Analysis of the imagery of the xà nu tree in the Xà Nu Forest

Analyzing the portrayal of the xà nu tree in the short story Xà Nu Forest, its impact and impressions

I. Outline Analyze the portrayal of the xà nu tree in the short story Xà Nu Forest

1. Introduction

- Nguyễn Trung Thành's work Xà Nu Forest vividly depicts the heroic figures in the endeavor to protect the Motherland.
- The imagery of the xà nu forest serves as a symbol for the resilient vitality and noble qualities of the people of the Central Highlands.

2. Body

* Author and Work:
- Nguyen Trung Thanh, born Nguyen Van Bau, also known as Nguyen Ngoc, was born in 1932 in Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province. He joined the military in 1950.
- His works are imbued with epic tendencies and romantic inspiration.
- Xà Nu Forest is part of the memoir collection 'Over the Homeland of Điện Ngọc Heroes,' written in 1965.

* Depiction of the Xà Nu Tree with Realistic Images:
- Inextricably linked with the people of the Central Highlands, the xà nu fire, xà nu smoke, and the entirety of the xà nu forest provide a formidable shield for the Xo Man village.
- Engaging in numerous significant events of the Xo Man people:
+ The xà nu fire illuminates the scene where Tnú's wife and children are tortured to death...(Continued)

>> View the Outline Full analysis of the portrayal of the xà nu tree in the short story Xà Nu Forest available here.
 

II. Sample Essay Analyze the portrayal of the xà nu tree in the short story Xà Nu Forest

1. Analyze the portrayal of the xà nu tree in the short story Xà Nu Forest, sample 1 (Standard)

Throughout more than 120 years of heroic struggle and hardship, the glorious pages of our nation's history have recorded numerous resounding victories that have glorified the Motherland, instilling fear in enemies and earning admiration from the world for a small but mighty nation with a great stature. However, to achieve such heroic feats, to secure the nation's independence, and to enable our people to live in warmth and peace, our forefathers had to sacrifice a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears. During the years when the American imperialists targeted the gentle highlands of the Central Highlands, a heroic people stood up, defiantly facing the enemy. Nguyen Trung Thanh's work Xà Nu Forest vividly depicts the heroic figures in the endeavor to protect the Motherland, wherein the image of the xà nu tree emerges as a beautiful symbol of immense significance, representing each villager of Xo Man in their resistance, symbolizing the resilient vitality and noble qualities of the people of the Central Highlands.

Nguyen Trung Thanh, whose real name is Nguyen Van Bau, also known as Nguyen Ngoc, was born in 1932 in Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province. He joined the military in 1950 while still a high school student, participating in both the resistance wars against the French and the Americans in the Central Highlands. Nguyen Trung Thanh has written various genres ranging from memoirs, novels, to short stories, essays, and more. His works are characterized by epic tendencies and romantic inspiration, focusing on the two resistance wars against the French and the Americans, addressing significant historical issues of the nation. He particularly wrote extensively about the sunny and windy lands of the Central Highlands. Xà Nu Forest is part of the memoir collection 'Over the Homeland of Điện Ngọc Heroes,' written in 1965, amidst the fierce attacks by the American-backed Diem regime in the South.

The imagery of the xà nu forest stands out prominently and pervades the entire length of the work, beginning with the vast xà nu forest and ending with the image of the xà nu forest stretching to the horizon. Moreover, the image of the xà nu tree is scattered throughout the work, appearing more than 20 times in total, which vividly portrays the fascinating beauty of the Central Highlands and symbolizes the vitality and beauty of the people of the Central Highlands.

Top-notch essays analyzing the portrayal of the xà nu tree in the short story Xà Nu Forest

Through vivid description, Nguyen Trung Thanh intricately intertwines the image of the xà nu tree with the daily lives of the people of the Central Highlands. The presence of the xà nu fire burning in every household, the xà nu smoke serving as a chalkboard for Tnú and Mai, and the entire xà nu forest extending its protective embrace over Xo Man village, akin to a father safeguarding his child, symbolize the resilient vitality and noble traits of the people of the Central Highlands.

