Analyzing the portrayal of rural town life in the evening by Thạch Lam in the short story Two Children and expressing personal sentiments

Prompt: Analyze the portrayal of rural town life in the evening by Thạch Lam in the short story Two Children and express personal sentiments.

Outline, model essay analyzing the depiction of rural town life in the evening by Thạch Lam in the short story Two Children 

I. Outline Analyzing the portrayal of rural town life in the evening in the story Two Children (Standard)
 

1. Introduction

- Starting from literary theory
- Introducing the author and the work: “Two Children” by writer Thạch Lam
- Introducing the issue to be analyzed: The depiction of rural town life as dusk falls 

2. Body:

* General Overview:

a. Dusk in Rural Towns:

- Evening Market Scene:

A glimpse into the nocturnal essence of rural life.

Symbolism: Humanity submerged in obscurity, yearning for luminance.

A portrayal of rural street life as a nighttime train passes through.

The passing train illuminates, revealing the stark realities of impoverished existence.

Closing Remarks

- Reiterate the value of the work - Expand: literary analysis.

II. Sample Essay Examining the portrayal of rural life at dusk in the story Two Children
 

1. Analysis of the portrayal of rural life at dusk in Two Children, sample 1 (Standard):

A novelist once affirmed: 'The essence of literary talent lies in one's own voice, the distinct tone that cannot be found in anyone else's throat.' Indeed, every artist standing on the literary podium needs to possess a unique style, a 'unique voice' or 'different eyes' than others, for their works to leave a deep impression on readers. 'Once the style becomes the flesh and blood of a writer, it will create a unique aesthetic melody, unable to be mixed with anyone else.' And Thach Lam has excellently fulfilled his heavenly duty. In 'Two Children', he creates a different feeling for readers, completely unlike his contemporaries' works. Particularly, he discovers the picture of poor district life when dusk falls.

Coming to 'Two Children', surely everyone is curious why a writer can delve into such poor districts and study them thoroughly? The answer is simple when we look back at his biography: since childhood, Thach Lam lived in a countryside area belonging to Cam Giang district, Hai Duong province... Perhaps it was during this time that Thach Lam understood and empathized with the people and life pace here. It's not just a picture of nature with gloomy, idle scenery, but also a picture of life in poor, exhausted districts... Alongside the collection 'Sunshine in the Garden', 'Two Children' is one of Thach Lam's most outstanding short stories. The work blends the elements of reality and romantic sentiment.

Firstly, it depicts the life scene of a poor district in the late afternoon. The image of the desolate evening market, 'a market held in the middle of the street for a long time.' Everyone in the market has gone home, leaving only 'garbage, pomelo peels, orange peels, lychee leaves, and sugarcane leaves.' Especially the scent here, a distinctive scent that cannot be mixed with any other region: 'A damp smell rises, a mixture of daytime heat and familiar dust, making Liên think it's the unique smell of this land, of this homeland.' The human image is also portrayed as poor, sparse, and simple. They are poor children scavenging on the ground, 'picking up bamboo sticks, bamboo poles, or anything that can be used'; they are Liên and her sister; they are the mother and daughter of Mrs. Tí... Especially the crazy old lady Thi, addicted to alcohol, with a faint laughter. The image of the old lady 'walks into the darkness, her laughter gradually diminishing towards the village,' making us think of a entrapment with no way out. Thi represents a wretched life, the most pitiful people. Thus, with a few strokes, Thach Lam shows readers a picture of poor, bleak, and idle district life, where everyone shares the same poverty, fatigue, and boredom. Furthermore, the author expresses his emotions through Liên's feelings, 'Liên sees compassion but she herself doesn't have money to give them.' This is human compassion, the hidden depths of a person's heart. Through Liên's inquiries, concerns for Mrs. Tí and her daughter, we see the care, encouragement, and inquiries of people in the same misery. Truly, in every circumstance, especially in pitiful situations, we need to care and share with each other. Through this, the author awakens us to hidden hearts, delicate souls, sensitivity...

