Reflecting on the poem The Country sheds light on the assertion: The use of folk cultural materials in the poem The Country is both familiar and refreshing.

Prompt: Reflect on the verse 'Homeland' sheds light on the assertion: The use of folk cultural materials in the verse 'Homeland' is both familiar and refreshing.

Sample essay reflecting on the use of folk cultural materials in the poem 'Homeland'

Assignment:

Tips How to appreciate a poem or prose for high school students

The homeland is where we are born and raised. Indeed, no one knows when the homeland began, only that it grows with us every day. The homeland is maturing over the years. Faced with the beauty of the homeland, who wouldn't be moved, not overflowing with a sense of pride? Perhaps it's also because of an intense love for the country and a desire to return to the roots of the nation that Nguyen Khoa Diem wielded his pen to depict a truly beautiful and simple country. 'Homeland' is vividly portrayed through the longstanding bond with the people. Through the work, we also recognize the exceptional talent of Nguyen Khoa Diem, which is the use of familiar yet refreshing folk cultural materials.

Folk materials are used by the author right from the first sentences of the work. The homeland is closely associated with the customs, cultural lifestyle of the Vietnamese people. It is the betel chewed by old ladies, the bun of hair pinned up behind, the post supporting the house's roof. The homeland is also associated with productive labor activities through the image of rice grains being milled, pounded, sifted. The homeland is also the warm cradle of simple love stories. 'The land is where you go to school, the water is where I bathe,' the author had a unique view of the homeland when separating it into separate land and water to define it, thereby making the concept of homeland closer and more familiar to us. And from the homeland come deep love stories for each person. The homeland is where you first grasp the concept of love, where you silently love someone only to drop a handkerchief in silent longing. Our beloved homeland is also where the deep affection of parents bonds together to build a truly happy home.

To construct a comprehensive notion of the homeland, the author ingeniously incorporates folk songs, folk tales, and proverbs. 'Parents love each other with spicy ginger and salty salt' is the author's achievement when taking inspiration from the folk song 'Three years of salt, still salty; nine months of ginger, still spicy. Our love, deep and profound, even if we're apart, it's only after thirty-six thousand days.' And the author's talent doesn't stop there. Nguyen Khoa Diem also enumerates a series of stories from ancient legends and folk tales to highlight the rich beauty of the homeland while affirming the significant role of the people in 'building the Homeland.' It's a spirit of utmost vigilance against the enemy 'our people know how to plant bamboo to fight invaders,' a tradition of remembering our roots 'Every year, wherever we eat, wherever we work, we always bow our heads to remember Ancestors' Death Anniversary.' And not only that, he also praises the rich beauty of the homeland, the country:

'Wives who remember their husbands contribute to the homeland the Vọng Phu mountains'

Loving couples contribute to the homeland the Trống Mái peak

The hoof prints of Saint Giong passing through leave behind a hundred ponds and lakes

Ninety-nine elephants contribute to building the land of the Hung Kings

The silent dragons contribute to the deep blue river

Poor students contribute their part to our homeland, the Nghiên Non Mountain

The frogs, the village chickens all contribute to the splendor of Ha Long Bay

Those villagers who contributed names like Mr. Đốc, Mr. Trang, Mrs. Black, Mrs. Điểm

In the excerpt, the author densely used folk materials to portray the homeland as truly simple, familiar, and intimate. The homeland is intertwined with the daily lives of people rather than being grand, abstract, or difficult to grasp.

Folk materials are used in the work, both familiar and fresh. Indeed, Nguyen Khoa Điềm depicted the homeland through its historical depth, space, and time. The homeland is linked to the patriotic traditions, the protection of the Vietnamese people. The homeland is preserved by the blood and bones of many. The homeland continues to grow and develop through the labor of its people, everyone contributes fully to building a richer, more beautiful country. And thanks to the use of folk materials, the author highlights the idea of a fresh homeland. It's the homeland of the people, the homeland of folklore and mythology.

Exploring the treasure trove of folk literature of the nation, we find countless works written about the homeland. Yet, when it comes to 'Homeland' by Nguyen Khoa Điềm, we see a truly humble and intimate homeland, intertwined with the history, culture, and traditions of the nation. Through 'Homeland,' we also see the author's pride and love for the country. Surely, only with much love and pride can one have such close and practical definitions of the homeland. And through the work, we see the talent of the artist, which is creativity, a profound understanding of the culture and traditions of the homeland.