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Sample essay: 'Impressions of the Personalities of Viet, Chien, and Uncle Nam'
Sample essay on the Impressions of the Personalities of Viet, Chien, and Uncle Nam
Assignment:
Explore family dynamics during wartime - the generational shift in wielding weapons against the enemy as seen in the poetry of To Huu. Image:
'From fathers' class to sons' class
United in the common revolutionary cause.'
In Hoang Trung Thong's poetry:
'Once again, I craft verses upon the barrel of a gun
As offspring mature, writing on to succeed the father'
Nguyen Quang Sang, through 'The Ivory Comb,' portrays the image of Teacher Lien Thu, swift and intelligent, entering the battlefield to avenge her father and fight the enemy to save the nation. In 'The Children in Nguyen Thi's Family,' we witness the transition and continuity through the stories of the characters in the work.
In my work, I've delved into a large family with numerous characters, each with varying degrees of depth. I've divided them into two lines to depict a family - those from the older generation and those from the younger generation.
Referring to the character Uncle Nam inevitably brings up these details: his singing voice, the family register book, and his philosophy about rivers. Uncle Nam sings beautifully, and his singing is a form of conveying his inner passion. When he sees Viet and Chien have grown up and are capable of societal responsibilities, he raises his voice in song, declaring fervor and deep love for the nation. His singing becomes a heartfelt expression within Uncle Nam.
Alongside is the image of the family register book. This small book holds remarkable significance as a genealogy, history book, golden board commemorating deeds, vengeful tablet against the empire, diary, and determination letter for the entire extended family. It symbolizes a historical mission. Formerly maintained by the older generation, Uncle Nam hands it over to the new generation to write new pages for the family. Therefore, 'The Children in the Family' is a story of a historical transition.
Uncle Nam exemplifies the qualities of a person from the South, with an instinctive love for the country and homeland. Though a supporting character, Uncle Nam helps Nguyen Thi reveal the profound ideology of the entire story, praising the heroic revolutionary spirit of the Vietnamese people in the resistance.
The central characters of this story are still Viet and Chien. This remains Nguyen Thi's remarkable achievement in 'The Children in the Family.' Choosing characters like Viet and Chien for portrayal presented a formidable challenge as they occupy a unique age range - not children, yet not quite adults. Moreover, Viet and Chien, being close in age and of different genders, posed a complexity in capturing their individual essence. However, Nguyen Thi has accomplished this task quite perfectly.
Comparing Viet and Chien, we observe the vivid and convincing nature of these two characters. Their similarities, like every member of this extended family, are evident. Viet and Chien share a deep-rooted spirit of love for their homeland and a profound hatred for the enemy. This seems to be the common bloodline of the family, flowing from the passion of one generation to the veins of the next. Their love for the homeland is almost instinctive, especially the profound sense of hatred. Despite being young adults, Viet and Chien have deeply engraved the revenge for their parents' deaths in their hearts. This hatred seems to define the purpose of their lives now: to avenge their parents. It is this nurtured hatred that makes them mature faster and act more urgently. When Uncle Nam mentions that if they return after avenging their parents, their heads should be chopped off, Viet responds with determination: If my sister's head is to be chopped off, mine will be too. Similarly, Chien assertively states: I've said it before, if a family member has to go on this journey, and if the enemy is still there, we'll rush in. That's it!
Both siblings are courageous fighters, coordinating with local forces to destroy the enemy's warships on the Dinh Thuy River. Despite lacking a few years to meet the age requirement for joining the military, both siblings volunteer for service. Lost in the forest, wounded, but Viet still manages to attach himself to the enemy's tank, using a grenade to destroy it. Viet and Chien, despite their youth, are deserving children of a family rich in tradition. With just a few strokes, Nguyen Thi has painted the portrait of the entire extended family.
However, the uniqueness of Nguyen Thi's pen is not revealed in the similarities between Viet and Chien but in portraying their distinct characteristics. These characters emerge with individual traits that cannot be mistaken. If not for an understanding of gender psychology and generational psychology, Nguyen Thi could not have achieved such success. Sister Chien is indeed a diligent, meticulous, and patient girl, while Viet is generally boisterous and impulsive. The hatred ingrained in them has made them mature quickly and act urgently. When Uncle Nam mentions the consequence of their journey - heads chopped off upon return - Viet boldly declares: If my sister's head is to be chopped off, mine will be too. Chien similarly asserts: I've said it before, if a family member has to go on this journey, and if the enemy is still there, we'll rush in. That's it!
As the older sister, Chien is willing to sacrifice for her younger brother, despite the challenges of being close in age. Viet, on the other hand, often demands sacrifices from his sister due to his reliance on being the younger one. He tends to be demanding and insistent, testing Chien's patience. When catching frogs, both Viet and Chien vie for the majority, but in the end, Chien always yields to her brother. During the boat battle on the Dinh Thuy River, Viet takes the initiative to shoot first, and Chien willingly defers to him. In such situations, Chien willingly gives in. However, there is one thing Chien adamantly refuses to compromise on – enlisting in the army. But this refusal is also a great act of sacrifice, an act of selflessness. Chien wants to ensure safety and stability for her brother, reserving the danger of battle for herself. As the older sister, Chien appears mature, seasoned, and considerate, while Viet comes across as lively and impulsive. One of the most touching moments in the story is the conversation between the two siblings on the last night before heading into battle. They must handle responsibilities far beyond their age—managing family assets, cultivating land, raising their youngest brother, and paying respects to their parents. Chien, despite contemplating carefully, maintains a democratic approach to decision-making. However, she had pre-planned everything, strategically placing items to make Viet perceive her as mature and unexpectedly 'like a mother.' Viet, however, remains carefree, gazing at fireflies entering the house. When one flies close, Viet catches it in his hand, falling asleep during Chien's ongoing discussions. Viet is indeed a child at heart: unafraid of fighting enemies but scared of ghosts. When encountering Mr. Tanh, he laughs and giggles while narrating family stories, yet he keeps something private from Chien. Wearing a liberation soldier's uniform with a rubber band around his neck to shoot birds, Viet illustrates his unique perspective on death – a genuine person lies under the house, while a fake one flies onto the roof...
It can be asserted that 'The Children in the Family' has crystallized the author's genius, astutely selecting details to highlight the characters' personalities. Nguyen Thi has made her characters both authentic and archetypal, embodying specific and universal traits. Thanks to this, the story captivates readers and possesses enduring vitality.