Analysis of the life scene of the poor district in the evening in Two Children

Following the timeline, next comes the depiction of rural life as night falls. Through symbolic imagery of the landscape and rural space, the author highlights the submerged lives while also describing the stagnant, dark human existence, yet amidst it, there are still glimmers of light. 'At that moment, people in the darkness await something bright for their impoverished daily lives.' Life here is always dull and monotonous: Mrs. Tí and her daughter always set up their stall, 'All the streets in the district now condense to Mrs. Tí's stall,' Uncle Siêu carries his pho to the village head then back home, bác Xẩm's family mainly relies on the sympathy of others; Liên and her sister always count money for goods, sitting on bamboo stools... Life repeats itself, truly impoverished yet people still strive with what little they have, earnestly.

Finally, it portrays rural life as the night train passes through. The image of the train convoy is meticulously described by the author, from the impending arrival, arrival, and departure. The passing train acts as the night's final strong, bustling activity, breaking the quietness of the rural area. This image is a stark contrast to the rural world, like a comet piercing through the night, the train's light can erase the dim, scattered lights of the countryside. The sound of the train is powerful enough to drown out the consistent, monotonous symphony. Liên is also sleepy from waiting for the train but still manages to stay awake, showing her longing, desire to witness the final activity filled with hope. Furthermore, the passing train also awakens memories of a beautiful past, 'Liên silently dreams. Hanoi is far away, Hanoi is brightly lit and lively.' 'Liên recalls when in Hanoi she enjoyed delicious, exotic gifts - back when Liên's mother had more money - and went to the lakefront to drink refreshing green and red drinks.' The train trip evokes, kindles desires, dreams of a better world, a better future. It can be said that seeing the train not only satisfies the visual but also fills the vast emptiness in Liên's soul with memories and dreams. This night train makes Liên see more clearly the stagnation, poverty of her life and those around her. Thus, 'Two Children' is a portrayal of a bygone era, rural life illuminated only for a moment. With talent, with his 'unique perspective,' Thạch Lam has painted a panoramic picture of rural life from dusk.

Through the use of romantic writing techniques; contrasting images, the author highlights rural life. It can be said that Thạch Lam's prose is beautiful. Beauty emanates from suggestive, sensuous images; human compassion with a very humane heart. Thạch Lam's pen, his words are distinctive: gentle, objective, revealing a deep compassion for rural people, he still discovers their aspirations.

'Two Children' is the result of the creative process and the distillation of the essence of life, the aesthetic emotions of Thạch Lam. Unlike the Tự Lực văn đoàn writers, Thạch Lam believes, 'For me, literature is not about providing readers with an escape or forgetfulness; on the contrary, literature is a noble and powerful medium through which we can both denounce and change a deceitful, cruel world, while also making the reader's heart purer and richer.' For him, true literature is literature that serves humanity, raises its voice for humanity, literature of 'humanity' rather than 'art.' It can be said, 'art is the realm of uniqueness.' Therefore, 'it demands a style, something new, distinct expressed in one's work.' And Thạch Lam has excellently done that. The writer has brought his own voice to leave a deep impression on people.

Hai đứa trẻ stands as one of Thạch Lam's exemplary works, characterized by serene and profound prose. It has left deep impressions on readers' hearts. The story depicts the life scene of a poor district in the evening, reflecting the hardships of the people in that society at that time. Despite living in poverty, they always dream of a brighter future.

One of the distinctive features of the story 'Hai đứa trẻ' is its plotless narrative. 'Hai đứa trẻ' sits on a broken bench in front of a district store, watching the street scene as dusk turns into night. Despite being sleepy, the siblings strive to stay awake to see the night train pass before closing the store to sleep... With slow and simple descriptions, devoid of dramatic events, 'Hai đứa trẻ' is not dull or bland but rather deeply resonant and evocative.

Thạch Lam has painted a picture of district life through the innocent perspective of little Liên, crafting a narrative that delicately and incisively reveals a more authentic and vivid life. This lifelike and emotionally charged portrayal evokes a predominant sense of sadness and empathy in readers after they turn the pages. The ideological significance of the story emanates primarily from the portrayal of impoverished district life. The evening often evokes sadness and introspection, and the two children standing before that twilight scene also have perceptions of the life around them.

