Tastes Like War: A Memoir

How does Cho come to realize that her family’s interpersonal dynamic is symptomatic of injustices in the wider world? To what extent does her father play the role of colonial oppressor?

How and to what extent does Cho portray schizophrenia as a social disease rather than a biological one? In your opinion and with close reference to the text, how does learning about the social causes of schizophrenia influence the reader’s attitude toward Cho’s mother?

Discuss Cho’s journey from innocence and ignorance to experience and understanding of both her mother’s story and the American relationship with Korea. To what extent does Cho’s journey provide a model for the average reader?

How does Cho portray the topic of sex work and sexual exploitation? Does she show that it is an empowering, destructive, or ambivalent choice on her mother’s part?

Discuss the Korean concept of han. How does Cho’s understanding and experience of the state change over time, as she learns more about her mother?

Discuss Koonja’s relationship to the acquisition and preparation of food. How do her ambitions and life experiences influence her attitude?

Discuss the symbolism of the cheeseburger in the memoir. What does this most American of foods mean to Cho’s mother?

What role does the small town of Chehalis, Washington, play in the characters’ outlook and personal development? Discuss Cho, her mother and father in your answer.