Horrifying Moment - Camp 14

[sorn]

While I was reading the book, I found a lot of disturbing moments within the story itself and I also feel very bad that Shin has to go through all of those moments and see things that kids at that age wouldn't be seeing like people getting killed, executed, and guards beating up the prisoners in the camp.

But the most horrifying moment so far that I had found in the book was when Shin got tortured in the underground prison. The way the author described his conditions of him after being tortured to the point where was dying. Along with how he was being tortured by the guards that were trying to find the truth from him was just horrifying. He was being hanged from the celling and there were hot coal under his body. I mean why would you do that to a little kid who doesn't know anything about it? I mean even if he knew something, why the kid? He's still innocent and young,

How about you guys? What is the most horrifying moment from the book?

[JustinK.]

I think the most horrifying part will be the part where Shin was tortured in the underground prison.. wait.... oh same as sorn XDXD :3 It started out calm and quickly elevated intensely as the guards hung Shin with hooks >< the part where the author described Shin's burnt wound was a bit disturbing >< with pus and ew-ish stuffs :3, but that part was quickly neutralized as "Uncle" gave Shin his first experience of love and care~~ The part that i thought a bit disturbing also includes the part where Family doesn't really exist in Shin's mind. I felt a bit sick reading at some point because the way the guards think and do really isn't right. They destroyed any sort of relationship by rewards. In that case, snitching and betrayal will be common >< no sense of community~~ I understand why they did so -to prevent a unified rebellion-, but still i hated it :3

[nadiraamalina]

I think the most horrifying parts were where Shin had to watch people die in front of him, such as when his classmate was beaten to death in front of him for stealing corn. Which happened to him at age 6 or 7. That is far too young for someone to witness a death. Most children in developed countries don't even know what death is, and Shin and the other kids already do, and they know more, such as not trusting anyone, and betraying anyone for your country. Can you imagine telling a policeman that your mom has stolen a cookie from the cookie jar, and her getting shot for it?

[woojongpark]

This book shook my bone. Seriously. If I were to live even a day over there, I don't think I can survive. Some parts, in fact many parts of the book were very astonishing like the part where Shin describes his mother and brother's execution. Also, the part where Shin's classmate Moon gets her toe crushed by a minecart and amputated is clear in my memory. I could see how poor the Camp 14 is. Another part is where Shin is tortured in underground and he did't see the sunlight for like half a year. I couldn't imagine what's like to be trapped in an odorous, small cell and tortured mercilessly.

[james]

Yeah... I also think that the most horrifyin moment was the part where shin gets tortured by the guards. I mean..there are absolutely more but it was the part where it actually described how 'shin' was in a giant pain. Other parts, shin wasnt going through an actual physical pain. Of course, watchin someone dying at the age of under 10 would be pretty devastated and definitely affected shin's childhood psychologically but it seems like he was absolutely fine..maybe hes so used to those kind of things and because of that, i think the most horrifyin moment is the part where he felt a physical pain.

[junilee26]

I believe all these horrifying moments in camp 14 are unnecessary. Seriously are all those cruelty necessary??!! The guards should be in the prisoner's shoes and try to be them and be beaten all the time for whatever they do. I hate the guards. And the guards expect full respect from the people and prisoners.. when i read that part I wanted to kill them. stab them 6 times!!!!!!!

[yeajinchoi]

I think the most horrifying moment was when Shin's finger was cut off for dropping the sewing machine. I was literally screaming when I was reading that part.
The guards just cut it off like they were cutting vegetables for a meal or something. It was terrible.

[elisalee]

The most horrifying moment in this story was when Shin was tortured in the underground prison, although he was the one that informed about the escaping plan of his mother and brother. Even though he didn't do anything wrong, he had to get tortured to say the truth. He was tortured really cruelly. Also, the other horrifying moment was when Shin's finger got cut off just because he dropped a sewing machine while working. Machines meant more than people in the labour camp like camp 14.

[chrishong]

For me, the horrifying moments in this book when Shin tortured twice, when the girl was beaten in front of the classroom for stealing grains, when Shin's mother and Shin's brother were executed in public, when so many people died of hunger, and when the seamstresses in the sewing factory were beaten by one of the repairmen for breaking the machine. It was so inhumane that the guards treated people like animals even though they were innocent.

[sazad100]

I agree with you Sorn. For me the most horrifying part was shen Shin was being tortured. I also had a shiver when i read the part where his finger was chopped off.

[linnie]

Um, everything was horrifying to me. Because I never read a book like this. So I didn't have chance to encounter these dark books. So it was new to me. But I hated the violent part, because I hate blood, death, violence, torture and others. I never watch that kind of movie either. When cruel scenes come out, I just turn my head and covers my ears.

Anyway, this book was very sad and depressing. I even cried in the beginning where Harden Blaine explained about general life in North Korea and Camp. Even though it wasn't about Shin, the general overview made me sadder because it proved that lots of people are living in the same bad condition. Also Shin was the lucky one to escape! So I felt more sad toward people who weren't mentioned in the book. I as especially sad about 6 years old girl died by beaten up by guards with chalk pointer.

But overall, every part was so sad!!!!

[lukejoo1092]

For me the most horrifying scene was when Park and Shin tried to escape. How Shin had to crawl over Park's dead body really made me gross. I imagined how Park's body would smell as if it's being cooked and be twitching because of the electric current. And to imagine me to go over that dead moving body with the unpleasant smell and the painful electricity flowing through me, it was extremely disturbing. I'm not sure if I'd even have had the guts to do what Shin did. I'd probably have nightmares over it.

[agneslianaputri99]

All of it was horrifying...when the mother get killed, when he was tortured, when a teacher beats up a little girl on her head until she dies! All of it.

[jungholee]

Well, all of it was horrified... But I think the most was when Shin reported Shin's mother and brother when they planned to escape. Isn't it just really sad that he betrayed his family only because of getting little bit more food and little bit less work?. Also he couldn't even get the rewards after he betrayed his family.

[ExtremelyExtremeExtremist]

The most horrifying moment was when Shin was tortured in underground prison. Living in underground prison for half year and being tortured by guards were violent for young Shin to experience, which will affect his personality for the rest of the life. All tortures mentioned in this book horrified me, but I chose this because of the author¡¯s description of burning his back.