6 model essays Analyzing the portrayal of district life in the evening in the story 'Hai đứa trẻ'

The image of impoverished, disheveled people from the rural town gradually emerges against the backdrop of the street: 'A few poor children from the market's edge stooped on the ground, scavenging for anything usable left behind by the vendors; Tí's mother and children ceremoniously carry the load, carrying baskets, 'every day Tí goes crabbing and catches shrimp, only in the evening does she tidy up this stall (...) she doesn't earn much, but every evening she still sets up her stall, from dusk till midnight,' but 'Oh my, whether early or late, what difference does it make!' 'Uncle Xẩm's family sits on a thin mat, a white iron basin in front of them,' 'the cow-child rummages through the dirt, picking up dirty trash buried in the roadside sand...' And the two sisters Liên, with 'a tiny grocery store, Liên's mother started cleaning up as soon as the family left Hanoi to return to the countryside, then Mr. Liên lost his job.' Then there's the image of Grandma Thi, a bit crazy, buying and laughing heartily, staggering into the darkness... All of these are images of wretched, miserable, and desolate lives. At our family store, with flickering lights, Liên observes everything around her and reflects on the picture of life in her rural town. Throughout the town at this time, there are only Tí's little lanterns, Uncle Siêu's fire stove, Liên's small American lamp..., in other words, just a few dim lights. Those faint lights don't brighten the town but only make the night darker, denser. 'All the streets in the district now shrink to Tí's water stall.' The image of Tí's water stall's little lantern 'only illuminating a small area' recurs seven times in the story, a haunting and evocative image of petty, obscure lives, darkness in the vast darkness of life. The story ends with the image of Tí's dim lantern going into the fitful sleep of little Liên.

It's not just tonight's evening that everything seems so sad, but that scene, happening every day, yet today Liên and her sister express their feelings. Because every evening is the same, Tí's mother and children ceremoniously tidy up; Liên and her sister count the bottles of alcohol, the bars of soap, calculate the price of goods, and every night they 'sit on bamboo benches under the banyan tree' to admire the scenery outside the town; every night Uncle Phở Siêu carries his goods and lights a fire, Uncle Xẩm lays out mats and sets out the iron basin... Everyone waits for the same things they always wait for: the few soldiers in the district or Thừa's relatives, the old lady who calls for the shrimp paste seller to come and have a drink, smoke... That rhythm repeats day after day, simple, sluggish, dull. But what can be done! Not that those miserable people don't hope - without hope, how can they live? 'In the darkness, they await something bright for their daily impoverished lives.' However, that hope is pitiful: 'something bright' is 'what?' very vague; and when will it come? Although still a naive child, Liên understands that life here is truly impoverished, she compares it to the abundant life in the bustling city. That reflects the longing for a better life in the innocent soul of the child. Because of the desire to escape from that stagnant, dark situation, Liên stays up night after night waiting to see the night train pass by. The noisy night train with its 'brightly lit carriage' is a specific image of the 'something bright' she hopes for. 'The train seems to bring a glimpse of another world. A world quite different from Liên's, different from the dim light of Tí's lantern and Uncle Siêu's fire.'

The portrayal of the rural town's life emerges vividly in Liên's eyes. Showing empathy with the impoverished working people, who cannot find a way out, must endure wandering poverty, stagnation, the author has depicted the image of the poor rural town, describing meticulously to every small detail.

4.  Analyzing the portrayal of the life of the impoverished rural town in the evening in the short story 'Hai đứa trẻ', model number 4:

In the Tự Lực văn đoàn, writer Thạch Lam stands as a distinct line. Nhất Linh and Khái Hưng may write novels together, but not Thạch Lam. Thạch Lam's tone is gentle, tranquil, profound, rich in nuances, with a particularly compelling emotional resonance. Thạch Lam focuses on the small characters in the lower strata of society, while other writers of the Tự Lực văn đoàn focus on the upper-class characters. 'Hai đứa trẻ' is a typical short story representing Thạch Lam's literary style, his ideological orientation, focusing on life, aiming towards the Good, the Beautiful.

Thạch Lam's stories have no plot. 'Hai đứa trẻ' is no exception. There are only two children who move from Hanoi to a poor district, taking care of a tiny grocery store. In the evening, the two sisters sit on a bamboo bench to admire the street scene at dusk, and at night, despite being sleepy, they stay awake to watch the night train from Hanoi pass by before closing the store to sleep. Thạch Lam avoids the ordinary writing style of captivating readers with thrilling plots, melodramatic situations, or tense conflicts. 'Hai đứa trẻ' captivates readers with the authentic material of life. This choice of material is close to Nam Cao, Nguyên Hồng, Tô Hoài (realistic writers rich in humanism), yet it stimulates readers with dreams, beautiful aspirations. That romantic spirit is associated with writers like Nhất Linh, Khái Hưng, Hoàng Đạo. Thạch Lam has a writing style as light as a butterfly perched on a flower. The picture painted with his language can be compared to silk painting rather than oil painting. Thạch Lam is and always will be a romantic writer. A positive romanticism, beautiful.

