Buzz
COMPOSE ESSAY: Local Program (Literature Section)
Question 1: (Page 122, Vietnamese Literature 9 textbook, volume 1)
Response:
If you are working, studying, and living in Hanoi, you can explore works about Hanoi by local authors such as:
- Tô Hoài: Old Stories of Hanoi, Streets, People of the Streets, ...
- Thạch Lam: Hanoi in Six Districts
- Ngô Tất Tố: Shelterless
- Nguyễn Tuân: Our Hanoi Strikes Well against America
- Nguyễn Huy Tưởng: Living Forever with the Capital, Those Who Stayed, Luỹ Hoa, ...
- Vũ Bằng: Tasty Pieces of Hanoi, Remembering Twelve
- Nguyễn Đình Thi: Shattered Shore, Vanguard, High-Front Position , Nguyễn Trãi in East Quan, Sound of Waves, Dream, ...
- Hồ Phương: New Hamlet, Heights, The First Gunshots,...
Question 2: (Page 122, SGK Vietnamese Literature 9, Volume 1)
Answer:
Below is a statistical table of some renowned authors, native to Hanoi, who have made significant contributions to Vietnamese literature from 1975 to the present day.
Question 3:
Answer:
Apart from the works mentioned in question 1, other notable works about Hanoi can include those written by authors who are not from Hanoi, such as:
- The whimsical works 'Hanoi's Fun-Loving Creatures', 'The Path to Hanoi', 'Hanoi River', 'Bustling Hanoi', 'Hanoi's 36 Streets and Districts,'... by author Glacier Mountain.
- 'Passing Through Hanoi' - by Nguyen Ngoc Tien
- 'Old Hanoi' - by Doan Ke Thien
- 'Elegant Hanoi' - by Hoang Dao Thuy
- 'Hanoi's Melancholic Mistake' - by Trong Lang
- 'Tales of Hanoi' - by Vu Ngoc Phan
Question 4:
Answer:
Tô Hoài was born and raised in Hanoi, and until the end of his life, he always remained in Hanoi, perhaps that's why Hanoi always lingered in his mind, profound, genuine, and familiar. Recently, I acquired a copy of 'Old Stories of Hanoi' by Tô Hoài, this is a memoir collection he wrote and first published in 1968.
In its initial publication, the book contained only 40 stories, and in its most recent reprint, that number has grown to 114 stories, with a wider space, a longer timeline, the author's perspective more expansive, life experiences richer, and the author's emotions have also changed significantly. With a bold golden background cover featuring sketches of old-style houses, typical of the 36 streets and districts, it's evident that this is a book steeped in the essence of Hanoi, steeped in the 'old' scent as its title suggests - 'Old Stories of Hanoi'. The book comprises short stories written about the streets of Hanoi 60, 70 years ago, written about Hanoi during the time Western culture was blending into the capital. With the author's keen pen and meticulous observation, vivid images of every corner of Hanoi come alive, captivating. The first part of the memoir, the author talks more about the suburban scenery, depicting the harsh, impoverished lives of the poor during the years the country was engulfed in war. The latter part delves more into the inner city, with stories about the 36 streets and districts, about Hoan Kiem Lake, about people from different professions, various scenes, and different walks of life. Sometimes it's just trivial stories, or the author's confessions upon witnessing certain events, or tales of authentic Hanoi dishes, but it's in this calm, subtle manner that one truly sees the entirety of the capital in its half-old, half-new state. Hanoi at this time, through the author's pen, emerges with all its colors, sounds, mixed emotions, joys, sorrows, hardships, ... Enough to see a diverse, intricate city, tangled in gold and silver, not knowing where to turn, but that's what makes it interesting, perhaps because of the broad, encompassing view, the deep affection for the author's homeland. Such love must be immense, deep enough to preserve the distinctiveness of the capital in each piece of work. Aside from the ordinary daily stories, the author also recounts many Hanoi customs and traditions, some of which have been lost or discarded. It's very captivating, reading it makes you want to keep reading.
'Old Stories of Hanoi' is like a historical document that Tô Hoài bears witness to, it can also be seen as a kind of sociological investigation material through the stories that the author sees, observes, feels, and records in the book. I think regardless of social class or age, everyone should read this work at least once, either to learn about history, customs, and traditions of the nation, or at least to understand, at that time, our people endured a lot of hardship, now we are too comfortable, especially young people need to read more.
