Commentary on Assessments of 'The Gathering Wife'

Prompt: Comment on critiques of 'The Gathering Wife': The novel vividly portrays the harrowing circumstances of our country's farmers during the devastating famine of 1945

Commentary on Assessments of 'The Gathering Wife'

I. Commentary Outline on Evaluations of 'The Gathering Wife'

- Kim Lan is a brilliant pen in contemporary Vietnamese literature, with the notable work being the short story 'The Gathering Wife.'
- Evaluating Kim Lan's short story 'The Gathering Wife,' some opinions suggest, 'The Gathering Wife vividly depicts the tragic situation of our country's farmers during the devastating famine of 1945.' Others assert, 'The Gathering Wife portrays the touching humanity and fierce will to survive of farmers on the brink of death.'

2. Body

* Author - Work:
- Kim Lan is a short story writer, and the artistic world of Kim Lan's stories often focuses on rural scenes and the lives of farmers.
- 'The Gathering Wife' is one of the outstanding short stories in the collection 'The Ugly Dog,' depicting the devastating famine of 1945 and the hopeful belief in a life-changing revolution for farmers in that era.

* Explanation:
- Stating 'The Gathering Wife vividly depicts the tragic situation of our country's farmers during the devastating famine of 1945' refers to the realistic value of the work, portraying the hardships of farmers under the cruel oppression of both the French colonialists and the Japanese invaders...(Continued)

>> See the complete Commentary Outline on Evaluations of 'The Gathering Wife' here

II. Sample Essay on Assessing Reviews of the Novel 'The Gathering Wife'

When ranking the top 10 outstanding writers in Vietnamese literature from 1945-1975, Kim Lan's name is notably absent due to the scarcity of his works. However, in terms of the top 10 outstanding literary works of this period, Kim Lan single-handedly claims two, one being the short story 'Village' and the other being the short story 'The Gathering Wife.' Upon revisiting his two best works, Kim Lan acknowledges that 'The Gathering Wife' surpasses 'Village' by far. This is due to the profound values it brings, accurately reflecting the reality of our country and its people before the revolution. Evaluating Kim Lan's short story 'The Gathering Wife,' some opinions suggest, 'The Gathering Wife vividly depicts the tragic situation of our country's farmers during the devastating famine of 1945.' Others assert, 'The Gathering Wife portrays the touching humanity and fierce will to survive of farmers on the brink of death.' A deeper analysis of the work reveals that both opinions are correct and represent the core content values that Kim Lan truly aims to convey in this masterpiece.

Kim Lan (1920-2007), born Nguyen Van Tai in Bac Ninh province, only completed elementary school. He struggled to make a living through various professions and, from 1944, actively participated in the cultural association for the nation's salvation, continuously engaging in artistic activities in service of resistance and revolution. Kim Lan is a short story writer, and his artistic world often centers around rural scenes, portraying the lives of farmers. When writing about farmers under the bamboo village, despite their poverty, they always shine with admirable qualities such as a love for life, honesty, simplicity, humor, and talent.

'The Gathering Wife' is an excellent short story published in the collection 'The Ugly Dog' in 1962. Its precursor is the unfinished novel 'Settlement' and delves into the horrific famine of 1945, expressing hope for a life-changing revolution for farmers during that challenging era.

Describing 'The Gathering Wife' as a poignant portrayal of the harrowing plight of Vietnamese farmers during the devastating famine of 1945, the narrative delves into the grim reality of those oppressed by both the French colonialists and the Japanese fascists. The famine claimed the lives of over 2 million Vietnamese compatriots, leaving behind dreadful repercussions that the farmers had to endure. Kim Lan skillfully reproduces this tragic scenario through his realistic pen, embodying the struggles of each character in the story—Trang, Thị, and the elderly Mrs. Tứ.

Contrary to the pragmatic value of the work, the assertion that 'The Gathering Wife exhibits the touching beauty of human compassion and the fervent desire to survive on the brink of death' emphasizes the hidden humane values within the story. Despite hardships and the looming specter of death, the people of Vietnam never forget their compassion and unwavering will to live. The profound belief in a brighter future, trust in the revolution's transformative power, and the revolutionary consciousness latent in the main character are all encapsulated in this perspective.

To address the statement 'The Gathering Wife vividly depicts the tragic situation of Vietnamese farmers during the horrific famine of 1945,' it is an accurate assessment and one of the story's main themes. Choosing the year of the Fire Rooster (1945) as the artistic time and space accentuates the ideological theme. The dire circumstances of farmers during the famine are vividly brought to life through the characters in the story. Trang, the first character introduced, while not destitute, faces a challenging life as a migrant with a tough job and an elderly mother to care for. The situation worsens when he marries Thị, a gathering wife, making his life even more difficult. Despite the struggles, the villagers comment, 'Can they even support themselves?' The wedding night, filled with the sounds of owls and mournful cries, and the first meal with a bowl of rice gruel present a truly grim picture, in stark contrast to the expected happiness of a wedding day.

However, perhaps the most poignant depiction of human fate in the 1945 famine is the character Thị. The famine robs her of everything—her name, hometown, and family. For the sake of survival, she swells up, becomes hunched, and even follows someone to be his wife without proper marriage ceremonies. Thị is picked up like a bundle of straw, discarded rubbish by the roadside. The famine makes people indifferent to appearances, disregarding everything. The most important thing is survival. Thị fears dying of starvation, like the people she sees along the way. Her situation and fate make one reflect and feel pity for the plight of humanity during those terrible years. Lastly, there's Mrs. Tứ, a poor elderly woman nearing the end of her life but denied the tranquility of old age. She continues to struggle in hunger and hardship with her only son. Witnessing her son unexpectedly get married adds to her worry and sorrow. Despite her love for her son, she doesn't know how to help him.

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