Analysis of the portrayal of life in the impoverished rural town in the evening in 'Hai đứa trẻ' fully, in detail

In 'Hai đứa trẻ,' romance and reality blend together in the natural scenery of a countryside during a serene evening. Then the night gradually descends 'A summer night as gentle as velvet and breezy...,' the nature is vast and poetic. 'The West is red like a burning fire and the pink clouds are like dying coal.' But the village is dark, miserable. 'The shop is slightly dark, mosquitoes have begun to buzz.' 'Liên's eyes, gradually filled with darkness.' 'Only a lingering sadness is felt before the twilight hour.' The depiction of life is so authentically emotional, evoking a profound sense of compassion in the reader. The ideological significance of the story mainly emanates from the portrayal of life in the impoverished rural town.

Through the eyes of the two children, the scene of the rural town becomes vivid, specific, and evocative. It's an empty market square, deserted after the market has long ended. 'People have left and the noise has vanished.' The scene of the desolate market reveals the poverty, the desolation of the rural town life. The writer's meticulous lens scans through the town: on the ground, there's only 'rubbish, discarded pomelo peels, banana leaves, and sugar cane leaves.' The scene is also described by the writer's keen sense of smell 'a damp smell rises, a mixture of daytime heat and the familiar smell of dust, making the sisters think it's the distinctive scent of the land, of this homeland.' The portrayal of the rural town in 'Hai đứa trẻ' is haunting due to such colors and flavors. In the melancholic, gloomy setting, the images of the impoverished, ragged people of the rural town gradually emerge. Children picking up scattered items at the market. Mother and daughter Tí setting up the stall, 'during the day, she goes crab hunting, catches shrimp; only in the evening does she tidy up this water stall...' Uncle Xẩm's family sits on a tattered mat, a white iron basin placed in front. The boy picks up dirty trash by the roadside. And the two sisters Liên, with their tiny grocery store, Liên's mother sets up immediately when the family moves from Hanoi to the countryside because Liên's father lost his job. Mad granny Thi wanders around, buying wine and laughing 'wildly' as she staggers into the darkness. All are portraits of miserable, destitute lives. Through Liên's eyes, all life is immersed in the vast darkness, only the light of Tí's lamp, Uncle Siêu's stove, Liên's dimmed American lamp... in other words, just a few dim lights, those dim little lights don't make the rural town bright but only make the night denser, thicker. 'All the streets in the district now shrink to Tí's water stall.' The image of the lamp at Tí's water stall only illuminating a small area recurs seven times in the district is an image full of haunting and evokes a lot about the small, fragile, dark lives in the vast darkness of life.

The scene of the rural town in the evening is like a sad melody with a repetitive refrain. Every evening, mother and daughter Tí tidy up the stall, Liên and her sister check the inventory and then sit on the bamboo bench to admire the scenery. Uncle Phở Siêu carries goods and blows the fire, Uncle Xẩm spreads the mat, places the basin. The refrain repeats monotonously, drearily. They also flicker a bit of hope. Hope is a tranquilizer for those **** miserable people. Nhất Linh also said that the peasants are very poor but rich in futile hope 'those in the darkness expect something bright for their daily miserable life.' The two children are not acutely aware of the stagnant, dreary, and hopeless scene they are living in nor their vague spiritual aspirations. But with innocent, sensitive souls, Liên feels deeply though only subconsciously, that reality, that longing. It is because of the desire to escape from that stagnant, dark scene that Liên and her sister stay awake every night waiting for the passing train. The train seems to bring a different world, a world entirely different from Liên's, completely different from the light of Tí's lamp and Uncle Siêu's fire.

