The Island of Sea Women (2019) by Lisa See, an American best-selling author, is an epic that vividly portrays the violence and wounds of Jeju 4·3 incident and the friendship and betrayal of two protagonists, Young-sook and Mi-ja who are female divers called haenyeo in Jeju province. The life of Jeju haenyeos depicted in the work is so indigenous that it is surprising that this work was written by a foreign author. This paper aims to analyze national violence, wounds and trauma and explore the possibility of reconciliation and coexistence focusing on Jeju 4·3 incident and Jeju haenyeo, which are the central themes of The Island of Sea Women. First, I would like to borrow the concepts of Giorgio Agamben, who argued that individuals can be reduced to bare life within the state of exception created by sovereign power like the example of the concentration camps of World War Ⅱ, to analyze the national violence in The Island of Sea Women. Second, this paper will draw on eco-feminism theory to explore the haenyeo’s lifestyle. Eco-feminism pursues diversity and a harmonious symbiosis between humans and nature. This is in line with the harmony and coexistence of Jeju haenyeos and their sense of community. The purpose of this paper is to understand the historical truth and scars and provide a new foundation for looking at our history through the well-known but unfamiliar story of Jeju in See's The Island of Sea Women and also cast light on the message of hope, overcoming, understanding and forgiveness Lisa See has focused on in her novel.
