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Assignment: Analyze the practical and accusatory values of Joy in a bereaved family
I. Outline
II. Sample essay
Analyzing the practical and accusatory values of Happiness in a bereaved family
I. Outline of Analyzing the practical and accusatory values of Happiness in a bereaved family (Standard)
1. Introduction
- Extract from Joy in a bereaved family reveals the various facets of human nature, cultural values twisted in a terrible way, becoming distorted with the extremely depraved and corrupt behaviors of a chaotic society.
- Highlighting the profound practical and accusatory values of a satirical pen, a humorous literary voice named Vu Trong Phung.
Vũ Trọng Phụng's novel 'Red Digits' stands as a masterpiece in modern Vietnamese prose, representing a quintessential and prominent work in the satirical literary movement. Speaking of 'Red Digits,' writer Nguyễn Khải praised it eloquently, expressing, 'This is a formidable book that brings honor to any literary tradition.' A particularly striking excerpt is the portrayal of the 'Joy of a Mourning Family,' where one witnesses distorted human faces and cultural values twisted by the decadence of a complex society. This accentuates the realistic and deeply accusatory values of a satirical pen, a humorous voice named Vũ Trọng Phụng.
Vũ Trọng Phụng (1912-1939), departing early due to the strenuous hardships of life, left behind a valuable collection of works within nearly a decade of his creative journey, earning widespread admiration. Born and raised in the heart of Hanoi, his themes revolved around the decadence of the upper class in the city, a subject he observed and heard with stark transparency. The primary inspiration in Vũ Trọng Phụng's literary contributions is one of sharp criticism and profound satire. Notable works include journalistic pieces such as 'The Trap' (1933), 'Crafting the West' (1939), and novels like 'Storm,' 'Red Digits,' 'Levee Break' (1936), 'Marriage for Love' (1937), among others.
'Red Digits' came into existence in 1936, and the excerpt from the 'Joy of a Mourning Family' is in the fifteenth chapter. It narrates the 'upper-class' funeral of the late Mr. Hong's family, following the unintentional death caused by the 'Red-haired Spring.'
The essence of reality manifests first and foremost in the title 'Joy of a Mourning Family.' This peculiar and strange contradiction opens up the entire content of the passage, revealing the crude and decayed reality of upper-class society with individuals adorned in a glamorous facade but, in reality, possessing an ugly and terrible character. A mourning ceremony that brings happiness to so many individuals due to the personal benefits they gain, turning the death of the late Mr. Hong into the joy and satisfaction of the entire Hong family. This reality is evident when 'Three days later, the old man really died,' showing that people were actually anticipating the death, fearing that the old man might not die for real. Thus, there is a somewhat uneasy expression, and it concludes with a light-hearted gesture of 'really died.' The entire family appears distressed, seemingly concerned, but in reality, each person is expressing their 'concern' by calling different doctors to align with the theory of 'many doctors, many quacks.' The humorous contradiction intensifies as the culprit, making the old man die, suddenly becomes the benefactor, and 'Xuan's honor grows even more prominent' because he, out of anger, did not intervene due to 'forgetting professional ethics.' People start defending Xuan on his behalf.