Thạch Lam's 'Hai đứa trẻ' doesn't delve deep into social conflicts, class conflicts. He also doesn't focus on describing the hideous faces of exploiters and the miserable faces of the oppressed, because Thạch Lam is a romantic writer. He paints a vivid picture of the poor rural town, in every detail and in its spiritual depth. The bleak picture of the gray village with its pitiful people is permeated with the author's sincere compassion for the poor laborers living in stagnation, darkness. Through the gloomy picture of the rural town and through the images of the tiny people with a glimmer of hope, we can see the great dream of the writer is to change that suffocating life for those poor laborers.

5.  Analysis of the portrayal of life in the impoverished rural town in the evening in the short story 'Hai đứa trẻ,' sample 5:

Has anyone ever read Thạch Lam's short stories and forgotten the image of the beautiful, elegant, hardworking shopkeeper? Has anyone forgotten the fragrance of simple life? And has anyone forgotten his simple yet delicate strokes, forgetting the aspirations of the seedlings wanting to reach the light? Suddenly, a summer breeze blows through, cool and gentle, and I feel like I'm on Thạch Lam's train, the train to the emotionally rich pages of 'Hai đứa trẻ' (Two Kids).

Anyone who has read Thạch Lam's stories cannot help but be impressed by the darkness depicted in works like 'Tối ba mươi' (Thirty Darkness) and 'Cô hàng xén' (The Vegetable Seller), but perhaps only in 'Hai đứa trẻ' (Two Kids) does the darkness of the night reveal its full spectrum of shades. The sky gradually darkens, signaling the beginning of the night. Streets and alleys gradually fill with darkness. Amidst the dense, gloomy darkness, there are sources of light, but they are small, faint, feeble. In the shops, only a faint light is visible. Fireflies leave small trails of light on the ground. From a distance, Uncle Siêu's stove is just a flickering flame, sometimes visible, sometimes not. Light is only patches, cracks, dots, streaks, and finally, a bright spot. The straighter the light shines, the deeper it delves into the reader's soul, the more it reveals the unfathomable depths of darkness. In literature, many writers juxtapose darkness with light, but few have depicted darkness as clearly as in 'Hai đứa trẻ' by Thạch Lam. Particularly, it's no coincidence that the image of Chị Tý's flickering lamp recurs five times in the story. Chị Tý's flickering lamp has become a symbol of the precarious, small lives of those who suffer in the vast darkness of life.

Analysis of the depiction of life in the impoverished rural town in the evening in the story 'Two Kids,' Grade 11

Characteristic of the precarious, cramped lives of this rural town, first and foremost, is the story of Mother and Daughter Tí. 'During the day, they hunt for crabs and snails, and at night, they set up a water stall in the corner of the impoverished town. The goods they sell are few and meager... Yet, everything they display remains light and flimsy.' Their customers are all laborers at the bottom of society, either working for hire, as tenants, or homeless. Regardless of how little they earn, every day, the mother and daughter set up their stall from dusk till late at night. The image of Chị Tí swatting flies off dried banana branches, chasing away flies from the worn-out goods, waiting for familiar customers in hopeless anticipation, evokes an indescribable sadness. Reading this, one suddenly asks, 'Is Mother and Daughter Tí still living there?' Perhaps not, that is not living, that is only surviving, surviving in despair. Compared to Mother and Daughter Tí, Uncle Siêu's phở stall seems relatively better, but it faces the risk of bankruptcy because, in this impoverished town, phở is a luxury. The lives of Chị Tí, Uncle Siêu are hard, but the ultimate hardship lies with Uncle Sẩm's family. Their possessions are merely a tattered mat, a twisted white iron basin, an old đàn bầu (monochord), Uncle making a living as a street musician. A special resident of the impoverished town that cannot be ignored is the crazy old lady who comes to Liên's shop to buy wine every day. After buying wine, right at Liên's shop, the old lady drinks it all in one gulp. The way the old lady drinks is fierce. She drinks as if to vent anger, vent frustration, drink to drown the bitter sorrow. Some argue that the image of Granny Thi is the inevitable consequence of the bleak, dark, weary life in the town. The image of Granny Thi evokes something from the past while also hinting at something in the future. Looking at the lives of each resident in the town, one truly feels touched and saddened.

