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Expressing thoughts on the story 'The Fancy Tricks are Either Va Ren or Phan Boi Chau' by Nguyen Ai Quoc
I. Outline Expressing thoughts on the story 'The Fancy Tricks are Either Va Ren or Phan Boi Chau' by Nguyen Ai Quoc
1. Introduction
Introducing the work: 'The Fancy Tricks are Either Va Ren or Phan Boi Chau' is one of the most outstanding short stories by Nguyen Ai Quoc, composed in 1925.
2. Body of the Work
* General Overview
- Circumstances of the work's creation:
+ Written after the revolutionary Phan Boi Chau was captured and sentenced to life imprisonment by the French colonialists.
+ Faced with the people's demand for the release of Phan, they had to issue a pardon and confine him in Ben Nghe until 1940, when he passed away.
- Introduction of characters:
+ Va-ren takes the place of Mec-lanh after Mec-lanh survives an attempted assassination by Pham Hong Thai and is forced to return to the country.
+ Va-ren was originally a member of the French Socialist Party but betrayed the Party and was appointed as the Governor-General of Indochina.
* Reflection on the Work
- This is a fictional piece, although in form, it resembles a documentary. The work is constructed from real events and characters.
- The title directly exposes the hypocritical attitude and malicious nature of the new Governor-General by using the phrase 'Fancy Tricks' in the title.
- The work is written in chronological order with four sections → it's a prolonged journey, and throughout the trip, we witness the absurd and hilarious antics of the Governor-General Va-ren.
- It's a completely contrasting encounter between two characters → revealing the deceitful tricks of Va-ren.
* Evaluation:
- First success: developing the characters of both individuals.
- Second success: the author's fictionalization of content based on real characters and events to express a mocking attitude.
3. Conclusion
Reaffirmation of the value of the work
II. Sample Essay Expressing Thoughts on the Story 'The Fancy Tricks are Either Va Ren or Phan Boi Chau'
'The Fancy Tricks are Either Va Ren or Phan Boi Chau' is one of Nguyen Ai Quoc's most outstanding short stories, written in 1925. The clever use of satire has turned the work into a comedy, evident in every sentence and word of the piece.
The work was composed after the revolutionary Phan Boi Chau was captured and sentenced to life imprisonment by the French colonialists. Faced with the people's demand for Phan's release, they had to issue a pardon and confine him in Ben Nghe until 1940, when he passed away.
Va-ren replaces Mec-lanh after Mec-lanh survives an attempted assassination by Pham Hong Thai and is forced to return to the country. Va-ren, originally a member of the French Socialist Party, betrayed the Party and was appointed as the Governor-General of Indochina. Va-ren declared his concern for Phan before heading to Indochina to assume the position. Nguyen Ai Quoc wrote the work immediately afterward to expose the malicious nature and ridiculous facade of this Governor-General.
In essence, 'The Fancy Tricks are Either Va-ren or Phan Boi Chau' is a fictional work, although in form, it's no different from a documentary. The work is constructed from real events and characters.
The newly appointed Governor-General Va-ren, revolutionary figure Phan Boi Chau currently held captive, and the people's movement demanding Phan's release are real factors. However, it's clear the story was written before Va-ren assumed office in Indochina, and there was no encounter between these two characters when he went there. The content of the meeting is entirely the author's imagination to express disdain, contempt for the invading horde, and at the same time, demonstrate the author's patriotism.
Right in the title of the work, Nguyen Ai Quoc directly exposes the deceitful attitude and malicious nature of the new Governor-General by using the phrase 'The Fancy Tricks' in the title.
Reading the work, we can easily discern the chronological order that the author arranges. The process from Va-ren boarding the ship to visiting Phan Boi Chau in Hoa Lo Prison is divided into four stages. Stage one is the first four weeks when Va-ren is on the ship from Marx port to Saigon. Stage two is the 'enthusiastic' reception by the Saigon government upon Va-ren's arrival. In stage three, Va-ren is warmly welcomed by the court, invited to a banquet, and presented with medals upon reaching Hue. Lastly, when Va-ren arrives in Hanoi and visits Phan Boi Chau at Hoa Lo Prison. Through the author's narration and description, we can imagine this as an extended journey, filled with the absurd and laughable antics of Governor-General Va-ren.
This is fundamentally a meeting of complete opposites: the unjust ruler Va-ren and the great revolutionary Phan Boi Chau. Perhaps that's why the language used to describe the two characters is entirely different. If Va-ren's character is portrayed in a narrative style, then Phan is depicted through silence. This is an essential factor contributing to the writer's subtlety and sophistication in evoking many thoughts in the reader's mind.
Va-ren's first trick is the promise to take care of Phan Boi Chau, a pledge clearly stemming from his recent assumption of office and an attempt to pacify public opinion. This is a blatant lie to soothe the boiling spirit of nationwide struggle and to counter the pressure from French and Indochinese public opinion. This promise vividly exposes the insidious and cunning nature of this new Governor-General. Nguyen Ai Quoc commented on this promise: 'He promises so; let's assume that a Governor-General who knows how to keep promises, then we are still allowed to ask when and how Governor Va-ren will 'take care of' him?' In this commentary, Nguyen Ai Quoc laid bare the contradiction between the content and the timing of fulfilling the promise.
Next is the author's commentary on the encounter of these two completely contrasting characters: 'Oh, what a tragic drama! Oh, what a collision! A man who betrayed the proletariat in France, a politician expelled by his associates, one who abandoned the past, abandoned faith, abandoned his class, now facing the other who sacrificed family and fortune to avoid the sight of his country's invaders, living far from the homeland, always chased by these invaders, lured into a thousand traps by them, condemned to absentia, and now being tormented day and night by the shadow of the guillotine like a looming ghost.'
The passage is evaluated as an incredibly unique commentary. Clever use of contrasting techniques highlights the nobility of the revolutionary Phan Boi Chau while emphasizing the despicability of the traitor Va-ren. Here, the author implicitly praises and expresses respect for Phan's patriotism and shows contempt and sarcasm for the traitor Va-ren. Throughout the conversation, Va-ren mainly monologues. His cunning is fully exposed through the promise to release Phan: 'I bring freedom to you...' For the second promise, the author commented with a mocking tone: 'Va-ren declares, right hand reaching out to shake hands with Phan Boi Chau, left hand raising the hefty shackle squeezing Phan Boi Chau tightly in the gloomy prison, Va-ren agrees to release Phan under the condition that he must be loyal to France, must collaborate, must join forces with the French to strengthen French rule in Indochina (?!)' A series of contradictions in his words and actions clearly demonstrate the despicable nature of this new Governor-General.
