Analyzing the excerpt 'Life and Death Wearing Wings'

Prompt: Analyze the excerpt 'Life and Death Wearing Wings'

Analyzing the excerpt 'Life and Death Wearing Wings'
 

I. Structured Analysis of the Excerpt 'Life and Death Wearing Wings' (Standard)

1. Introduction

- Brief overview of the author and the work.
 

2. Main Section

a. The Riverside Scene of Villagers.
- 'Nearly midnight, the rain poured incessantly... it seemed precarious; two or three sections had been reinforced, but if not careful, it could collapse....', portraying the flood scene with a sense of urgency and vulnerability, vividly illustrating the efforts of villagers working together to build the embankment and resist the rising water that posed a threat to hundreds of lives. 'Peasants telling hundreds of thousands of people,... wet as mice,' listing descriptive words depicting continuous actions, creating an atmosphere of urgency, showcasing the clear effort and struggle of farmers in moments of confrontation with natural disasters.

b. The Riverside Scene of Officials and Aristocrats:
- Huddled in a warm house playing shrimp-catching, ignoring the outside where people are braving the elements to protect the embankment.
→ The warm, peaceful, and tranquil scene is in stark contrast to the hurried and cold atmosphere outside.
- The official is only interested in the excitement of the cards being laid down, along with the joy of holding a bowl of swallow's nest, surrounded by betel boxes, bright lime containers, creating a very cheerful, bustling, and leisurely atmosphere.
=> The contrasting scene between inside and outside the temple makes one feel sorry for the fate of the farmers, clearly showing the indifferent and ruthless nature of the official.

3. Conclusion

Expressing thoughts.
 

II. Sample Essay Analyzing the Excerpt 'Life and Death Wearing Wings' (Standard)

Pham Duy Ton (1883-1924), originally from Thuong Tin, Ha Tay (now part of Hanoi), is a rare pioneer of realistic literature with the first achievements in the critical realistic literary genre. He is the one who 'opens a window to another world, a world that includes not only intellectuals and upper classes but also farmers and laborers.' Although he wrote infrequently, he made significant contributions to the initiation and development of modern Vietnamese literature. 'Life and Death Wearing Wings' is his debut and most successful work, reflecting the deep humanitarian thoughts and sentiments of the author amidst the turbulent colonial era, where the common people suffer, and the ruling officials only care about their own pleasures, despite being labeled as virtuous parents.

'Life and Death Wearing Wings' is the first modern short story in Vietnam, and its uniqueness lies in the expressive form and valuable details. Unlike conventional classical works, this piece has a very effective opening, going straight to the story's essence. Characteristic of a new writing style, 'Nearly midnight, the rain poured incessantly. The Nhị Hà River was rising too high; the section of the village embankment... under the jurisdiction..., it seemed precarious; two or three sections had been reinforced, but if not careful, it could collapse....' In just a few sentences, the flood scene, the embankment, and the precarious situation with thousands of lives hanging by a thread are vividly described. The farmers are working together to build the embankment and resist the rising water, facing the imminent threat to their lives. 'Peasants telling hundreds of thousands of people, from evening until now, making every effort, some plowing, some hoeing, some carrying soil, some carrying bamboo, some stacking, some reinforcing, soaked in mud up to their calves, everyone wet as mice.' By using the technique of listing descriptive words depicting continuous actions, it creates an urgent atmosphere, clearly depicting the effort and struggle of farmers in moments of confrontation with natural disasters. Additionally, short, continuous exclamatory statements express the author's helplessness and sorrow in the face of the miserable situation of the farmers. 'The situation looks truly disastrous'; 'Alas! Human strength can hardly compete with divine strength! The embankment cannot resist the water! Worrying! Dangerous! The embankment is now broken' not only reveals the author's anxious mood but also represents the anxiety and fear of hundreds of thousands of people facing the imminent danger of the breaking embankment.