Unlike contemporary writers who often depict characters placed in typical settings, Thach Lam prefers to place his characters in a specific moment. Perhaps this is Thach Lam's unique style as Nguyen Tuan once said, 'I believe that writing must strive to be interesting and to write correctly in one's own unique style. Literature needs to be more unique than any other field.' In 'Two Children', we can see that even by describing a street scene in the darkening twilight in a very short period of time: from late afternoon to late evening, with his skilled pen, Thach Lam has evoked the simple, monotonous rhythm of life in this area. This rural street is no different from a stagnant pond, a dead land. Following the life in the poor rural street, readers are reminded of the verses in Huy Can's swirling poem - the most surreal poet in the new poetry movement.

Wandering around, only a few figures
Coming and going, never seeing anyone's face
Because of too much intimacy, so terribly ridiculous
Lips repeating still the same story

With a skilled and sophisticated pen, simple yet sincere, with a tender and loving gaze, Thach Lam has created a truthful and emotional picture of the dark and poor life in the rural street. Through this, we can see his humane and loving heart. At the same time, he also expresses affection, cherishing the small lives, the innocent and pure souls. Although it was born many years ago, reading 'Two Children' today still feels the 'charm and delight of a work with personality and literary quality' (Nguyen Tuan)

6. Analyzing the portrayal of life in the poor rural street in the twilight in the short story Two Children, model number 6:

Entering into Thach Lam's world, everyone knows him as an excellent talented writer of Vietnamese literature, a romantic writer belonging to the 'self-reliant literary group', but Thach Lam's literature leans towards the harsh, stagnant, and tough life of peasants, small traders, and poor urbanites. Therefore, in Thach Lam's works, there appears a blend of reality and sentimentality, creating a distinctive feature in artistic style. Thach Lam's short story 'Two Children' has manifested that quality. What emerges in the work is a picture of nature, a picture of life, a picture of human emotions.

Perhaps what every reader must immediately sense when delving into Thach Lam's 'Two Children' is the picture of nature, the sunset scenery of nature in the poor rural street when a day has ended. That picture has the colors, sounds very typical of the Vietnamese countryside. The author places that picture in three moments: late afternoon, evening, and late night. All three moments fade away with time and space.

First of all, the reader must see the scene of late afternoon, the scene of that late afternoon has the color of the 'burning western sun and the pink clouds like charcoal about to burn out'. And the image of darkness looming 'the row of bamboo in front of the black village and cutting clear on the sky'. All those colorful things seem to signal the end of a day, the time when people live real with themselves has come. That picture has sounds, the familiar sound of the Vietnamese countryside 'the sound of the autumn drum on the roof of the small district office, ringing out one by one to call the afternoon' that sound sounds so gentle, slow heavy sad numb the heart. That autumn sound is different from the sound of drums in the poem 'Self-love' by Ho Xuan Huong.

'Midnight echoes the echoing drums'

Also, the slow, terrifyingly slow drumming. Or sounds like 'the echoing croak of frogs echoing outside the fields along with the wind,' the buzzing of mosquitoes, those are familiar sounds that every countryside has. The sound of bamboo crickets chirping like a sad melody rising in the late afternoon. For Lien, how could she forget 'the musty smell rising, the daytime heat mingled with the familiar smell of dust, making Lien think it was the unique smell of the land, of this homeland'. All those sounds, colors, and smells blend together to give readers a peaceful countryside. That late afternoon seems to yield to the nighttime. That nighttime scene seems to evoke colors, the color of darkness that envelops everywhere in this poor rural street 'the entire street becomes dark towards the river, the road through the market back home, the alleys into the village become even darker'. That terrifying darkness haunts people here, it dominates everything from people to life. Light is not absent, but it is weak, not strong enough to tear through the night. That light seems to only make the darkness more vast, darker. That was the common scene of the Vietnamese countryside back then. In that silent night, one can hear the sound of poplar leaves gently falling on Lien's shoulders, one by one. That sound is not strong enough to echo and then sink into the darkness. That's when we see the value of light, it becomes invaluable and precious. The night scene makes the space even quieter. And everyone just waits for the last train of the day to pass by.