The reality of the dehumanization within the upper-class family leaves people even more astonished at the indifference, stating, 'That death has brought joy to many.' They find joy in what they receive and can continue to receive after the passing of the old patriarch. No one in that upper-class family feels any grief. The stark truth is that money and benefits have surpassed all moral values. Phan, the son-in-law of the late Mr. Hong, casually discards all self-respect and integrity, not hesitating when realizing that the 'invisible deer antlers on his head' are worth a few thousand dong. He immediately thinks of a new deal with Red-haired Spring, ignoring the unfortunate death of the family patriarch. His hypocritical nature is exposed as he cries during the funeral just to gain attention and 'to notice his distinguished son-in-law.' Red-haired Spring, originally from the lower class, shows no fear for accidentally causing someone's death. Instead, he boldly 'courageously' escorts the spirit, calmly accepting the five silver coins handed by Phan. Van Minh, despite being a granddaughter, ponders, 'So from now on, that marriage proposal will enter the practical phase rather than remaining a theoretical fantasy.' Meanwhile, Old Mr. Hong secretly revels in the prospect of himself 'wearing thorny clothes, leaning on a crutch, sobbing and wailing' just to earn a few words of praise from society, satisfying his desire for vanity. Furthermore, he officially becomes the head of the family, wielding real power, and the phrase 'Know it, very miserable, keep talking' repeated 1782 times underscores the sad reality. The reality of selfishness and the craving for glory of a series of individuals is evident. For instance, the old lady silently delights in the prospect of an illustrious funeral for an upper-class family. Van Minh frets over not being able to wear 'modern thorny clothes,' while Tu Tan is constantly 'upset about the unused cameras.' Only Tuyet is genuinely sad, not for her grandfather's death but for the absence of her lover, Xuan. Her promiscuous nature prompts her to wear a gown named 'Innocence,' yet 'looking as if exposing armpits and half a breast' during her grandfather's funeral, a spectacle meant to prove to the world that she 'has not lost her virginity,' shamelessly and obscenely.
Alongside the portrayal of an upper-class family's reality, the excerpt also reflects the reality of a society filled with absurdities, where people have become dehumanized regarding ethics, living in apathy and selfishness. Mr. Hong's close friends seem to attend to showcase the medals hanging on their chests. They express admiration when glimpsing the fair skin exposed under Tuyet's voile dress. They reveal a nature eager for glory along with morally corrupt and lascivious behavior right before the unfortunate friend's spirit. Then, the two police officers Min Do and Minh Toa erupt in joy as they finally have a job. Even a renowned legal figure, Tang Phu, is 'joyful and proud, sitting on a car.' At this point, disbelief takes over; there are no words left to describe a society where cultural values and morals have been completely overturned. The chaotic and disorderly society is vividly displayed in the funeral procession. It is unimaginable how disorderly and chaotic a funeral can be, incorporating Western, Chinese, and Vietnamese styles stacked upon each other. The funeral sounds like a bustling market with the constant clicking of cameras. People pay attention only to the trendy mourning attire, while those participating are engrossed in gossiping about chicken feathers and garlic peels, 'seriously' discussing, 'laughing with each other,' and even displaying jealousy. No one cares or shows sympathy for the one lying in the coffin. Incredibly uncultured, people even jump on the grave to take photos. Young Tan is busy scrutinizing each person's 'crutch, bowed head, arched back, wiping eyes, ...' to ensure he captures the moment 'at the funeral pit' correctly.
From these harsh and poignant social realities, Vu Trong Phung denounced the inhumanity and immorality of those bearing the title 'upper class,' individuals who lost their humanity, conscience, succumbing to the allure of money and power. Simultaneously, he satirically and vehemently ridiculed the upper-class society, claiming to be cultured but fundamentally lacking humaneness, instead succumbing to degradation, both in character and culture, with tendencies towards vanity, selfishness, and debauchery. He indicted an entire society of chaos, decadence, the inversion of cultural values, and the acceptance of a culture that is disorderly and lewd, leading to absurdities that those involved perceive as civilized and fashionable.
The happiness of a mourning family, although just a tiny excerpt from the novel Red Digits, comes to life with a sharp pen. Through a sarcastic artistic style, the profound irony unfolds in the amusing contradictions of a funeral in an upper-class family. Vu Trong Phung masterfully paints a poignant and harsh picture of the painful reality of pre-revolutionary urban society in Vietnam. Simultaneously, he condemns and accuses that rotten and corrupt society, which has dehumanized and eroded the morality of individuals, corroded their conscience and love, in exchange for the vices of vanity, lasciviousness, and indifference to life.
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Above is the content of the analysis of the real and accusatory values of The happiness of a mourning family. To gain a deeper understanding of the excerpt, you can also refer to: Analysis of the character Red-haired Spring in The happiness of a mourning family, Reflection on the cries of Horned Judge in The happiness of a mourning family, Analysis of the exemplary funeral scene in The happiness of a mourning family, The art of satire by Vu Trong Phung in the excerpt The happiness of a mourning family.
