Reflections on Reading 'A Gift of Young Rice - 'Com'

Prompt: Reflections on Reading 'Com' - a Gift of Young Rice

5 sample essays Reflecting on Reading 'A Gift of Young Rice - 'Com'

1. Reflections on Reading 'A Gift of Young Rice - 'Com', sample #1:

In the 1930s, a new phenomenon emerged in Vietnamese literature: Thach Lam. A member of the Self-Narrative Writers Association, but unlike his peers, Thach Lam did not delve into topics of romantic love, but directed his pen towards the world of simplicity, rusticity, and the closeness of human life. As a refined and sensitive writer, Thach Lam brings readers beautiful emotions about life and humanity.

From being adept at short stories, already famous for his poetic short stories, Thach Lam stepped onto new literary ground and achieved tremendous success with the essay collection 'Hanoi Sketches of the Six Streets'.

The 'Hanoi Sketches of the Six Streets' writes about the daily life, the simple gifts, the streets, and shops in Hanoi before 1945. This is a work of great value about culture, customs, and contains the love for the homeland, the country, and the need to cherish certain beliefs. 'A Gift of Young Rice: Com' is a piece within that collection of essays.

Com is a common and popular gift in the countryside. But how many are like Thach Lam, with such keen eyes and profound insight?

The Best Reflections on Reading 'A Gift of Young Rice - Com'

The emotional thread of the essay begins with the scent of lotus leaves, in the summer breeze skimming over the lotus on the lake. That fragrance evokes the taste of 'com', the special gift of young rice. A truly delicate sensation. This sensation becomes even more refined as the writer opens their heart to embrace all the rich and pure flavors of the rice fields, of young rice:

The summer breeze skims over the lotus on the lake, imbuing the fragrance of the leaves, heralding the arrival of a graceful and pure gift. Have you ever smelled it when passing through lush green fields, where the first grains of rice weigh down the fresh young rice plants, catching the cool scent of young rice? Within the green husk lies a fragrant drop of white milk, with hints of a thousand flowers. Under the sunlight, the milk droplets gradually solidify, the rice grains bend lower each day, heavy with the precious purity of the heavens.

A truly poignant and emotionally rich paragraph, evoking the nostalgic feeling for one's homeland.

Com is a graceful and pure gift. But to obtain that gift, it relies on the skillful hands of humans. Thach Lam's pen adeptly leads readers to admire the talent of those who make com. The writer does not delve deeply into describing the process of making com, but simply notes that it is an art with a series of processing methods, techniques passed down from generation to generation, a cherished and meticulous secret. In Thach Lam's emotions, the image of the young girls selling com in Vong village appears with affection and admiration.

From the perception of the scent of com and the formation of com grains from the refinement of nature and the skill of humans, Thach Lam's emotional thread shifts to praising the value of Com:

Com is a unique gift of the nation, the offering of lush green rice fields, imbued with the taste of all the simplicity and purity of the Vietnamese countryside.

A remarkable value encapsulated in the humble grains of com, modestly but not everyone perceives it. One must love the homeland, love its products as much as Thach Lam to discover the true value of com.

Thach Lam's comments on the value of using com as an offering for ancestral worship bring readers a fresh perception, helping us understand the profound meaning hidden in this simple tradition. It's a cultural beauty that needs to be preserved. Pity for those who lack education, imitating outsiders. A gentle criticism that resonates deeply.

In the final paragraph of the essay, Thach Lam moves on to discuss the act of enjoying com. How many of us have thought about how to consume that humble gift? For Thach Lam, eating Com is about savoring the crystallized values within, so: Eating com must be done slowly, thoughtfully, and contemplatively. Only then can we truly appreciate the richness of its flavor, the fragrant aroma of freshly harvested rice, of wildflowers along the riverbank: in the green color of com, the freshness of young leaves, and in the sweetness of com, the gentle and serene nature of herbs.

Oh my, Thach Lam's artistic perception is so delicate, making us unable to refrain from contemplation.

The essay concludes with a gentle suggestion to handle with care and cherish. Yes, we should respect the blessings of Heaven, the skillfulness of people, and the hidden perseverance and patience of the Rice God. The act of appreciation... will be more elegant and beautiful, and the joy will be much brighter.

Such a beautiful and sincere suggestion from a profound affection for the humble gift of rice.