Selected essays Analyzing the portrayal of life in the poor rural street in the twilight in Two Children

On the backdrop of that natural scenery unfolded the activities of human life. That's the scene of the dying market and the wretched lives 'on the land left only with rubbish, pomelo peels, banana peels, jackfruit leaves, and withered rice'. That's all that's left of the dying market, the image evoked is of cheap country gifts. From there, one can see the impoverished and deprived lives of the people here. The author chose the late part of the day, from late afternoon to late night, to highlight the bleak, stagnant, and withering human life. Why did the author choose the image of the dying market instead of another image? Perhaps only that dying market can evoke the bleak and stagnant life in the dark night, without a glimmer of light, without a future ahead. Those wretched lives are appearing in Lien's eyes at the dying market. Does Lien have a very keen insight? Unlike Westerners, we Vietnamese often have a slow nature, as in the work of the market that is dying but 'a few late vendors are arranging their goods, the carrying poles are already inserted into the poles, and they are still talking to each other a few more words'. And outside the street 'a few poor children near the market bend over on the ground, picking up scraps, bamboo sticks, anything usable left by the vendors'. Even children who are of school age have to struggle and sacrifice to earn daily meals for themselves and their families. Even An and Lien, though richer, have to help their mother watch over the goods. Those wretched lives are not only children but also sister Ti with her child. She earns a living by fishing for crabs and catching snails during the day, and selling drinks at night. The goods she sells are cheap, so she can only carry them once on her shoulder. Her customers are 'a few rice servers or coachmen, a few elegant soldiers in the district or people from the teacher's family'. The number of customers, already small, is now unstable, more or less every day'. All as predicted, poverty will cling to her family. The answer from Sister Ti to Lien is like the sigh of fate 'Oh my! Sooner or later, what's the difference' shows a sense of hopeless resignation, unable to rely on this water business anymore. Perhaps in this poor rural street, Uncle Sieu's family is the most well-off. But Uncle's customers also go less and less, his customers must be economically capable. Because Uncle's goods are expensive items. The forecast of Uncle's life will go bankrupt because those who go by train only buy packs of cigarettes... no one pays attention to Uncle's pho. Or Uncle Sam's family only knows how to enjoy themselves with the sound of the monochord. In that miserable life, who has money to listen to Uncle singing. Those naughty children crawl out on the torn mat. Those wretched lives also belong to Grandma Thi, although she only appears briefly but still leaves an impression on the reader's mind. Each of her words shows that she still perceives life 'Ah Lien, talking huh? Today again pouring for me huh'. She's not completely devoid of feelings, but the most painful thing is her alcohol addiction, she's always in an abnormal state with 'laughter aloud' different from the laughter of a child. We don't understand why she falls into such an abnormal state, but it raises a vague fear. Will there be another Grandma Thi in that miserable life?

The empathy of the writer is reflected through the perspective, the perception of the character Lien, through which we see the deep sympathy for the unfortunate lives of the time: rising above all circumstances, yet always rich in love between people. For Lien, a young girl, when she sees 'poor children by the market bend over on the ground, picking up scraps, bamboo sticks, anything', she is moved with compassion and wants to give them money but she herself has none. Or when Grandma Thi comes to drink alcohol, she quietly pours a glass full and offers it to her. Afraid to look at her, but she pities her, pouring her a little more wine to satisfy her needs. As for the mother and daughter Tí and everyone else around, Lien is caring, gentle, thoughtful. But life does not give them what they desire, but also pushes their fate into dark paths with impoverished and harsh lives. Faced with that scene, the author showed deep sympathy for the impoverished, desperate, lightless lives of the people in this rural area. Who are they? They are Lien's family, Tí's mother and daughter, Uncle Sieu's family, Uncle Sam's family, and those other poor children. They all live trapped in this impoverished district, unable to escape. Understanding that, the author ignited dreams, burning desires for a better life for them. That is also their dream, 'about then people in the darkness waiting for something bright for their daily impoverished lives'. That dream is not only materialistic but also spiritual. The author embedded that dream in the image of the train because it is the last activity of the night. Moreover, the nightly train seems to bring another world to the impoverished, dark lives that Lien and others are living. When 'the lights are on', Lien and her sister stand up to look clearly. Lien and her sister eagerly await the passing train. When the train passes by, the two stand up to watch carefully. That train brings a little light to the dark town with 'bright, luxurious cars, shiny bronze and copper, bright glass doors'. When the train leaves, it leaves behind so much regret in Lien's dreamy heart about a distant, bright, joyful, and bustling Hanoi that she used to live in. It's a reminiscence of a glorious past 'Lien got to drink cold drinks, go to the lake shore', but now Lien can't have that.

