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Prompt: Reflections on Nam Cao's Short Story 'Old Man Hạc'
I. Outline
II. Sample Writing
Impressions on Nam Cao's Short Story 'Old Man Hạc'
I. Outline Impressions on Nam Cao's Short Story 'Old Man Hạc' (Standard)
1. Introduction
- Brief introduction to the author Nam Cao
- Overview of the short story 'Old Man Hạc'
2. Body
a. Character of Old Man Hạc:
* Circumstances:
- Struggles, impoverished farmer, early loss of wife, son leaves home, poverty.
- Bonds with a small dog: Little Yellow
* Personality:
- Responsible father:
+ Utmost affection
+ Concern for his son
+ Saves money for his son, unwilling to spend a penny despite hunger
+ Leaves his son a piece of land, accepts death
- Exhibits wealth of affection:
+ Cares for Little Yellow as family
+ Pities Little Yellow for having nothing to eat
+ Tormented, agonized when selling Little Yellow
- Demonstrates self-respect:
+ Refuses help from Mr. Giáo
+ Fears burdening neighbors after death
+ Despite poverty, maintains integrity, saintly conscience, purity.
b. Character of Mr. Giáo
- Kind-hearted, impoverished neighbor
- Lives with compassion
- Contemplates deeply
c. Artistic Value of the Work
- Short story told naturally, simply, captivatingly
- Constructs unexpected story situations
- Describes characters' psychology through actions, appearance with finesse
- Flexible tone, simple yet enticing plot.
d. Humanitarian Value of the Work:
- Expresses compassion, pity for the plight of farmers
- Denounces societal injustice
- Praises the noble character of humanity
3. Conclusion
Reflections on the Work
II. Sample Writing Reflections on Nam Cao's Short Story 'Old Man Hạc' (Standard)
Nam Cao is widely regarded as one of the most successful representatives of Vietnamese realistic literature, particularly in the genre of short stories. His notable works include A Full Meal, Chí Phèo,... The short story Lão Hạc is also a significant success of the author, portraying the image of Vietnamese farmers with noble qualities through profound and empathetic writing.
Set against the backdrop of famine before the August Revolution, the short story Lão Hạc narrates the life and fate of the character Lão Hạc - a poor but gentle and sincere farmer.
Like many other farmers, Lão Hạc struggles and toils to earn a living. However, he faces greater hardships as he lacks the happiness and support that others have during the famine. His wife passed away early, and his son left home for years due to discontent with poverty. Poverty also turns his once obedient son into a more selfish and difficult person. The only close friend who remains by Lão Hạc's side is a precious gift left by his son - a dog named affectionately Vàng.
Despite his poverty, Lão Hạc is rich in love and compassion. Firstly, he is a responsible father. Despite being abandoned and mistreated by his son, he never blames him, understanding that it's due to poverty. He always hopes for his son's return and believes in it. When life becomes too difficult, and he can no longer bear hunger, he reluctantly sells Vàng, keeping the garden for his son. Selling the garden would have provided him with money to live longer, but he chooses not to. Even in death, he insists on keeping the garden for his son. Before passing away, Lão Hạc takes care of everything and entrusts his thoughts to Mr. Giáo - a neighbor whom he values and trusts deeply. His poignant and affectionate words to Mr. Giáo make one reflect deeply: 'If I spend it all, what will I have left to worry about when I die? It's already like this, but I used up all of its garden. It hasn't married or had children yet. If it sells the garden, what then?'
Lão lived a life of hardships and worries, dedicating his love to his son above all else. Even in death, he bestowed upon his son the best that life had to offer, his constant worry for his only son always weighing heavily on him. Through Lão Hạc, we see the image of a warm and responsible father figure.
Lão Hạc also showered his beloved dog, Vàng, with affection. To him, Vàng was his only companion amidst loneliness. Lão took care of, fed, bathed, and conversed with Vàng. He nurtured and cared for Vàng like a father would for his own child. Lão feared Vàng's hunger; if he couldn't sustain himself due to poverty, how could he possibly feed Vàng? Although he loved Vàng dearly, selling him was Lão's only choice at the time. The anguish and torment after selling Vàng were vividly depicted as 'Lão tried to appear cheerful. But his smile seemed forced, and tears welled up in his eyes... His face suddenly contorted. The wrinkles bunched together, forcing tears to trickle down. Lão's head tilted to one side, and his mouth twisted like a child's. He sobbed...' How could we forget such a display of affection and immense pain? Only someone with a loving heart and immense affection for their friend could suffer like that.
Not only was Lão Hạc a gentle and emotionally rich farmer, but he also embodied a sense of dignity. Despite his poverty, he never sought or expected anyone's help. When offered assistance by Mr. Giáo, Lão declined. Before his passing, he saved some money to ensure his own future, fearing becoming a burden to his neighbors and relatives in his old age. His dignity was particularly evident in his death. Lão asked Binh Tư's mother for his dog's collar. When contemplating this, people recoiled, even Mr. Giáo had to ponder, wondering if hunger could drive a person to such extremes, to degrade one's humanity in such a manner. Yet, Lão Hạc proved his integrity and purity through his agonizing death. He chose death to preserve the goodness in his soul, to uphold his loyalty to life. A death so tragic yet noble.
In the story, we also perceive the beauty of the tight-knit village community, exemplified through the character of Mr. Giáo. Life as a teacher was somewhat less arduous but by no means easy. Mr. Giáo understood Lão Hạc's circumstances, sympathized, and always wanted to help him. He also understood the pain and torment Lão Hạc endured when parting with the dog he cherished so dearly. This neighbor never once refused when Lão Hạc sought help, always listening to him sincerely and understandingly. Perhaps that's why Lão Hạc held Mr. Giáo in such high regard. Before Lão Hạc's death, Mr. Giáo couldn't help but feel sorrow and contemplate the fate of humanity.
