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Revolutionary heroism depicted through characters Tnú and Việt
Sample essay: The revolutionary heroism portrayed through characters Tnú and Việt
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In 'Nhận đường,' Nguyễn Đình Thi wrote: 'Literature serves the resistance, but it is the resistance that brings a new vitality to literature. The frontlines of fire and iron are forging our new literature.' From the fiercely contested battlefields, from the war's pains laden with blood and sacrifice, timeless literary works like 'Rừng xà nu' by Nguyễn Trung Thành and 'Những đứa con trong gia đình' by Nguyễn Thi were born. Despite being written in different styles, both authors converge in the realm of true literary enlightenment, the grand, noble, and heroic revolutionary spirit. This beauty is most vividly expressed through the characters Tnú and Việt.
Each writer has a specialty in a theme, and when discussing the literature of resistance against the US, we cannot overlook two exemplary authors: Nguyễn Trung Thành and Nguyễn Thi. Nguyễn Trung Thành, born in 1932, is a writer who excels in depicting the heroic and indomitable land of the Central Highlands. Nguyễn Thi (1928-1968), although from the North, had a profound affinity for the Southern land. Hence, he was regarded as a resilient writer and individual from the South. Both authors were deeply involved in the resistance against the US, serving as literary warriors on the frontlines of the nation's struggle. Their works pulsate with the heat of battle, featuring vivid character portrayals drawn from the realities of combat. The two short stories, 'Rừng xà nu' (1965) and 'Những đứa con trong gia đình' (1966), vividly reflect the determined will to fight against foreign invaders of our nation; the deep-seated hatred for the enemy, as well as the heroic qualities of the soldiers in the struggle to preserve our ancestral lands. Characters Tnú and Việt in these works epitomize the patriotic and revolutionary spirit of the Vietnamese people in the resistance. They embody many admirable qualities, but the most noble and sacred is the beauty of revolutionary heroism.
So what is revolutionary heroism? It is the manifestation of earnest patriotism, deep-seated hatred for the enemy, unwavering spirit in the fight against invading forces to defend the homeland of the Vietnamese people during the resistance against the French and the Americans. It is loyalty to revolutionary ideals tested in dire circumstances, thereby revealing the beauty of heroic qualities that are representative of the entire nation. Tnú and Việt are the epitome of that noble and beautiful revolutionary heroism.
Before delving into the work 'Rừng xà nu,' one can easily perceive the splendid heroism in the character Tnú. Tnú, a native of the Xôman village, lost his parents early and was nurtured and raised by the villagers. Like the villagers who 'hold a deep love for the mountains and waters,' Tnú early on developed a love for the people and the village. From this heartfelt sentiment, Trú expanded it into a deep and loyal bond with the Revolution, with revolutionary cadres. Since childhood, Tnú has been instilled by Cụ Mết, the keeper and transmitter of the revolutionary flame from one generation to the next, with the notion: 'Cadres are the Party. The Party is the lifeline of the nation.' Hence, from the outset of his life, Tnú appeared with the stature of a hero of the Central Highlands during the anti-American resistance. Despite being young, Tnú showed boldness and courage, reminiscent of Kim Đồng, Lê Văn Tám, Vừ A Dính... Despite the brutal terrorism of the enemy, decapitating those who sheltered cadres - like Mr. Xút and Mrs. Nhan whose heads were swinging at the village center, Tnú, along with Mai, ventured into the forest to protect Comrade Quyết, a steadfast cadre of the Party. This was an extremely difficult and dangerous task, but Mai and Tnú performed it well, ensuring that the Xôman village remained proud: 'For five years, no cadre has been captured or killed in the forest.'
Tnú is also a person of integrity, purity, honesty, and straightforwardness, like the xà nu tree. Tnú is determined to learn to read and write like Uncle Hồ to become a competent cadre in place of Comrade Quyết, in case he is unfortunately sacrificed. Tnú has a bright and ingenious mind in finding forest paths to deliver letters to Comrade Quyết. But Tnú forgets his lessons. Therefore, when Tnú fails to learn as well as Mai, he punishes himself for his forgetfulness by 'picking up a stone and hitting his head until blood flows.' This action may seem impulsive and unrefined, but it expresses the ironclad will and determination of a person with fortitude, punishing himself for forgetting to strive harder.
In communicating and delivering letters to Comrade Quyết, Tnú displays a bright and ingenious mind. Being a quick-witted, bold, and adventurous person, Tnú never takes the beaten path, avoiding enemy traps along the way. Tnú climbs tall trees and traverses the forest to avoid enemy encirclements. Tnú does not cross the stream where the water is shallow and easy to walk through, but often crosses dangerous waterfalls as if riding on the back of a giant fish. Once, while crossing a waterfall, just as he was about to reach the shore, a black gun barrel was pointed at his neck. Tnú manages to swallow Comrade Quyết's letter to ensure secrecy. Tnú is captured by the enemy and imprisoned in Kontum with countless beatings and injuries. Under torture, when asked 'Where are the Communists?' Tnú unhesitatingly places his hand on his stomach and says: 'Right here!' And Tnú's back bears the cross-cut scars of the enemy's knives. Truly, Tnú is a person rich in qualities of loyalty, dedication to the Revolution, steadfastness before the 'unyielding overwhelming enemy.'