To express ideas and emotions, Thach Lam pays great attention to using carefully selected words, rhythmic sentences, and imagery rich in poetic essence. Therefore, the essay becomes a quite remarkable piece of art, deeply imbued with sincerity.

Thạch Lam, born Nguyen Tuong Lan in 1910 to a well-off bureaucratic family, emerged as a pivotal figure in the Tự Lực literary movement of the 1930s. Despite his literary career gaining momentum, he succumbed to illness and passed away prematurely in 1942, barely beyond thirty. Through narratives depicting the plight of the underprivileged in contemporary society, the writer unveiled profound compassion towards the impoverished. Thạch Lam's short stories and essays exude a gentle, luminous, and refined style. He made valuable contributions to the development of modern Vietnamese prose.

In 'A Gift from the Green Rice Fields: Cốm,' excerpted from the collection 'Hanoi - The Bustling Streets and Alleys,' published in 1943, Thạch Lam portrays the landscapes and flavors of Hanoi, particularly focusing on humble yet flavorful gifts, showcasing the finesse of the enduring cultural essence of the people of the capital.

The author offers astute observations on Cốm, a longstanding specialty of Hanoi: Cốm stands as the nation's distinct gift, a tribute from lush green rice paddies, embodying the rustic, unassuming, and pure essence of rural life... With profound appreciation, the author unravels the hidden cultural beauty within this familiar gift.

Experience the essence of Hanoi's cuisine through the lens of 'Cốm - A Gift from the Green Rice Fields,' and delve into the unique charm of the capital's culinary delights.

Upon careful reading, one truly appreciates the beauty and elegance of this piece. Enveloping the entire text is a sentimental tone, a trademark of Thạch Lam's prowess. Emotions seem to overflow, cascading through every word and sentence, rendering the essay akin to a lofty, romantic poem.

The author doesn't hastily showcase the beauty or purity of cốm but gently guides the reader towards this special gift, beginning with its origins:

A summer breeze glides over the lotus leaves on the pond, carrying the fragrant scent of leaves, heralding the arrival of this exquisite and pure gift. Can you smell the dryness passing through the lush green fields, where the first grains of rice make the rice plants heavy and fresh, catching the cool, fragrant scent of young rice flowers? Within those green husks lies a drop of fragrant white milk, exuding the aroma of a thousand flowers and grasses. Under the sunlight, the milk droplets gradually congeal, and the rice plants bend downward, heavy with the precious purity from above.

Thạch Lam's gifted pen transforms a simple explanation of cốm made from young sticky rice into an artistically rich passage woven with captivating imagery and meticulously chosen words! Let's put ourselves in the shoes and mindset of the writer to fully appreciate everything related to cốm: a summer breeze gliding over lotus leaves on the pond... carrying the fragrant scent of leaves, heralding the arrival of an elegant and pure gift. Lotus leaves are used to wrap cốm, imparting a distinct, unforgettable fragrance. It's the cool, fragrant scent of young rice alongside the flavor of a thousand flowers in lush green fields.

The opening is so natural, vivid, and captivating. It seems the author maximizes all senses to perceive the pure, pristine nature of cốm.

Thạch Lam doesn't delve into the process of making cốm but merely summarizes: When it's just right, a timing only experts can determine, they harvest it. Then comes a series of preparations, methods passed down from generation to generation, a cherished and meticulously guarded secret, the women of Vòng village crafting that soft and fragrant cốm...

In the outskirts of Hanoi, despite numerous craft villages making cốm, Vòng village is still renowned for its softness and fragrance. In the past, Vòng cốm was offered to the kings. Every year, as autumn approaches, Hanoians remember Vòng cốm, eagerly anticipating the sight of those lovely cốm vendors, neatly dressed, with the distinctive feature of carrying poles curved upwards like dragon boats, moving gracefully and rhythmically.

Perhaps the author's utmost appreciation and affection for cốm are most concentrated in the following reverent remarks: Cốm is the nation's unique gift, a tribute from lush green rice fields, imbued with the flavor of simplicity and purity of the countryside... Cốm is made from young sticky rice grains of the famous variety. On a day in early August, taking a stroll in the rice-growing areas, one can smell the ripe rice mixed with grass, the scent of the homeland, bringing lightness and tranquility to the heart.

