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Prompt: Analyzing the Second Stanza of 'Kitchen Fire' by Bằng Việt
Crafting a Succinct Reflection on the Second Stanza of 'Kitchen Fire' by Bằng Việt
The aroma of kitchen smoke has become an integral part of my childhood. 'At the age of four, I was already accustomed to the smell of smoke,' reminisces the narrator. Beside the hearth, they shared meager meals with their grandmother, the smoke infusing their harsh yet cozy upbringing. → The scent of kitchen smoke has become familiar, seeping into every hearty breath of the homeland.
Memories of famine and hardship linger in the narrator's mind: Hunger enveloped the village, leaving it 'parched and exhausted.' The father struggled to provide for the family, toiling day in and day out until his health withered away 'like a gaunt horse.' The enduring hunger and poverty of the homeland etched deeply into the poet's psyche.
Recalling the bygone years, the poet relives the emotional turmoil, still feeling the sting 'even now, the nose stings': A flood of cherished memories intermingled with poignant bitterness and hardship of childhood, hunger, and poverty remain vivid in the poet's mind.
3. Conclusion:
1. Sample essay analyzing and appreciating the brilliance of HSG's Super Kitchen Misery 2 - Sample 1
Family affection is a major theme in Vietnamese literature, with many talented writers producing excellent works on family - the root, the place of love in everyone's life. We've been moved by the affection between Mr. Sau and little Thu in 'The Ivory Comb,' touched by the mother's heart in 'The Stork' by Che Lan Vien, and surely, we can't forget the image of a devoted grandmother, cooking tirelessly for her children and grandchildren, rich with love in 'Burning Kitchen' by Bang Viet. The poem depicts her, and the childhood memories of hardship but warmth with her, especially in the second stanza, the author vividly recalls the emotional days spent with her:
'At four, the smell of smoke became familiar
That year was a year of famine, hunger, and exhaustion
Father went to pull carts, the horse's ribs showing
I only remember the smoke blurring my eyes
Even now, the scent lingers, the sting remains!'
As adults, memories of the days spent with her remain beautiful memories, warm 'baggage,' the most valuable treasure that the grandchildren always carry with them.
At the age of four, I was already familiar with the scent of smoke.
Memories of being four years old linger, the aroma of firewood unlocking reminiscences of a challenging childhood and enduring, poignant longings. The scent of the kitchen fire or the flavor of affection crafted each day beside my grandmother.
During those years, by the fireside, I shared meager meals with my grandmother, the lingering aroma of smoke embracing the harsh yet warm memories of childhood. The scent of smoke, somehow, became familiar, an indispensable part of my childhood. Though tinged with the hardship of scarcity, my childhood was filled with joy, living under the love and care of my beloved grandmother.
'That year marked by hunger and exhaustion
As father ventured out to collect scraps with his tired horse'
2.2. Analyzing Section 2 of the poem 'Kitchen Fire' by Bang Viet succinctly:
The prolonged war has brought about immense loss and suffering. Memories of those dreadful years still haunt people to this day. Poet Bang Viet also touches upon this theme in the second stanza of the poem 'Kitchen Fire'. Although just a few lines, it somewhat portrays the difficult circumstances that Vietnamese farmers had to endure during the 1945s.
Firstly, readers are introduced to the sentimental memories of the character about the harsh childhood years:
'At the age of four, I became accustomed to the smell of smoke'
In the first stanza, the poet introduced the familiar image of the kitchen fire to the readers. However, in this stanza, the presence of 'smoke' is intertwined with the memories of a young grandchild. It recalls the mornings spent with grandmother by the stove, reminiscing about hearty meals. That kitchen smoke symbolizes a childhood of hardship yet warmth beside her.
Moving on to the next lines. The readers are led through the character's memories only to be brought back to the dreadful famine of 1945:
'That year was a year of withering hunger and exhaustion
Father went to fetch wood, thin horses pulling dry branches'
The phrase 'hungry worn out, weary' vividly exposes the stark reality of today's society. Hunger, suffering is not just the author's obsession but also a harrowing memory of the entire Vietnamese nation. It caused countless complaints, digging deep into the pain of the people. Here, the image of the father appears as clear evidence of the victim of hunger, suffering. Due to poverty, parents had to send their children to live with their grandmother to work and make a living. The father did manual labor, toiling hard like a 'dried-up old horse.' Just four short words but containing so much sadness, bitterness for the fate of many poor laborers in that society. These harrowing memories have deeply ingrained in the mind of the four-year-old child as well as many generations of Vietnamese people, never to be erased.
And then, recalling those painful memories, the emotions of the grandchild become even more choked up, more poignant:
'Only remembering the smoke blurring the child's eyes
thinking back to now living with a still stinging nose'
