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Prompt: Analyze the narrative technique employed by the author in the story 'The Ivory Comb' by Nguyen Quang Sang
2 exemplary essays analyzing the narrative technique employed by the author in the story 'The Ivory Comb' by Nguyen Quang Sang
1. Analysis of the storytelling technique in the story 'The Ivory Comb' by Nguyen Quang Sang, sample number 1:
The story is narrated through the voice of Mr. Six's close friend, who witnessed the hardships of Mr. Six and his son. These hardships evoke deep emotions in the narrator, especially the scene of Mr. Six bidding farewell to his son: 'Its cry was like a tear, tearing the silence, tearing everyone's heart and soul, sounding so heart-wrenching. That is the 'Father' that it tried to suppress for so many years, the 'Father' bursting out from its depths. The profoundness, the understanding of the sacrifices Mr. Six had to endure made the storyteller feel breathless as if someone was clutching their heart.' Choosing to narrate the story in this manner has several effects: it makes the story genuine and credible.
The characters are objectively observed and evaluated. The narrator completely controls the narrative pace according to their emotional state, actively interjecting comments and thoughts to guide the reader's reception. For example, passages like: 'In my life during the resistance, I witnessed countless farewells, but I was never moved like that time' or 'That ivory comb hasn't combed your hair yet, but it seems to have untangled a part of your soul.'
The narrator can flexibly and freely narrate what happens to the characters.
The story recounts the profound and touching father-daughter relationship of Mr. Six and his young daughter (little Thu), marred by a regrettable misunderstanding induced by the war, preventing the two from creating many beautiful memories together. Narrated by Mr. Six's comrade-in-arms, with reflections and emotions intertwined, the story becomes even more authentic and vivid.
The visit home after a long time on the battlefield, filled with excitement and anticipation of meeting his special family, especially his beloved daughter, is narrated with a myriad of details depicting the innermost thoughts and feelings of the characters by Nguyen Quang Sang, evoking empathy for the father's longing yet painful yearning for his child's call, all due to the unfortunate stubbornness and misunderstanding brought about by the war. Yet, in the final moments before returning to the battlefield, Mr. Six finally hears the touching word 'dad,' making us almost shed tears, as the knot in the story is untied with a new chapter.
The story unfolds with unexpected twists, yet the arrangement and storytelling are exceptionally logical, captivating the reader, especially when narrated in the voice of Mr. Ba, Mr. Six's fellow soldier, making the story even more authentic and compelling. Throughout the story, with two main situations being before and after recognizing Mr. Six as Thu's father, readers can witness the sacred, deeply cherished father-daughter bond.
The intertwining of storytelling with Mr. Ba's thoughts and emotions adds an element of surprise and suspense to the story. The art of portraying the characters' psyche, especially little Thu, makes the story more vivid and authentically real. The language used in the story, familiar with many local terms, creates the sensation of being amidst the farewell scene of the father and daughter before heading to the battlefield.
