Analysis of the Concluding Passage in 'The Distant Boat' by Nguyen Minh Chau

Assignment: Analysis of the Concluding Passage in 'The Distant Boat' by Nguyen Minh Chau

Analysis of the Concluding Passage in 'The Distant Boat' by Nguyen Minh Chau

I. Outline: Analyzing the Concluding Passage in 'The Distant Boat' by Nguyen Minh Chau

1. Introduction:

- Introduce the author, the work, and the issue to be analyzed.

2. Body of the essay:

a. Beauty and Real Significance of the Photo for Phung:
- It is an exceptionally artistic piece, an invaluable scene, a beauty so rare that perhaps an artist's lifetime may not encounter it again.

- When Phung stands before this immortalized photo, he not only perceives it as an artist who appreciates beauty but also as a lesson, a new discovery in life.
+ Surprisingly, Phung seems dissatisfied with the overall ethereal beauty of the photo, expressing a hint of disappointment and regret.
+ Each careful gaze reveals not just the morning mist scene but the life journey of a resilient woman, embodying ethical beauty surpassing all.

b. Image of the Fisherwoman Beyond the Photograph:
- The image of the fisherwoman represents a stark reality of post-war Vietnam: poverty, hardship, and struggle.
=> Clearly perceives the people's living conditions and contemplates solutions for change.
- Expresses the artist's concept of 'art with a human touch.'

3. Conclusion:

Express perceptions.

II. Sample Essay: Analyzing the Final Passage of 'The Distant Boat' by Nguyen Minh Chau

Nguyen Minh Chau is considered one of the most innovative and talented writers of the post-renewal period in Vietnamese literature. As the war concluded, the nation embarked on a new, challenging journey, leaving behind the pain and devastation of bombs and wounds. Writers of this era shifted their focus to new themes, especially as the country and its people underwent profound changes. Instead of delving deep into revolutionary heroism as in the 60s and 70s, ethical considerations and individual destinies gained more attention. Nguyen Minh Chau stands out as an author who explored and paved the way for these themes through various outstanding works. Notably, 'The Distant Boat' is a masterpiece with discoveries and philosophies not only for the artistic community but also for life itself. In the final passage, the main focus is on the character Phung's contemplations about the darker aspects and lingering sorrows hidden in the lives of many ordinary individuals. Sometimes, these pains are veiled by the artistic curtain, and without true experience, understanding, and a multi-dimensional perspective, one may never truly recognize them.

Firstly, let's talk about the photograph that Phung captured during a business trip to the coastal region. For many viewers, it is undoubtedly an artistic masterpiece, depicting the scene of 'The Boat's Nose' in a dreamy blur, blending into the white mist as the sun's rays cast a hint of pink. 'Several figures, both adults and children, sitting silently on the curved bow, facing the shore.' It's a priceless moment, a rare beauty that perhaps an artist's lifetime cannot encounter twice. However, only Phung himself knows the story behind it—a life full of suffering and a glimpse into the shadows of society at that time. Behind the artistically praised photograph, displayed by the head of the department and appreciated by many art connoisseurs, lies the brutal reality of an ugly, rough fisherman's wife abused by a brutal, oppressive husband. It's a painful scene where the mute woman endures humiliation, and her son accepts insults to protect his mother. It's a long story of a coastal woman's life, marked by sacrifice and the precious beauty of her soul. When Phung stands before the photograph that immortalized that moment, he perceives not only the beauty as an artist who appreciates aesthetic appeal but also a lesson, a new discovery in life that differs significantly from his previous imagination. Dissatisfied, even somewhat disappointed, with the rare and exquisite beauty captured in the photo, Phung's discontent stems from his own experiences. Phung, a soldier who fought on various battlefields to contribute to the liberation of the nation and the restoration of national peace, finds himself powerless and inexperienced when faced with the consequences of war and the unfortunate life of a fisherman's wife. The explicit revelations about the reasons the woman endures her oppressive husband for the sake of her children, poverty, and her own tolerance leave people silent. There seems to be something shattered in that moment, something breaking. In that beautiful and artistic photo, profound life philosophies are hidden, emphasizing that one must consider multidimensional perspectives in everything. Because Phung and his comrades, having fought for years, are accustomed to clear-cut justice and right or wrong, but they do not live the life of an ugly fisherman's wife with over a dozen hungry children. Therefore, they cannot understand the emotional turmoil of the woman until she opens up and shares her story. For many, the photo may seem simply beautiful, but for Phung, it is not just art; it is life, the philosophy of millions of people like the fisherman's wife. Hence, 'every time Phung gazes closely' at the photo, what he truly sees is not the scene of a morning mist but the life of a woman enduring the hardships of rain and sunshine, the moral beauty of a person with a compassionate and forgiving heart beyond all else. Phung's regret is that the hidden beauty cannot be recognized by everyone because it is obstructed by an overly artistic and beautiful photo—a beauty 'for art's sake.'

The image of the fisherman's wife lingers in Phung's mind—'tall with rough features, the silver-backed shirt sloppily patched, the lower half soaked, the wrinkled face pale from dragging the net all night.' This is a very realistic portrayal of post-war Vietnamese society—poverty, hardship, and suffering still prevalent in the lives of many, just like the fisherman's wife. Phung, or the author himself, vividly recognizes the stark reality of the people's lives and the contemplation of finding a solution to change it, emphasizing humane feelings and profound love for humanity. It reveals Nguyen Minh Chau's desire to convey these values through his work. Simultaneously, Phung, looking at the silhouette of the fisherman's wife in the photograph, also represents an apparent viewpoint in the author's creation—'art for the sake of humanity.' In other words, literature and art are inevitably ultimately meant to serve human life, to speak about the hidden corners of fate for people to empathize and understand. From this, we can see Phung's struggle, regret, and obsession when he realizes that the artistic photo has seemingly departed too far, even covering up the real beauty and developments in real life, becoming unreal, dazzling, dividing society into layers when hung in the homes of art enthusiasts, who, in reality, do not comprehend the story behind it.