Super Short Summary

Dictee by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha is a hybrid narrative that intertwines prose poetry, autobiography, and criticism to explore themes of colonialism, gender, and language through the lives of various historical and mythical women. Cha employs experimental techniques, including uncaptioned photos and multilingual text, to defamiliarize familiar tropes and challenge traditional narratives. The book delves into the trauma of war, exile, and oppression while highlighting the resilience of women across different cultures and epochs.