The xà nu tree not only pervades daily life but also plays a significant role in pivotal events in Xo Man village. During the night when Tnú's wife and child were captured by the enemy, the xà nu fire illuminated the brutalities inflicted upon them, serving as a rallying cry for the villagers to rise up against the oppressors. Additionally, the xà nu fire guided the villagers to gather and listen to Cụ Mết recount Tnú's life story, infusing the night with a sacred and epic quality. Moreover, the xà nu tree's characteristics permeate the thoughts, emotions, and expressions of the Central Highlanders, serving as a measure to depict the characters of Cụ Mết, Tnú, Mai, and many other villagers of Xo Man.

Symbolically, the image of the xà nu tree represents the fate and character of the people of the Central Highlands. Describing the fate of the Xo Man villagers, Nguyen Trung Thanh writes, 'The entire xà nu forest, with thousands of trees, bears scars, reminiscent of a forest ravaged by the enemy's onslaught.' Furthermore, the depiction of the xà nu tree's injuries vividly illustrates the trees' suffering, likening their bleeding resin to the blood of a living being. The description vividly portrays the heroism and resilience of the xà nu tree. However, amidst the fortunate trees that can heal and thrive, there are unlucky ones, newly sprouted saplings cut down in their prime, symbolizing the inevitable casualties of war. Likewise, just as the forest bears scars and losses, the people of Xo Man endure immense sacrifices and suffering, with many falling victim to the brutality of the enemy. The survivors carry physical and emotional scars, exemplified by Tnú's mutilated body and the anguish of witnessing loved ones fall at the hands of the enemy.

The xà nu tree not only symbolizes the fate of the people of the Central Highlands but also embodies their noble qualities. Xà nu, a tree yearning for light in a peculiar way, swiftly rises to embrace light, symbolizing the love for freedom and the latent vitality of the Central Highlanders. Moreover, xà nu exhibits vigorous growth, with new shoots sprouting alongside fallen trees, reflecting the continuous and robust succession of the people of Xo Man village. Each generation serves as a stepping stone for the next, enabling them to thrive and advance further on the revolutionary path.

The xà nu tree carries an indomitable and immensely powerful life force. Some trees tower higher than human heads, their branches and leaves dense like fully-feathered birds. Indestructible by artillery, these trees heal quickly, resembling robust bodies. This immortal imagery of the xà nu tree evokes thoughts of Tnú, the epitome of Xo Man's heroes. Despite enduring immense suffering and disability, Tnú lives and engages in revolutionary activities fervently. Uncaught and undefeated by the enemy, he embodies the spirit of the Central Highlands. Amidst the brutality of war, life persists and triumphs over death. The relentless and immortal life force of the xà nu forest symbolizes the indomitable spirit and resilience of the people of the Central Highlands during the harsh years of war.

Nguyen Trung Thanh's outstanding portrayal of the xà nu tree, with a cinematic perspective, vividly brings forth its authentic and sharp image. At times, the author couldn't contain his intense personal emotions, expressing surprise and pride in this remarkable species. Through realistic and romantic writing techniques, the author brilliantly captures the beauty of the xà nu forest, symbolizing the beauty of the Central Highlanders. He opens a door, leading readers into the world of these people, epitomized by the character Tnú.

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Reading 'Forest of Baobabs' not only leaves a profound impression with characters like Old Mết, Tnú, Dít, and Mai, but also with the baobab tree - a distinctive symbol enveloping the entire short story. The baobab tree itself creates a majestic and epic beauty, lending a romantic epic quality to the tale of the indomitable, resilient Xô Man village. It is a symbol laden with multiple layers of meaning. Through this symbol, readers can clearly see the resilient vitality, the fierce life force of the people of Tây Nguyên specifically, and of Vietnamese people in general during the days of the Vietnam War against the United States. It's no coincidence that Nguyễn Trung Thành vividly and meticulously describes the baobab forest with a language rich in poetry, with words that soar with an intense passion as seen in the work. Nearly twenty times, the author has written about the baobab, as if the baobab tree participated in all the activities, emotions, joys, and sorrows of the people of Tây Nguyên in their heroic struggle.