Cốm is intertwined with the customs and traditions of our nation - a nation primarily reliant on rice cultivation. Like bánh chưng, bánh giầy, cốm is a product made from rice grains. Beyond its material value, cốm has become a product encapsulating the spiritual values of Vietnamese culture. We can clearly see Thạch Lam's fascinated delight when he writes:

Who first thought of using cốm as a premium Tet gift? Nothing suits the elegance of the pink silk better than this pure gift, as loyal as ceremonial rituals. Pink cốm pairs perfectly... And no two colors blend better: the fresh green of cốm like precious jade, the deep red of pink like aged garnet. One cool, one sweet, two flavors supporting each other for enduring happiness...

The author recognizes the profound significance of using pink and cốm as Tet gifts. The groom bringing offerings to the bride's family, what could be more precious than pink with cốm?! Cốm is the offering of the land and sky, with a flavor both elegant and rich, crystallizing numerous values (natural and human effort). Green cốm, red pink. Two contrasting colors harmonize, symbolizing the harmony of yin and yang, for couples matching in age and also as hope for a lasting, beautiful relationship.

The emotional transition in the essay is very natural. The author discusses from the origins, the value of cốm to how to savor cốm. Because cốm is a refined gift, it's not for those in a hurry; eating cốm must be done little by little, leisurely and contemplatively. Only then can we truly sense the essence, the fragrance of fresh rice, of wildflowers by the riverbanks: in the green color of cốm, the freshness of young leaves, and in the sweetness of cốm, the gentle, pure taste of herbs. Add to that the faint scent of aged lotus leaves, imbued with the warmth of days spent on the pond. We could say that heaven created lotus leaves to wrap cốm, just as heaven created cốm nestled within lotus leaves... Also because cốm is the precious gift of Thần Nông from the lush fields, it doesn't accept anything mundane. Eating cốm, we must eat it little by little, chewing slowly, contemplating the fragrance of cốm wafting with the scent of ripe rice, the sweet taste of cốm floating like the pure air. Eating a piece of cốm is like swallowing the fragrance of the homeland into our hearts.

The author's advice to rice buyers is not without reason: Oh, ladies shopping! Do not grab or handle this magical gift recklessly; handle it gently, stroke it softly. You should respect the fortune from Heaven, the skill of humans, and the hidden effort and patience of the Rice God. Your enjoyment will be more elegant and beautiful, and the joy will be much brighter.

To write such beautiful and profound sentences, Thạch Lam must have truly been touched. The essay is the voice of the writer's sincere love for humble products imbued with the soul of the homeland, the country.

The above essay deserves to be regarded as an outstanding romantic poem. From a simple dish like cốm, the author has touched upon many profound aspects of life. There is something intimate between the simple taste of cốm and the pure, rustic qualities of the hardworking farmers, deeply connected to the land of their ancestors, their forefathers' legacy; pouring sweat and effort into nurturing rice grains for generations.

3. Impressions upon reading 'A Gift from the Green Rice Fields - Cốm,' sample number 3:

Thạch Lam, a writer with a belief that beauty pervades the universe, always seeks out the simple, hidden beauties in life. In his collection of essays 'Hanoi's Six Districts,' one can almost see the image of an ancient Hanoi before their eyes. It's the stories of the streets, the neighborhoods, the daily lives, especially the familiar humble gifts found only here. 'A Gift from the Green Rice Fields: Cốm' is an exemplary work in that collection.

At the beginning of the essay, the writer's inspiration is aroused and guided by the autumn breeze, from the lotus area by the lake. The characteristic signs of autumn herald the arrival of 'a pure and refined gift.' The prose transports the reader back to the space of autumn, with the fragrance of village wind and the familiar gifts of the simple countryside. But what gift exactly is unclear, the writer lets the reader imagine and guess. Through the writer's pen, we can sense the 'cool fragrance' and the 'flavor of rice flowers' of the first rice grains of the season. The origin, the roots of cốm are described and felt by the writer with extreme tenderness, reverence, showing keen observation and the sensitive, enraptured soul of an artist. Thạch Lam continues to guide the reader to appreciate the talent, the skillfulness of the hands that make Vòng village's cốm. The writer doesn't describe in detail, but enough for us to imagine the hardship, the craftsmanship in making that rustic gift. And along with cốm, the image of the 'beautiful cốm vendors, neatly dressed' appears with affection, fondness.