Three years later, Tnú escapes from prison and directly leads the Xôman villagers in fighting the enemy. And Mai, a childhood friend, has grown up with Tnú through the years of fierce trials of war and is now Tnú's wife. Their lively son, born in the prime of the season, is the fruit of their romantic and loyal love. The familial happiness of the couple is as beautiful as the full moon shining brightly over the Central Highlands. However, the cruel and brutal enemy has shattered Tnú's happy home without mercy. They killed Tnú's wife and child with iron clubs, intending to intimidate Tnú's revolutionary spirit, the leader, the soul of the uprising. The passage describing Tnú's helplessness in the face of the deaths of his wife and child is truly poignant and emotionally charged: 'He tore dozens of figs without noticing. He suddenly jumped up... his stomach was burning. His eyes were now two large balls of fire.' The heart-wrenching hatred burns in his heart and blazes in his eyes - a detail of intense ferocity. Tnú leaps into the midst of the soldiers, his arms like stiff wood, tightly embracing Mai and their child. But it's too late!
Tnú was captured and bound. His wife and child were already dead, yet Tnú shed no tears. He suppressed the pain, striving to overcome personal tragedy to continue living and fighting. Faced with imminent death, Tnú felt no fear but rather a profound calmness. He thought, 'The child is dead. Mai must be dead too. Eventually, I will die too.' But Tnú was not afraid. What troubled Tnú the most was not being able to live to see the day when the Xô Man villagers fight the enemy, and when the Party orders who will lead the Xô Man villagers? Tnú no longer thought of himself; he prioritized the collective, the mission over his own tragedy. It was the transformation of pain into action.
The enemy used Xà nu resin-coated splinters to burn ten of Tnú's fingers. They intended to use fire to destroy the fighting spirit of the Xô Man villagers. But they were mistaken. They inadvertently ignited the common fire, the fighting fire of the Xô Man villagers. One, two fingers, then three, four of Tnú's fingers burst into flames. Nothing doused the fire of Xà nu. Tnú's ten fingers quickly became ten living torches. Strangely, the Communist didn't cry out, even though 'his teeth had bitten his lips to shreds.' Indeed, Tnú didn't bother to cry out, but instead shouted 'Kill.' That scream resonated through the mountains and forests, stirring human hearts. And echoing that scream were the sound of running feet on the Ưng roof, Cụ Mết's shouts of 'Chop! Chop them all, Kill, kill them all!' That scream became the spark igniting the pent-up explosive of the Xô Man villagers. In an instant, they witnessed the scene: 'ten enemy corpses lying scattered around the fire.'
Tnú's heroic and tragic life has illuminated a simple yet profound truth of life passed down by Cụ Mết to his descendants: 'after I die, even if you're alive, you must tell your descendants: They held guns, I had to oppose them.' It is the truth of the Revolution born from the land of the Central Highlands soaked in blood and tears. It is a harsh but necessary truth: Revolutionary violence must be used to counter reactionary violence. Armed struggle is the inevitable path to liberation for the people. The story of Tnú's life and journey epitomizes the fate and path of the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands in the resistance against the American imperialists. The beauty and strength of Tnú are the crystallization of the beauty and strength of the Vietnamese people in the revolutionary era.
In 'Những đứa con trong gia đình,' Nguyễn Thi has also brilliantly portrayed the splendid revolutionary heroism of the character Việt. He is a young boy, innocent, carefree, always vying with his sister even in ordinary life and when fighting the enemy. The night before joining the army, while Chiến discussed family matters seriously and spoke to him sternly, Việt either 'rolled on the floor laughing' or secretly 'caught a firefly cupped in his hand' and finally 'fell asleep without knowing when.'
That innocent boy is not only a son, a nephew, a younger brother, a comrade rich in emotions, but also someone who lives with deep affection and loyalty. Orphaned, with Sister Hai far away and the youngest sibling still small, Việt's love for his sister runs deep. After enlisting, sorting out household chores, Việt and Chiến carrying the ancestral altar together, Việt thoughtfully remarked to Uncle Năm: 'Việt carries first. Sister Chiến carries the bags behind. Hearing Sister's footsteps, Việt felt an unfamiliar fondness. It was the first time Việt truly understood his own heart.' Apart from his affection for his sister, Việt also held great fondness for Uncle Năm. This affection stemmed from Việt's childhood days: 'Việt loved Uncle Năm because back then, Uncle always looked after Việt. Whenever he sang, Uncle made it seem like Việt was the very place where he poured out those songs.' While injured, images of beloved parents always flickered in Việt's memories, with countless bitter and sweet memories. 'It seems like all of Mom's hardships, her silent thoughts in the night, all her perilous struggles have gathered and condensed into this ultimate meaning: 'Did Mom strive to raise you, to see if you could make Dad proud?''