The entire tale, painful and indomitable, is like an epic ballad about the life of Tnú, the life of the Xô Man villagers, narrated against the backdrop of the baobab tree imagery. The baobab tree, the forest of baobabs, like the people, like the souls, not only bear witness, but also participate in the epic ballad, enduring all hardships, hardships, and sorrows inflicted by the atrocities of the enemy, yet despite everything, the forest of baobabs still stands strong, still exists despite all the pain: it symbolizes the thirst for freedom, the desire for liberation, for the heroic qualities and fierce life force of the villagers of Xô Man, of the people of Tây Nguyên in the resistance war against the United States.

The baobab tree imagery emerges in the work with a grand and poetic tone. The story begins and ends with images of 'tens of thousands of baobab trees' 'germinating and sprouting,' 'the baobab forest stretching its vast chest, sheltering the village'... 'until the end of sight, nothing can be seen other than the continuous hills of baobabs to the horizon'. The baobab forest is a symbol for humanity. The tree is described as a human being in its reflection with people, evoking symbols of life, fate, and character of human beings - the generations of Xô Man villagers fighting against the United States.

The baobab tree is a symbol of the resilient, powerful life force of the people of Tây Nguyên.

The baobab tree craves light and air, 'it shoots up quickly to catch the sunlight,' much like Tnú, like the people of Xô Man who cherish freedom. The baobab forest, like Xô Man village, suffers much pain from the cruelty of the enemy: 'Every baobab tree in the forest is wounded. Some trees are cut straight across their trunks, falling like a storm. At the wounds, resin oozes out, overflowing, fragrant, sparkling in the harsh summer sun, then gradually bruises, turning black and thickening into large clots of blood'. But the baobab tree has a truly fierce vitality, nothing can destroy it: 'Beside a fallen baobab tree, four years old saplings have sprung up, green branches, sharp as arrows pointing straight up to the sky', just like the generations of Xô Man village, one after another standing up. When Anh Quyết sacrificed himself, there were Tnú, Mai: Mai fell in the prime of life, then Dít grew up unexpectedly fast, becoming the head of the local party cell, the village political officer: then the little ones, the next generation of Dít, are also growing up, continuing the fight. Conversely, in many places describing people, the author has compared them to baobab trees. Old Mết is 'as big as a baobab tree', because he understands better than anyone the connection between the baobab tree and the land they live on, understands the indomitable strength of the forest trees as well as the people of Xô Man: 'There's no tree stronger than our baobab tree. The mother tree falls, the saplings grow. Let it try to kill this baobab forest!...'.

The baobab tree is intertwined with human life in the village. The baobab is not only present in the opening and closing passages, but also throughout the story of Tnú and his Xô Man village. The baobab is part of daily life as it has been for generations in the village: The baobab fire in the cooking hearth; the baobab fire at the communal longhouse gathering all the villagers, the baobab torches lighting up the forest paths at night; the baobab smoke blackening the slate for Anh Quyết to teach Tnú and Mai to read...; the baobab also participates in important events in the anti-American life: the baobab torches lighting up in the hands of Old Mết and all the villagers heading into the forest to get hidden knives, machetes, daggers, axes ready for the uprising, and every night Xô Man village stayed awake, under the baobab torches, sharpening their weapons; the enemy burnt Tnú's hands with hot resin from the baobab...; also the flames from the baobab torches illuminating the entire village uprising night, clearly revealing the bodies of ten enemy soldiers killed scattered around the big fire in the village square...

The baobab tree also witnesses enlightenment, silent sacrifices, courage, and resilience of the Xô Man village people: 'Standing on a hill near a large stream of water. All night the entire Xô Man forest was buzzing. And the fire burned all over the forest.'. The baobab fire illuminated Anh Quyết's stern warning: 'Those still alive must move the bags, machetes, knives, names, and arrows... There will be a day when they are needed'. The baobab fire challenged the will as well as the courage of Tnú: 'nothing is more bitter than baobab resin.. Ten fingers have become ten torches... My blood tastes bitter on the tip of my tongue.. '. The hatred in him burns like the sensitive baobab resin so that 'the hands of revenge' become 'the hands of retribution' squeezing the evil doers to death under the basement.

