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Prompt: Analyze the character of Miss Hiền in the story 'A Hanoian' by writer Nguyen Khai.
Sample essay: Analyzing the character of Miss Hiền in the story 'A Hanoian'
Essay
Exploring the intricacies of human nature in daily life, a noble mission pursued by many writers post-1975, Nguyen Khai delves into the beauty of the human soul in everyday existence. Through the short story 'A Hanoian,' readers are invited to admire the elegance in the thoughts and behaviors of the character Mrs. Hiền.
The beauty in Mrs. Hiền's thoughts and behaviors first shines through in her self-awareness and responsibility towards herself. In her youth, she established a literary salon not to seek a future husband who would climb the ranks of officials. When she married, she chose a gentle, hardworking elementary school teacher. As a mother, she wisely decided to cease bearing children at the age of forty, with careful calculation: if my husband and I live until sixty, our youngest child will be twenty and can be independent, not relying on siblings. Such thinking will guide her proper conduct towards herself in the character.
Having a sense of responsibility towards herself, Mrs. Hiền's attire and speech are impeccable, polite, and cultured. She disdains the wartime address of 'comrade.' Regardless of the era, Mrs. Hiền and her family maintain a cultured lifestyle: In winter, her husband wears a wool coat and leather shoes, while she wears a fur-collared coat and suede shoes adorned with beads. Even their dining habits differ from the majority. The dining table is adorned with a white cloth, a small vase of flowers, a covered bowl on a plate, chopsticks wrapped in paper, and each person sits in their designated seat.
Not only does Mrs. Hiền adhere to standards in her self-treatment, adaptability to the times, and society, but she also consistently demonstrates appropriate thinking and behavior.
During wartime, Mrs. Hiền's sons volunteered for combat. She openly admitted: 'I am in pain but content, because I don't want it to live clinging to the sacrifice of friends.' The writer candidly reveals Mrs. Hiền's pain. It's the most genuine sentiment of any mother with a son at war. Her contentment stems from self-respect and a citizen's responsibility to the nation's destiny, so when her second son enlisted, she did not oppose it. Mrs. Hiền's thoughts are always fair: 'I also want to live equally with other mothers, whether happily or miserably.'
When her second son was fortunate enough to pass the university entrance exam with a high score and was retained at the university, she cautiously analyzed: 'At present, he may be luckier than his brother, but if his brother were still alive, we don't know who would be luckier.' Nguyen Khai's character isn't overly skeptical of life. Simply put, these are the cautious thoughts of a person living in a rapidly changing society. Mrs. Hiền always maintains an active, alert demeanor, enough to perceive and behave appropriately for the times.
In an independent nation, Mrs. Hiền is intelligent and perceptive enough to recognize some existing issues in the new society. She sees government intervention in people's lives and the lingering class divide. A woman can still analytically explain to her husband the true situation when he intends to buy a printer: 'You will have to hire a printer, what else? If there are printers, there must be owners. Do you want to be a boss under this regime?' Despite some state officials quietly observing her family's every move, she remains unfazed and unafraid because she has actively chosen a proper attitude and behavior. She humorously asserts that she hasn't met the standards for study or reform. Her witty remark about the wet nurse illustrates the harmonious lifestyle of Mrs. Hiền's family within society and the times.
Analyzing the character of Ms. Hiền in the story 'A Person from Hanoi' helps readers appreciate her beauty, as she is considered the 'golden grain' of Hanoi. To delve deeper into the character of Ms. Hiền and the short story 'A Person from Hanoi,' one can refer to the following: Analyzing the work 'A Person from Hanoi' by Nguyễn Khải, Assessing Ms. Hiền's personality in the story 'A Person from Hanoi,' Reflecting on the work 'A Person from Hanoi,' Mind map of 'A Person from Hanoi.'
