Analysis of the short story 'Spirit of Physical Education'

Assignment: Analyze Nguyễn Công Hoan's short story 'Spirit of Physical Education'

Analysis of the short story 'Spirit of Physical Education'

I. Detailed Outline: Analyzing 'Spirit of Physical Education' by Nguyễn Công Hoan

1. Introduction

Introducing Nguyễn Công Hoan's short story 'Spirit of Physical Education'.

2. Body of the Essay

- Structure: 5 scenes
- Content: Exposing the deceit and hypocrisy of the feudal colonial regime
+ Scene 1: Mr. Mịch requests his boss for time off from watching football to work and pay off debts for Mr. Nghị, but his boss disregards his reasons and forces him to go.
+ Scene 2: Mrs. Phô's wife asks her boss to let her husband take time off from watching football because he is sick, but the boss disagrees.
+ Scene 3: Mrs. Bính's mother wants to ask for her son to take time off from watching the football match, so she hires someone to watch for her and bribes the boss...(Continued)

>>Full Outline for Analyzing 'Spirit of Physical Education' by Nguyễn Công Hoan available here.
 

II. Model Essay: Analyzing the Short Story 'Spirit of Physical Education'

Nguyễn Công Hoan is a distinguished satirical writer with renowned works like 'Kép Tư bền', 'Bước đường cùng', 'Hai thằng khốn nạn',... And among them, the notable one is the short story 'Spirit of Physical Education'. This is a piece that straightforwardly condemns the fraudulent nature of the 'physical education movement' that the French colonial regime used to mislead the patriotic spirit of our people.

This short story consists of five seemingly disjointed scenes, but in fact, they combine to express a common theme. When it comes to physical education movements, people often associate them with health, joy, and occasions for socializing and entertainment. However, contrary to this common psychological rule, the physical education movement for the people of Ngũ Vọng village becomes an unforeseen disaster. Participating in cheering for the match is supposed to be a voluntary action, but the district officials send a letter to the village head to request 'the teachers to inform the villagers and must escort one hundred people, precisely at noon, to watch, and they must not be absent' on 'March 19th, which is January 29th in Annam, at the district stadium'. Not only that, the spectators must 'dress decently, walk upright, and must clap their hands continuously, because there will be many dignitaries that day'. What should have been a voluntary spirit activity for the people is turned into a compulsory action by the colonial authorities. Thus, the football match loses some of its excitement and enthusiasm for the fans.

Nguyễn Công Hoan has depicted five scenes with different circumstances that laboring people face. The content of the first scene is Mr. Mịch's visit to ask his boss not to attend the football match because he has to 'work to pay off debts for Mr. Nghị' but is not approved. The boss doesn't care that Mr. Mịch might be beaten to death by Mr. Nghị for not working off the debts, nor does he care that Mr. Mịch's wife and children might starve, only caring about the quantity, caring about the instructions of the superiors: 'Whether they die hungry or full, I don't know, but the official paper is here, so I will do it. Whoever disobeys, let the officials deal with it, I'll submit the case'. The second scene opens with Mrs. Phô's plea for her husband not to go to the football match because he is sick. But the boss responds to Mrs. Phô's wish with cold words: 'Even if he is near death, he must go. It's the boss's order. If everyone uses illness as an excuse not to go, then should the dogs watch the football'? He does not accept the woman going to watch instead of her husband because she is 'an outsider'. Even for the sick, the boss does not spare them from going to watch football. Mrs. Bính's mother hires someone to go instead and bribe the boss with three units of silver so that he can make merit. However, the boss is still not reassured because 'if any official sees Sang dressing like a beggar, it doesn't comply with the official's requirement that everyone going to watch must 'dress decently'

At noon, one must be present at the district stadium, but in the early morning, the sound of the district head's 'loud and clear scolding' at the communal house was heard: 'Missing eighteen people? Which week, go to their homes, drag them out here. If they were scheduled to go, and they dare to dodge'!; 'If anyone is cunning, just beat them to reveal, the guilt is on you'. And the weekly soldiers caught Mr. Cò 'lying flat with a child next to a stack of straw, covered in straw'. He didn't go to watch the football match because if he did, he and his son would starve. Without waiting for him to explain, the weekly soldiers 'dragged him away'. Finally, the scene of ninety-four people, lined up together, going to the district stadium to watch football and the district head's curse: 'They are as stupid as pigs. They are given the opportunity to watch football, but everyone must be forced to go. Then, the district head complains about being indifferent'. It turns out that the district head only cares about obeying official orders without flexibility in considering the reasons and the actual circumstances they are facing. Even if the people beg or plead, the district head doesn't bother. Only Mrs. Bính's mother, who has money to bribe, makes the district head slightly reproachful: 'Dealing with people like you is exhausting for me' and then takes the money and puts it in his pocket.

The spirit of physical exercise is a witty short story by Nguyen Cong Hoan. To delve into the details of this work, after finishing reading the Analysis of the short story Spirit of physical exercise, you can also refer to other sample essays such as: Impressions of the short story Spirit of physical exercise, Impressions of the short story Spirit of physical exercise, and Compose an essay on Spirit of physical exercise that we have carefully selected and posted in Great essays for grade 11!