The story Old Mết tells faintly tastes of an epic. Night storytelling under the baobab fire must also be like the village's old night stories telling about the epic heroes of the Central Highlands. The epic tone of 'Forest of Baobabs' originates from that. The baobab is linked to the past, present heroes, integrated into every activity, customs, and cultural life of the Central Highlands ethnic groups, making the Xô Man village's anti-American story glitter with legendary colors like it used to be with Dam San, Xinh Nhã in the past...

The baobab tree imagery can be considered the main theme of the work. The baobab becomes a symbol of life and the virtues of the Xô Man villagers. It's a remarkable artistic creation by Nguyễn Trung Thành. The writer has chosen the image of the baobab tree and imbued it with new meanings, new beauties to construct the epic of resistance against the Americans by the resilient people of the majestic mountains of the Central Highlands.

3. Analysis of the baobab tree imagery in the short story Forest of Baobabs, sample 3:

Nguyễn Trung Thành is a writer from the Central Highlands, he writes very well, deeply, and truthfully about the people and the majestic land of the Central Highlands. The short story 'Forest of Baobabs' is Nguyễn Trung Thành's exemplary work praising the Central Highlands with an epic essence. Especially, the author successfully built the image of the baobab tree with its essence, spirit for the people living on this land.

Throughout the work 'Forest of Baobabs' is the image of the baobab tree, which can be seen as the central motif, serving as the background and also an endless source of inspiration for the author to successfully describe each character. The baobab is a common tree species in the mountains of the Central Highlands, resilient, enduring, and indomitable. Mentioning the baobab forest, people will associate it with the indomitable people of the Central Highlands, who never surrender, always look forward to protecting independence.

The image of the baobab tree is used by the author to title the story, open the narrative, and conclude with the vast baobab landscape. It's not by chance that the author chose this imagery; it must be the deliberate intention of the author. It not only portrays the majesty of the Central Highlands' nature but also affirms the indomitable spirit of the people of the Central Highlands.

First and foremost, the baobab tree is a symbol of the Central Highlands' forests, closely associated with the life of the Central Highlands. The baobab tree is intertwined with the lives of the Xô Man villagers, the growth of each generation of people from the Central Highlands is closely linked to this noble image. There are Tnu, sister Mai, old man Mết, and little Heng. These individuals, to protect their village and the Central Highlands, had to make many sacrifices and endure much hardship. The baobab is a straight-growing tree, reaching out to the light, much like the people of the Central Highlands always look forward, no matter how difficult or challenging the circumstances. The baobab tree seems to be the soul of the Central Highlands, deeply ingrained in the subconscious of every individual.

Moreover, the baobab tree also plays a role in marking many historical events of the Xô Man villagers. The baobab torches guide the Central Highlands villagers, Tnu's ten fingers burnt were also coated with baobab resin. The baobab tree deeply penetrates the consciousness of each individual, symbolizing the spirit and resilience of the people of the Central Highlands. The baobab tree is repeatedly mentioned in every story: 'nothing is stronger than the baobab tree', even though it may be burnt by many storms, the baobab tree still resiliently overcomes.

Analyzing the imagery of the baobab forest in the short story Forest of Baobabs

The baobab tree is a metaphor for the people of the Central Highlands. The image of the baobab forest being bombed, shattered is similar to the image of the Xô Man villagers being oppressed, exploited to brutality. The loss, the pain accumulates, causing endless lamentation. Despite being destroyed by bombs, the baobab tree remains resilient, enduring; similar to Mai and Tnu, despite being tortured, they still strive and fight to the end with their enduring vitality.

The baobab tree and the people of the Central Highlands seem to have a harmonious relationship, closely bonded and inseparable. This is also the intention of the author in constructing such a weighty image.

The people of the Central Highlands aspire to peace, desiring a warm and happy life. The author has conveyed that longing through the imagery of the sprawling baobab forest, stretching endlessly.

The baobab tree is a resilient, durable, and flexible species. The people of the Central Highlands, through many generations, have fallen, while others continue, carrying on the fighting spirit. The older generations like old man Mết, then Tnu, and finally little Heng, all have burning aspirations for the future.