Impressions upon reading 'A Gift from the Green Rice Fields - Cốm,' succinctly

The writer's emotional thread shifts from the origin and formation of cốm to its value. The writer spares no words in praising cốm: 'Cốm is a special gift of the country, an offering from the lush green rice fields, carrying within its flavor all the simplicity, the purity of the Vietnamese countryside.' The countryside gift has been elevated to become the essence of the Vietnamese people, a symbol of everlasting happiness for couples. Thạch Lam's comments help us understand more deeply a beautiful tradition of the people: using cốm as a premium Tet gift, in ceremonial rituals. By cherishing those traditions, he gently criticizes those who are eroding the value of cốm and imitating outsiders.

Concluding the essay, the writer shares with readers about eating and enjoying cốm: 'Cốm is not a hasty person's gift; eating cốm must be done slowly, thoughtfully.' Thạch Lam has elevated eating cốm to an art form. To savor cốm is to perceive the 'rich fragrance of newly harvested rice, of wildflowers by the banks.' Cốm is the essence of many products of Vietnamese countryside, hence 'one must respect the grace of Heaven, the skillfulness of people, and the hidden diligence and patience of the rice deity.' It's a sincere, earnest proposal from a soul deeply connected with the products of the homeland, with the simple beauty of the ancient magical land.

With a sensitive soul and a heart that cherishes the products of the homeland, the writer has discovered the beauty of national culture through: cốm - a simple, rustic countryside gift. Cốm is not only a gift exclusive to Hanoians every autumn, it encapsulates the soul of the ancient land and countless Vietnamese people.

4. Impressions upon reading 'A Gift from the Green Rice Fields - Cốm,' Model 4:

When mentioning Cốm, it evokes thoughts of a refined countryside dish with deep rural flavors. Not only that, it makes us think of Hanoi with the gentle breeze every autumn. What could be more joyful than once again enjoying the hometown dish that reminds us of childhood, of the days when I was little, every time my mother went to the market, I asked her to buy me packets of cốm wrapped in lotus leaves, the fragrance spreading. Perhaps that's why writer Thạch Lam penned the work 'A Gift from the Green Rice Fields - Cốm.'

The summer breeze glides over the lotus area of the lake, spreading the fragrance of lotus leaves as if announcing the arrival of a refined and pure gift. Passing through the lush green fields, a strong aroma wafts through as the first grains of rice make the rice stalks heavy, the refreshing scent of young rice blossoms. Within that green husk are drops of fragrant white milk, hinting at the scent of a thousand flowers, the fragrance of the earth and sky. Under the sunlight, the remaining dewdrops on the rice flowers make them bend down heavily due to the precious essence of the earth and sky.

Aligned with what the author conveys through the opening lines, we perceive the elegance of rice grains, then going through countless hands of farmers to become smooth green rice grains like today. Non-glutinous rice, when harvested and processed into cốm, is 'a carefully kept secret, passed down from generation to generation.' And only Vòng Village cốm is the specialty of Hanoi, made by the hands of Vòng Village girls into 'that soft and fragrant cốm.' Vòng Village cốm is famous throughout the country.

Impressions upon reading 'Cốm - A Gift from the Green Rice Fields' by Thạch Lam

The cốm grains are created from the essence of the earth and sky, the cold winds carrying the faint fragrance with the gentle elegance of Hanoi's earth and sky. Cốm is the crystallization of all the most precious and beautiful things of the homeland. It is a unique gift of the nation, the simple and pure flavor of the countryside of Annam. The scent of cốm is felt by the author Thạch Lam with all the purity, reverence, and pride.

Cốm serves as a testament to love. It is a gift exchanged between lovers, enhancing the durability and beauty of their bond. Pure and loyal, cốm has elevated from a simple offering to a revered symbol of cultural traditions.

The enduring love between couples is akin to a perfect pairing of 'pink cốm.' The harmonious blend of colors and flavors, reminiscent of precious gems, symbolizes a balanced happiness. Thạch Lam's culinary comparisons reflect a distinct style.

In the conclusion of his piece, Thạch Lam discusses the art of eating and savoring cốm. Eating cốm requires patience and contemplation to fully appreciate the fragrant aroma of fresh rice and wildflowers. This refined and pure approach to enjoying cốm embodies the cultural elegance passed down through generations. An ancient proverb from our ancestors resonates:

'Not fragrant like jasmine
Yet not refined like people of Tràng An'

In the Ngữ Văn 7 curriculum, the section on Practice: Expressing Thoughts on Literary Works is a crucial aspect that students should pay attention to and prepare for beforehand.