The novel ultimately brings us before God!
_Truth in Fiction and the Meaning of Life in Truth as Seen in 15 Literary Works

『What Novels Told Me』 is a new work by translator Hong Jong-rak, who has translated around 150 English books into Korean over the past 20 years. It unfolds the questions and insights about life and faith he discovered in 15 literary works, including 『The Brothers Karamazo』, 『The Hobbit』, 『Housekeeping』, and 『The Freezing Point』.
Following his previous work, What the Devil's Eyes Show, this work contains deep insights and religious messages drawn from literature, especially novels.


Every morning, the author goes to his desk in one corner of his house and begins his translation work.
My eyes are getting blurry and I'm getting more tired, so I decide not to read anything today, but I can't give up the joy and comfort that comes from reading for fun, not for a living, so I start reading again.
There are times when I can't remember what I read, like water draining from a bean sprout steamer, but I keep reading, just like when I eat, I get hungry, and when I get hungry, I eat again.
And if there's something I really want to remember or need to remember, I write it down.
This book is the fruit of such daily life.

The metaphor of a single scallion that holds Alyosha up is also meaningful to me.
First, it helps you relax your shoulders a bit.
It frees you from the illusion that you are doing something great and takes the pressure off of having to do something great.
At the same time, this metaphor makes me hope:
I wish my life, my translations, this writing, everything I do were just a single wave of a wave.
Then, even if it is a very small thing, it could be something He has entrusted to us and could become a delicate channel of grace.
--- p.28

This novel reminds us that we live in an unstable world, that we are just temporary 'travelers'.
The thoughts, memories, and imaginations that the wandering Ruth unfolds are content that most Christians can accept as is.
What does the biblical teaching that Christians are pilgrims in this world mean for our specific life choices? Is it truly meaningless?
Lucille, who left home and family to find her new mother in order to become like everyone else, and her aunt and Ruth, who left home to be together.
Both sides give up something big to gain and keep something precious.
Both had something to gain and something to lose from that difficult choice.
Housekeeping is a story about people who knew exactly what they wanted and chose it.
What do I want, and what do I have to give up to get it or keep it? This book asks me that.

--- pp.101-102

I've often thought how wonderful it would be if faith were something obvious and visible to everyone, something that could be put out there and said, "Okay, this is it."
This is a thought I had when I was going through a period of doubt in my faith, and it is a regret that still comes to mind when I think of the people around me.
If the supernatural is truly the "true reality" that underpins the natural world and gives it meaning, why shouldn't that fact be more evident? The question arises: shouldn't there be evidence that everyone can readily acknowledge?
Such evidence might include miracles, the existence of faithful witnesses, and logical proof.
Among them, what I was mainly interested in and hoped to find was an irrefutable logical proof.
How nice it would be if there was such evidence.

--- p.161

It is surprising that, just as people's personalities are diverse, among the many people we meet, we are particularly drawn to the words and actions of some people and are influenced and moved by them.
It is usually easy to learn from bad things, but it is a mysterious thing that we also see and emulate truthful, good, and sacrificial behavior.
The growth and change Jane demonstrates makes us look forward to such open eyes and listening ears.
We also want good things to look good and precious things to come across as precious.
So I hope we don't just live the way things are.
I seek that kind of grace.

--- p.271