To paint a picture of nature, a picture of human life in this poor rural area with deep empathy, Thạch Lam must have an extremely delicate pen, right? Thạch Lam is a romantic writer, so his perspective, his description of nature in the work 'Two Children' is very delicate and sensitive. The author takes the viewpoint from the late afternoon 'evening, evening. An evening as gentle as a lullaby'. The sentence seems to sow into the reader's heart a gentle, tender feeling, but also from there can evoke the bleak and stagnant life. And the scene of the night falling is also so gentle 'the sky has begun to be night, a summer night as smooth as velvet and breezy'. All evoke the tranquil, peaceful, serene countryside under the deep, sensitive, emotional gaze. That was conveyed through the character Lien - a young girl with a rich, delicate, and loving soul.

The poetic quality, the romantic beauty in the story is felt through the perception of time. Time in the story is not described as fleeting but rather slowly passes through Lien's observation. It creates deep, resonating melodies in the hearts of readers 'evening, evening. An evening as gentle as a lullaby' it shows a smooth, gentle, and tender view. Or 'the autumn drum sound on the roof of the small district office, each beat echoes to call the evening'. The sentences seem to evoke something smooth, gentle, time flowing slowly with each step of the wind 'the sky has begun to be night, a summer night as smooth as velvet and breezy', the smooth, poetic sentences soaked with poetry, flexibility make it difficult for readers to resist the fresh emotions that make the human heart fresher, cleaner.

But perhaps what creates the romantic beauty in the story is the deeply tranquil rural space of Vietnam. The sounds of mosquitoes begin to buzz, or the autumn drum sound on the roof of the small district office. The sounds of 'echoing frog croaks resound outside the fields as the wind gently carries them in'. Those sounds carry the essence of Vietnamese countryside, a melancholic mood that seeps into the reader's soul. Each silent, monotonous countryside along with scattered sounds. The darkness is the space of art. It opens with the scene of the day ending, ending with a quiet night full of darkness. Throughout the work, the predominant space is darkness. The drumbeat rises for a moment then sinks deep into the night. Or the image of the train whistle fading away then sinking into darkness. Perhaps that darkness is not the darkness of nature but the darkness of human life? That darkness seems to haunt people here, evoking harsh lives, no way out, no future. But under Lien's gaze, it becomes 'a summer night as smooth as velvet and breezy'. Sitting quietly next to a few black painted pillars 'her eyes gradually filled with darkness and the sadness of the countryside evening seeped into her innocent soul'. Lien 'felt a melancholic sadness before the moment of dusk'. Those sentences evoke poetic qualities, lingering emotions in the reader's heart.

The romantic beauty of the story is described and constructed by writer Thach Lam when describing light in the story. The author's subtle emotions have caught the character's harmonious gaze. To discover the rare light in the rhythm of human life. They are tiny lights, cracks of light, spots of light, circles of light, bright areas, and light rings. He even discovered a stone between light and darkness. It takes great sensitivity for the author to discover such precious light? The poetry in the story is shown through Lien's perception 'the sky full of stars sparkling, mingled with the glow of fireflies flying above the ground or clinging to branches'. From there, readers see the dreamy beauty to tranquility.

Thạch Lam's short stories usually don't just stop at stagnant, helpless, impoverished lives. But the people in this town also carry the profound beauty of the Vietnamese people. Despite their poverty, they are diligent, compassionate, and always live with warm, harmonious feelings. That is the care through action of Lien towards the children, Grandma Thi, or Tí's mother and daughter. That care not only helps them materially but also spiritually, improving their lives. The image of the train is the only activity left in the day, which has great spiritual value. It's the excitement and fascination for the two sisters Lien. When the train arrives, the two sisters stand up to look carefully. The image of the train compartments running in line, the light is dimmer, and fewer people. The departing train leaves behind many memories of distant, bustling Hanoi. Evoke a happy past that Lien can no longer have.

If 'poetry is reality, life, and also poetry' then Thạch Lam's 'Two Children' is such a work. The story is not only about life but also poetry. The poetic quality reflects Lien's perspective, in Thach Lam's narrative throughout the story. And to say like Thạch Lam 'literature makes people's hearts clearer and richer' then perhaps his 'Two Children' has met those requirements. Therefore, the work not only has value in the literary period of 1930-1945 but also affirms its place in the national literary career in the future.