Perhaps even more beautiful in Việt is the embodiment of the heroic revolutionary spirit, which is courageous and resolute. Việt is not only a person rich in love but also a brave soldier of the liberation army, carrying the inherited bloodline of indomitable people who never succumb to brutality. Việt fought with all his physical and mental strength, with an unwavering will inherited from a revolutionary family. Grandfather, Uncle Năm, and Father Việt all participated in the resistance. Father was beheaded, Mother died from enemy artillery... those images deeply imprinted on Việt's mind. The family feud itself is the driving force behind the valiant struggle of the two siblings, Việt and Chiến.
In the midst of battle, Việt was severely wounded, losing contact with his comrades, stranded alone, hungry and thirsty, body full of wounds, yet Việt still endured courageously. Whether awake or unconscious, Việt remained in a combat-ready position each time he woke up: 'Việt turned his throat towards that direction' 'If you fall, I'll rise, if you're out of ammo, I still have bullets,' Việt silently told the enemy upon hearing their armored vehicle getting closer each time. Finally, when his comrades found Việt, exhausted, he still maintained a life-and-death combat stance against the enemy: 'one of his fingers still twitching, a bullet already on the barrel, and around him, the trace of the armored vehicle still lying horizontally.' That image reveals the heroic nature of Việt, a patriotic young man, ready to fight to his last breath. A towering figure, extraordinary, worthy of admiration.
It can be said that in depicting the characters of Tnú and Việt, the two authors have shown profound respect for the people of the nation, for the nation itself. Created during the resistance against America, both characters share many similarities in the beauty of revolutionary heroism. They are outstanding inheritors of the indomitable traditions of their families, their homeland, their nation: Tnú is a son of Xô Man village, where all the people are oriented towards the revolution. Meanwhile, Việt was born into a family with a tradition of patriotism and hatred for the enemy: Father is a revolutionary cadre, Mother is a resilient woman from the South in the struggle, the two children continue their parents' ideals. They have endured much pain, loss caused by the enemy, representing the painful losses of the entire nation: Tnú witnessed the scene of his wife and child being tortured to death by the enemy, himself being burned ten fingers by the enemy. Việt witnessed the death of his parents: Father was beheaded, Mother died from enemy gunfire. Those pains have forged the fighting spirit, the deep-seated hatred for the enemy of the Vietnamese people. Transforming pain into fighting strength is also an expression of revolutionary heroism: Tnú set out on the 'path of strength' even though each finger lost a joint, Việt joined the army, seeing fighting the enemy to repay the nation's debt as a way of life. They fought with the strength of their hatred for the enemy, but also with the strength of love, because only by taking up arms can we protect the most sacred things, protect love and life. That truth has been proven through the fate and revolutionary path of the people of the South in the two works above, and it is drawn from the painful reality of loss, so it is even more valuable and must be deeply engraved in people's hearts.
Not only that, they also possess heroic qualities, indomitable spirits, being steadfast Vietnamese individuals in the fight against foreign invaders. Tnú, since childhood, has shown courage, being captured by the enemy during communication, brutally tortured yet refusing to confess. He escaped captivity, returned as a youth leader in Xô Man village, fighting against the enemy, even when his ten fingers were burned, he did not utter a cry in front of the foe. In Tnú, the beauty of a hero in the Tay Nguyen epic and the beauty of revolutionary heroism in the anti-American era shine through. Việt, wounded in battle and separated from his unit, still firmly holds his gun, determined to eliminate the enemy. Innocent and small before his sister, Việt swiftly grows, mature and heroic in the face of the enemy.
It can be said that Tnú and Việt have risen above personal pain and tragedy to live for the country's good. Their wounds are also the wounds of the nation during the painful years of war. Their brave and resilient spirits are also the spirit of the Vietnamese people, a noble expression of revolutionary heroism.
However, not only do Tnú and Việt share unique commonalities in the revolutionary heroism of their characters, but they also possess distinct individual traits. Việt is a person born and raised in the southern lands, hence he has a lively, outspoken, and loyal nature. While Tnú emerges with a 'sturdy figure' embodying the wild, pristine essence of the mountains and forests. Tnú stands out with the legendary, majestic beauty of a Tay Nguyen person, profound and epic.
Like the epic heroics of the anti-American era, these two works deeply engrave the nation's struggle against the brutal and formidable invaders. Through them, the authors also extol the heroic qualities of the Vietnamese people in the resistance against America, individuals who epitomize the ideals and virtues of the community, fighting and sacrificing in the name of the community. With prose filled with romantic revolutionary inspiration, Vietnamese revolutionary heroism during the anti-American period, both works are presented across the country. From rural areas to urban centers, from the north to the south, from the plains to the mountains. All creating a formidable force to submerge the traitors and invaders. It is evident that the lives and sacrifices of heroic Vietnamese individuals like Tnú and Việt will forever be a magnificent heroic epic for future Vietnamese generations to follow.
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