Prompt: Reflections on the demise of character Chí Phèo
I. Detailed outline
II. Sample essay
Arriving at Ba Kien's house, Chi Pheo drank himself into a stupor. Despite being drunk, his mind remained remarkably clear. This was evident in his assertion, 'I want to be a good person,' and his agonizing cry, 'Who will grant me goodness?' In this moment, Chi realized he could not return to a virtuous life. 'I can't be a good person anymore,' he admitted. He was desperate. His actions, killing Ba Kien before his own death, were driven by revenge, to release the pent-up resentment and humiliation inflicted by Ba Kien over the years. Subsequently, Chi Pheo chose the path of self-destruction, a decisive act. He sought death as a means of liberation. Continuing to live would only prolong the agony and shame. No one would accept a monster like Chi. His future would be one of misery, rejection, or a return to a life filled with sin. To Chi, seeking death may seem negative, but it was perhaps the only way to free himself from the suffering and injustice of his fate.
Chi Pheo's death once again starkly indicted the society of that semi-feudal colonial era, with its myriad injustices that pushed many good-hearted individuals like Chi into inescapable tragedies: a tragedy of moral degradation. Chi epitomized the lives of many in that society, yearning for goodness but oppressed by tyranny, injustice, and the grip of authoritarianism that robbed them of their freedom and goodness, subjecting them to endless humiliation and pain. His physical demise was a resolute condemnation of a society lacking justice at that time.
Furthermore, Chi Pheo's death served as a wake-up call for those living in that semi-feudal colonial society. To safeguard themselves, to live freely and virtuously, they had no choice but to fight for it, to struggle against oppression. While his death didn't 'solve' the dark plight of society at that moment, it somewhat awakened the societal consciousness towards self-struggle instead of enduring atrocities and injustice.
Chi Phéo's suicide was the most powerful, resolute act of resistance to protect the awakening goodness within him, to reject completely the evil that had long dominated him. This was the only way to preserve righteousness, the part of him that was awakened. It was a complete break from the evils of the past and a defiance against the pervading moral decay. It also testified to Chi's simple desire to return to a virtuous life, a peaceful existence within his soul.
