Almond: a novel, by Won-pyung Sohn
Almond, one of my most favorite contemporary fictions, emerging from South Korea, and a touching tale of friendship & humanity, explores 16 year old Yunjae's life with alexithymia, a condition hindering his emotional expression because of the missing almond shaped “amygdalae” in his temporal lobe (brain). His mother is determined, trying unique methods to help him fit in, but socializing remains a struggle. Tragedy strikes when Yunjae loses his mother and grandmother, but instead of having someone in his corner, his genetically indifferent state leaves him isolated from society.
The entry of Gon, a newcomer with a confrontational attitude, sparks an unlikely bond between these two percieved monsters. As Yunjae and Gon unravel their identities together, the novel invites readers to empathize with the complexities of alexithymia and challenges us to overcome societal biases for a more compassionate world.
Note: *not for commercial purposes, just for an assignment*
With both the front and the back, I wanted to illustrate two of the most pivotal experiences of Yunjae's life. The story isn't just about him, rather he is shaped by the people's actions, and understanding around him. The front cover represents the moments Yunjae's mother took charge of treating his condition when the medical professionals had given up. Without fail, she started pasting colorful, mismatched papers around their comfortable home above the bookstore, to make Yunjae observe and imitate reactionary phrases and expressions. As a child, Yunjae would think "the words 'emotion' and 'empathy' are just meaningless letters in print." But he could sense his mother's urgency in making her son feel less ostracized from the merciless society.
The back cover represents another desperate attempt to address his alexithymia. His mom fed him almonds of various sizes, various shapes, and various flavors because she thought the more he ate them, the more the almonds might recognize the brain and grow there. As life would have it, however, Yunjae kept growing taller, his head kept growing bigger, but there were never any almond shaped amygdalae in sight. Yunjaem in this case, ponders alot and absorbs all his mother's dedication towards him. It doesn't just spell adoration for his single mom, but rather respect at trying to battle with the society at large on her own.
a) Pure hardcover version
b) Hardcover dust jacket version
