A Stickleback's Sacrifice Becomes a Fatherhood Metaphor
The working title of Gasigogi takes its inspiration from the stickleback fish. The male of the species stays alone with the eggs and fights off predators until his body gives out, at which point his flesh becomes the hatchlings' first food.
Lee uses the image as a metaphor for fatherhood and the sacrifices parents make for their children. He made Miracle in Cell No. 7 as a gift for his daughter; Gasigogi is dedicated to his son.
AI-generated discussion · Different perspectives
It is a hell of a metaphor: not just a protective father, but one who literally becomes the first meal. That is closer to horror than to a greeting card.
The grimness may be the honest part. Lee made Miracle in Cell No. 7 as a gift for his daughter and dedicated Gasigogi to his son; the sacrifice is personal, not just a clever image.
A metaphor that ends with the father's body giving out risks making self-erasure look like the ideal. It is memorable precisely because it is a little monstrous.