- Analysis of the sentiments within the family of the late Mr. Hong:
+ Mr. Hong: 'Closing his eyes to daydream about the moment when he wore his luxurious attire, proudly held his cane, coughed and shed crocodile tears while everyone praised him, flaunting his age, prestige, filial piety, and prosperous family.
+ Mr. Van Minh, the husband: Flaunting the latest fashion trends from the tailoring shop, delighted to be part of the property division.
+ Mrs. Van Minh, the wife: Seizing the opportunity to wear the latest luxurious attire, promoting the fashion trends of the tailoring shop.
+ Miss Tuyet: Delighted to wear the 'Innocent' outfit to prove to the world that she 'hasn't lost her innocence'.
+ Young Tan: Given the chance to show off his photography skills.
+ Mr. Phan with newly grown horns: Surprised that the invisible value of deer antlers on his head fetched a significant sum of money, even if it was just a few thousand dong.
- The joy of those attending the funeral:
+ Officers Min Do and Min Toa: Extreme joy, wholeheartedly ensuring order as hired security for the funeral.
+ Close friends of Mr. Hong: Boasting medals, showing off their beards.
+ Red-haired Spring: Feeling greatly indebted as they inadvertently caused the death of the patriarch Mr. Hong. Thus, Spring's reputation is further elevated.
+ The high-society gentlemen and ladies: Delighted as this is an opportunity to gossip, laugh with each other, criticize, envy, and flirt.
→ Before the funeral of Mr. Hong, not a single person showed pity or sorrow, instead, each had their own joy. They added liveliness to the portrayal of the reality of the upper-class society at that time. At the same time, these characters played an important role in the success of Vu Trong Phung's satirical art.
3. Conclusion
Personal reflection on the ingratitude and lack of morality displayed by the characters in the excerpt 'The Happiness of a Funeral'.
II. Sample Essay Analyzing the emotions of the characters in The Happiness of a Funeral (Standard)
While contemporaneous writers directed their pens towards the struggling peasants, depicting the tragedies of impoverished life, and the dehumanizing effects of colonialism, Vu Trong Phung instead delved into the upper class to reflect the society's hypocrisy and moral decay. These themes are vividly portrayed in the excerpt 'The Happiness of a Funeral' - a segment from chapter XV of the novel 'Dumb Luck'.
The characters in the excerpt epitomize the urban upper class of that time. They praise sophistication, emulate a 'civilized' lifestyle, oblivious to the fact that this very emulation erodes moral values and instead promotes the degradation of human character. 'The Happiness of a Funeral' begins with the line: 'Three days later, the old man died for real' as if to announce the death of the patriarch and also to provide an occasion for the descendants and outsiders to demonstrate their joy. This funeral is completely contrary to others as people often mourn,...(Continued)
>> View the complete sample essay Analyzing the emotions of the characters in The Happiness of a Funeral here.
