“A Step from Heaven” was written by An Na. This story was about Young Ju emigrated from Korea to the United States. To the axis of conflict with her family it depicted how she went to adapt to the United States. The story tells us where genuine Heaven is in very sophisticated way.

Young Ju is a Korean girl. When she is 4 years old, she emigrates from Korea to the United States with her parents. Her uncle teaches her that the United States is a step from heaven. She thinks that she can spend wonderful life in the United States. But her life is very hard and terrible. Both of her mother (Uhmma) and father (Apa) work hardly. They can’t speak English clearly. Therefore they can’t get a good job. Their life in the United States seems unhappy for Young Ju. Her brother is born in the United States. Apa loves him stronger than Young Ju. Apa uses domestic violence to Uhmma and Young Ju. Umma’s cuts and bruises increase. How do they live in the United States? Can Young Ju get happy? You’ll check about these t0 read this book.

The story shows an immigration issue as a social aspect. Most of immigrants would like to live in their mother countries. There they must live in poverty and they can’t give a good education to their children. They hope that they will spend a good life if they immigrate to a rich country. For example, Apa says, “In Mi Gook everyone can make lots of money even if they did not go to an important school in the city.” However, immigrants encounter various obstacles in a settlement. They can’t speak a language of the settlement. In different common sense they are poor. These breaks effect to each of Young Ju’s family. Apa uses violence to his wife and daughter, Jun Ho (Young Ju’s brother) skips a junior high school and Uhmma must work in two or more places. But Young Ju makes effort to study while conflicting between a Korean daughter and an American girl. So she gets GPA award. I can feel refreshed.

I like this story because the author uses many similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia and personifications in the story. These expressions catch reader’s imagination. They are so cultivated and beautiful. We can image deeply the situations and feelings of the characters. “I am a sea bubble floating. Floating in a dream.” What does this metaphor mean? I think this is a key sentence in the story.

This story teaches readers something grateful. I assert that you will be moved and learned what is important for life. Let’s become a sea bubble and float to Heaven with Young Ju!