Jun Do has found his “exact identity.” He is now called a “commander,” showing that he is in control of his situation and has the power to get things done. This is evidenced by the fact that, in the end of the book, he helps the original Commander Ga’s wife, who he has fallen in love with, defect from North Korea, and surrenders himself to torture and interrogation as a result.
This illustrates the significance of his name, for it mirrors the exceedingly loyal, self-sacrificing actions of his namesake, the original Pak Jun Do. Jun Do loves Sun Moon (the true Commander Ga’s wife and popular actress), and thus makes the ultimate sacrifice to help her and her children escape the DPRK. In doing so, he demonstrates the true meaning of his original name as well as his self-assuredness and power that he has assumed by taking the name and identity of Commander Ga. In The Orphan Master’s Son, the main character’s name is significant and illustrates much about his personality and development throughout the novel.
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