This novel shows that during the political invasions of Korea by Japan and then by Russia, that Korean people were forced to live in survival mode with the constant fear of death looming over their shoulder. Without a doubt, the police enforced Japanese reign by terror, showing family's that it wasn't the case that only guilty people would be hurt—even the innocent were at risk. That means that everyone becomes paranoid, and once they people are scared, they are easily controlled.
This idea of control becomes focal as the novel goes on. The ending of the novel clearly depicts two varieties of fate for Sookan's family. On the one hand, they can be slaves to the Russians, because they literally are servants for a Russian colonel. On the other hand, perhaps they will be killed capriciously by the Russians for "treason," but without a doubt, Aunt Tiger and Kisa are not traitors—they are people of great loyalty.
In fact, that's kind of an important idea in the novel. When these people die during this painful year of transitioning from one political corruption to another, they are forced to witness unparalleled injustice. For Aunt Tiger, Kisa, and Sookan's grandfather, they witness the injustice directly, literally unto death. Therefore, they are martyrs of Sookan's struggle.