Certainly, readers will pay attention to the character Tnu. The baobab tree and Tnu are two parallel images, closely intertwined to support each other, highlighting each other. The typical characteristics of the baobab tree are also the characteristics of the character Tnu, distinct from anyone else.

Nguyễn Trung Thành, with his love for the Central Highlands and keen observation, successfully portrays the haunting image of the baobab tree from the beginning to the end of the work. The baobab tree evokes admiration and awe for the land and people of the Central Highlands.

4. Analyzing the imagery of the baobab tree in the short story Baobab Forest, sample 4:

The short story Baobab Forest was written by the author around 1965, when the confrontation between the people of the South and the deceptive American invaders entered a critical and fierce stage. The author cleverly intertwined the pain of Tnu's loss of wife and child into the general anguish of the village. They suffered from losing their homeland, losing their own freedom, which ignited the spark for the uprising of the Xô Man villagers. The harshness of war is like a crucible to test the character of the people of the Central Highlands. The more difficult and bitter it gets, the more resilient and indomitable they become.

The story of the patriotism of each generation of Xô Man villagers is told through the resounding voice of Elder Mết. He is an elderly person who has lived for a long time in that land, experiencing countless hardships, losses, and suffering alongside the land and its people. The author cleverly constructs several character images representing successive generations of Xô Man villagers in the fight against the enemy: from Elder Mết to Tnu, Mai, Dít, Heng, and beyond.

The author has chosen the baobab forest as the main backdrop for the story because, to him, the baobab tree and the resilient people of the Central Highlands share many similarities. The baobab tree is tall, majestic, and remarkably resilient. It exudes a powerful vitality similar to the people of the Central Highlands.

Flipping through the first pages of the story, readers feel drawn into the desolate landscape of the baobab forest, ravaged by the enemy's bombs and bullets, yet amidst the devastation, the image of the resilient baobab trees and their resilient offspring still sprouting and thriving stands out. 'The entire baobab forest, with thousands of trees, none untouched. Some trees severed halfway, falling like a storm,' showcasing the indomitable spirit of the Central Highlands people.

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At the wound site, resin oozed out abundantly, fragrant and shimmering under the intense summer sun, then gradually darkened and coagulated into large blood clots. Sometimes, 'some newly grown saplings, reaching chest height, were cut in half by artillery shells. In those trees, the resin was still fresh, the oil was still thin, the wounds unhealed, festering endlessly, and after ten or twenty days, the trees died. But there were also trees that rose higher than a person's head, with branches and leaves flourishing like fully feathered birds. Artillery shells could not kill them, their wounds healed quickly, like on a strong body. They grew rapidly, replacing the fallen trees,' showcasing the resilience of nature and the people of Xô Man.

The author has stirred the readers' hearts with emotionally rich prose, intertwined with admiration for the author's profound respect for the upright trees and the people of Xô Man. Through his eloquent writing, the author takes readers deep into the baobab forest to feel the bleeding wounds that these trees endure daily. With his love, the author breathes life into the baobab forest, turning it into self-defense warriors protecting the people of Xô Man day and night.

Even amidst bloodshed and threats to life, these self-defense warriors remain steadfast and unwaveringly loyal. Under the skilled pen of Nguyễn Trung Thành, the baobab forest seems to be reborn, exuding its own colors, flavors, and radiance. This vast forest is a manifestation of the unwavering, resilient, and absolute loyalty of the people of Xô Man and the Central Highlands as a whole.

The village of Xô Man, as portrayed by the author, lies within the enemy's artillery range, so life here is always dangerous, death always looming, and gruesome deaths suddenly become commonplace, nothing to fear. Hence, the baobab forest is both a manifestation of beauty and a symbol of the enduring and resilient life bestowed by Mother Nature. Despite every tree in the vast forest being wounded, none escapes the enemy's aim. Yet they stand tall, their bleeding wounds, even if taking months to heal, cannot make these towering baobab trees retreat before the enemy's bombs and bullets. In that vast forest, there are thousands upon thousands of baobab trees from different generations, rising together to resist the enemy, much like many patriotic generations growing in Xô Man, like Dít and Heng.

