Analyzing Tấm's Identity and Path to Happiness in the story of Tấm Cám

Prompt: Analyze Tấm's identity and path to happiness in the story of Tấm Cám

Analyzing Tấm's Identity and Path to Happiness in the tale of Tấm Cám

I. Detailed Outline for Analyzing Tấm's Identity and Path to Happiness in the story of Tấm Cám (Standard)

1. Introduction
- Introducing the fairy tale Tấm Cám.
- General assessment of Tấm's identity and path to happiness in the fairy tale Tấm Cám

2. Main Body

a. Tấm's Character Identity in the fairy tale of Tấm Cám
- Belongs to the orphan character type.
- Endures many bitter hardships and misfortunes.
- Through Tấm's fate, we see the contradictions of 'Stepmother - stepchild', 'good - evil' in society.

b. Tấm's Path to Happiness
- Initially, the happiness Tấm experiences is due to the miraculous blessings from the Deity.
- Subsequently, Cinderella, who used to only know how to silently endure and weep, actively rises to reclaim happiness through her transformations, boldly exposes the sins of the stepmother and stepsister.
- The significance of these transformations: Reflecting the change from passive endurance to strength, realizing the malicious intentions and evil nature of the stepmother and stepsister, and fighting more fiercely.

c. The Significance of the Relationship between Identity and the Path to Happiness for Tấm
- Clearly demonstrates the aspirations of our people for a just and beautiful society: The triumph of goodness, of what is right, over evil and wrongdoing.
- Reflects the characteristics of the fairy tale genre with a happy ending: 'reap what you sow', 'what goes around comes around'.

3. Conclusion

Reaffirming the significance of Tấm's fate and path to happiness in the story of 'Tấm Cám'.

II. Sample Essay: Analyzing Tấm's Identity and Path to Happiness in the story of 'Tấm Cám' (Standard)

Among the spiritual values that nurture and enrich the childhood of every Vietnamese, the world of fairy tales is always seen as a magical cradle containing profound lessons and meanings. One of the familiar stories that clearly demonstrates this is the fairy tale 'Tấm Cám'. By highlighting the identity and path to happiness of the character Tấm, the folk author has imparted to readers across generations beliefs about the triumph of goodness over evil.

Through the pages of the story, readers can see Tấm portrayed with an unfortunate fate. Firstly, she is an orphan, having lost her mother, and later her father as well. Living with her stepmother and stepsister, Tấm has endured much bitterness and hardship. Placing Tấm's fate within the context of the 'stepmother - stepchild' relationship, we can truly comprehend the extent of her suffering and misfortune. Our ancestors once said:

'Through generations, rice cakes may have bones, Yet stepmothers may eventually care for stepsons.'

This verse vividly portrays the contradiction within the 'stepmother - stepson' relationship prevalent in society at that time. While Cám enjoys all the good things, receiving love and favor, Tấm endures the harshness and coldness of her stepaunt. Tấm toils day and night, physically and mentally exhausted. To prevent Tấm from attending the festival, the stepmother and stepsister scheme to mix rice and barley. Seeing Tấm caring for her fish Bống as a source of solace, they kill Bống and even heartlessly cut down the betel tree to fulfill their wicked ambitions, depriving Tấm of her life.

Tấm's fate also clearly illustrates the conflict between good and evil existing in society at that time. Not only exploiting Tấm's labor, the stepmother and stepsister also deprive her of small spiritual comforts such as killing Bống - Tấm's friend given by the Deity, and even ruthlessly cutting down the betel tree to harm Tấm and deprive the poor orphan girl of her personal happiness.

But in the end, Tấm regained and protected her own happiness. So how did Tấm's path to happiness unfold? First and foremost, happiness came to Tấm through her kindness, goodness, and diligence, aided by the Deity. When tormented by the stepmother and stepsister, Tấm could only cry, showing her weakness and vulnerability in the face of cruelty and wickedness. In such moments, the Deity suddenly appeared, bringing magical assistance to the kind, unfortunate orphan girl, summoning sparrows to help and bestowing upon Tấm beautiful gifts such as clothes for attending the festival,...

But then, Tấm rose up to fight for her personal happiness actively through her transformations. Tấm successively transformed into a golden nightingale - a peach tree - a broom - and a watermelon. The Tấm who once only knew how to 'weep bitterly' with passive endurance, waiting for divine forces to help, boldly emerged to expose the wrongdoings of those who harmed her. When transformed into a golden nightingale, Tấm sang:

'Wash your husband's shirt
Hang it to dry
But not on the fence
Tear your husband's shirt'

These verses illustrate Tấm's realization that her own happiness was being deprived. And then, when twice more harmed, when transformed into a broom, Tấm boldly declared: 'Take your sister-in-law's painting - She gouges her eyes out'. Ultimately, after all, Tấm returned to her human form intact and enjoyed her own happiness deservedly. Although the transformations still carried a strong element of fantasy, through that process, we see the latent vitality awakening. The Tấm who once silently endured became stronger, realizing the malicious intentions and evil nature of the stepmother and stepsister, and fought more fiercely.

Through the relationship between Tấm's unfortunate fate and her path to happiness, the story has conveyed profound lessons. Firstly, that journey clearly demonstrates our people's dream of a just and beautiful society. It is the realization, the realization of the dream of the working people about the triumph of good over evil. At the same time, the happy ending of the story also clearly reflects the characteristic thinking of the fairy tale genre about the viewpoint 'Goodness begets goodness', 'You reap what you sow'.