Nguyễn Trung Thành has mentioned the image of the xà nu forest twice. The story opens and closes with the image of the xà nu forest: 'Standing on the xà nu hill next to the large river, looking as far as the eye can see, there is nothing else but the continuous rows of xà nu hills running to the horizon.' The open-ended conclusion of the story allows readers to interpret each character and the heroic Xô Man village in their own way. The strength of those xà nu trees is also the strength of unity, the resilient vitality of the people of the Central Highlands in particular, and of the Vietnamese nation as a whole.

The familiar xà nu forest has become a symbol of a life of pain yet resilience and indomitability. From a symbol of nature, the xà nu forest expands into a symbol of human life. The xà nu tree is present in the daily life of the Xô Man villagers and seems to have become the heartbeat in every person's heart here. 'The xà nu fire burns brightly in every household hearth, in the large fire in the communal house, the gathering place of the villagers; the flaming xà nu resin on the torch in the middle of the night, xà nu smoke blackening the board as Quyết teaches Tnú and Mai to read...' The xà nu tree has become one of the villagers, honored to participate in the village's important affairs.

During the preparation for the uprising night, Cụ Mết and the villagers went to the forest together to collect torches under the light of the xà nu fire, which illuminated the path for the villagers to get closer to the revolution, to victory. Night after night, that xà nu fire illuminated the darkness for the villagers to sharpen their weapons for resistance. The cruel enemy used xà nu oil-soaked rags to burn Tnú's ten fingers, and that very fire brought joy to the villagers when it clearly revealed the corpses of the traitors, the nation's enemies.

The living resin of the xà nu forest seems to have spread throughout the bodies of the Xô Man villagers. They always stand firm, ready to fight against the enemy's bombs and bullets. They forever stand side by side like the generations of xà nu: grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren... That living resin provides the villagers with the vitality to fight, to dream of a brighter tomorrow in the future.

Nguyễn Trung Thành has brilliantly and successfully depicted the image of the xà nu tree. The xà nu tree has become the soul of the work, embodying the indomitable fighting spirit of the people of the Central Highlands. The author has infused eternal vitality into that species of tree, never succumbing to bombs and bullets, making the enemy bow in reverence. Surely, whether it's ten years or a thousand years from now, the xà nu tree will continue to exist forever in the hearts of readers.

5. Analyzing the image of the xà nu tree in the short story 'Rừng xà nu,' sample 5:

Nguyễn Trung Thành is the pen name of the writer Nguyên Ngọc during the resistance war against the Americans to save the country. His short story 'Rừng xà nu' was written in 1965 and is an outstanding piece of literature. The story recounts the 'uprising' of the Xô Man villagers in the Central Highlands. Cụ Mết, an elder in the village, a military leader who led the Xô Man villagers to sharpen spears, make traps, bait, and axes to rise up secretly against the evil minions, the puppets of the American empire, to liberate their village and sacred mountains. They fought for survival, for the brilliant revolutionary truth: 'They had guns, we had spears!'

In addition to the impressive characters such as Cụ Mết, Tnú, Mai, Dít, little Heng, brother Quyết, ... the image of the xà nu tree in the short story is depicted and praised by the author as a valiant hero.

Back then... the revolution in the South was going through long, dark years, full of difficult challenges. The enemy forces approached, searching, ambushing, and their dogs and guns never stopped barking throughout the forest. Villages were besieged, people were trapped and subjected to brutal terrorism. Heads rolled, blood flowed, mournful cries echoed: the enemy hung Xút's body from a tree at the head of the village; they killed Mrs. Nhan, chopped off her head and hung it on a gun barrel! Sharing the same fate, sharing the suffering with the Xô Man villagers is the xà nu forest lying within the enemy's range. They fired day and night, in the early morning and late afternoon, or in the shadows and dim light, or in the middle of the night and at dawn. Mourning shrouded the xà nu forest. 'Not a single tree was spared.' Enemy bullets severed their trunks, 'the xà nu trees fell like a storm': resin oozed, coagulated into 'black and dense clumps of blood.' The xà nu forest suffered heavy losses like human beings. Countless young trees were hit by enemy bullets, wounds 'kept festering,' after five, ten days, the trees died!

Nearly 20 times, the writer mentioned the xà nu forest, xà nu hills, xà nu trees, xà nu branches, tops and leaves, xà nu resin, smoke and xà nu fire,... each appearance, the xà nu tree carried a strange appearance, all symbolizing the heroic spirit and resilience of the Xô Man villagers, of the Central Highlands mountains resolute and indomitable!

Analyzing the image of the xà nu tree to see the epic quality in the short story 'Rừng xà nu'

The Strá people stood bravely in the gunfire, some fell, others advanced. The xà nu forest was the same, beside a fallen tree, there were four, five trees sprouting up, this vitality blossomed 'green tops, sharp as arrows straight into the sky.' If the Kơnia tree cast its shadow over the fields symbolizing loyalty and friendship, then the xà nu tree is a type of tree 'craving sunlight', its resin 'wafting out a fragrant scent.' Three times Nguyễn Trung Thành created unique, magnificent comparison images praising the stature of the xà nu tree: sometimes its branches were like an arrow shooting straight into the sky, sometimes the young xà nu trees sprouting from the ground were 'sharp like arrowheads', sometimes the xà nu forest 'extended its large chest to shelter the village.' Clearly, the image of the xà nu tree carries the stature and dignity of a true hero in its fiery blood.

At times, the xà nu forest was described through Tnú's eyes in two different times, evening and morning, when he returned to the village and when he left again. After three years of serving in the military, seeking revenge against the cruel oppressors, he returned to visit his homeland, the village folks, reunited with the xà nu forest as if meeting a fighting comrade, feeling proud and enamored: 'Standing on that xà nu hill, looking into the distance, you couldn't see anything but a succession of xà nu hills running to the horizon.' And in the morning, he set off, accompanied by Cụ Mết and Dít, and even the xà nu forest bid him farewell with affection and fondness. He carried the image of his homeland to depart with a new strength: 'Three people stood there looking into the distance. You couldn't see anything beyond the continuous line of xà nu forests running to the horizon.'

The image of the xà nu forest evokes deep associations with the people's war situation, with people of all walks of life, with the symbol of 'a forest of trees, a forest of people,' with the sacrifice and contribution of the ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands during the resistance war. Therefore, when meeting Tnú again, Cụ Mết boldly affirmed with all pride and challenge: 'Did you pass by the xà nu forest near the large river?' It's still alive there, there's no tree as strong as our xà nu trees. The parent tree falls, the saplings sprout up. Let it try to kill off this xà nu forest!'

The distinctive feature of the short story 'Rừng xà nu' is the unique art of depicting scenery and characters. The xà nu forest is not only a magnificent natural landscape, not just a scene of epic battles, but also a symbol of the heroic spirit of the Central Highlands people, of the heroic people of the South. Cụ Mết is no different from a hero in the epic poem 'The Ballad of Chàng Đam San!' A village elder of 60, stout, a beard down to his chest, eyes gleaming, scars from glorious battles shining, Cụ Mết stands on the ground 'his chest as taut as a large xà nu tree.'

Speaking of the image of the xà nu tree, one cannot overlook the xà nu fire. The author created three sketches of the xà nu fire, evoking a mythical and sacred atmosphere. Beneath the xà nu fire, Tnú read the 'farewell' letter from Anh Quyết sent to the Xô Man villagers before his sacrifice. The second time, the image of the xà nu fire blazing on Tnú's ten fingers, it was a flame of resentment, of hatred 'blood cries for blood, head calls for head' (Tố Hữu). The third time, the blaze of the xà nu fire illuminated red, glaring, with the cry: 'Strike! Strike them all!' from Cụ Mết, revealing the bodies of ten enemies, including the cruel oppressor Dục, lying lifeless amidst a pool of blood on the eagle's nest. The xà nu tree shared bitter and sweet with the Xô Man people during the long years of fighting the Americans and their treacherous henchmen!