1. Reference Essay 1
Võ Tòng is one of the main characters in the novel Southern Forest by author Đoàn Giỏi. He is a special individual with a beautiful soul hidden behind a peculiar appearance. His life has been filled with adversity and hardships, yet these individuals always maintain a generous spirit and a deeply Southern heart.
According to the author's narrative, Võ Tòng has no clear lineage. No one knows his real name or his original hometown. Võ Tòng is just a name that people call him based on a story often heard in the village. His appearance is quite peculiar, different from others. His deep-set eyes with white pupils wander, sharp as knives. His unkempt hair resembles a horse's mane, reaching down to his neck. The scarred right cheek has five long scars like tiger claws. Encountering such a figure, such a person, anyone would feel fear if not familiar with him.
Võ Tòng has experienced many harrowing incidents. He was exploited and robbed by landlords, losing even his wife. Too aggrieved, he committed a crime and surrendered himself. Upon release from prison, his son died, and his wife fell into the hands of the landlord. People thought he would seek bloody revenge, but the man just laughed and slipped into the forest to trap animals, living quietly, rarely interacting with others.
For many years in the forest, Võ Tòng lived alone, but he neither thought nor looked for any woman anymore. Day by day, he became more eccentric. The people around gradually became accustomed to his kind and simple nature. Everyone cherished and pitied the lonely man.
Despite experiencing many hardships and oppression in life, Võ Tòng always maintains a noble spirit and the simple, kind-hearted nature of a farmer. Contrary to his rugged exterior, he is a simple man, always ready to help others without expecting anything in return.
To me, Võ Tòng always appears as a beautiful image, representing the ordinary yet indomitable farmers of the Southern region. These are hardworking, simple people in daily life, willing to take up arms when faced with enemies, willing to sacrifice their lives to protect their beloved homeland for generations. They are the great role models, reminding me to appreciate and be grateful for the peaceful and prosperous life I am enjoying, while also striving to contribute and repay those intense sacrifices.

2. Reference Essay 3
The novel 'Southern Forest' is considered an outstanding work depicting the nature and people of the rivers and lakes in the Western region. Particularly, the excerpt 'The Man in the Forest' highlights the image of simple, rustic yet courageous individuals. Among them, the most impressive character is Võ Tòng.
Võ Tòng is a person of tall and peculiar appearance. 'He is bare-chested, wearing a pair of new khaki pants, but it seems they have not been washed for a long time (the pants of French soldiers have six pockets). He also carries a machete loosely on his side, snug in its iron sheath, and he even wears a blue-tuya-rông belt!' Through the narration of the boy An in the story, we see Võ Tòng as someone very straightforward, rough, and unpretentious. This reflects the sincerity and honesty of the people in the Western region.
Moreover, he is a very unfortunate person. No one knows Võ Tòng's real name or where he came from. All they know is that a few years ago, he arrived alone in a dilapidated boat to live in a hut in the middle of a forest full of wild animals. He lived alone. As a fearless and brave man, he dared to face wild animals. He also had a decent family before, but because he fought the landlord, he was imprisoned. After his release, his wife became the legitimate wife of the landlord and his son. Afterwards, he went into the forest, engaging in the dangerous profession of hunting. This situation evokes sympathy for a lonely, unfortunate person who is unafraid, unyielding, always straightforward, and a kind-hearted person, willing to act boldly.
Võ Tòng is also a kind-hearted person with a sense of loyalty. He is simple, honest, always ready to help others without expecting any reward in return. He greatly cherishes An's foster uncle and often calls him by the affectionate name 'brother Hai.' The detail of Võ Tòng handing over his machete and bow to brother Hai demonstrates his loyalty and willingness to help others. In times of chaos, when everyone feared the French invaders, he gave weapons to others to protect them instead of himself. This shows the brave spirit, courageous heart, and kind-heartedness of Võ Tòng.
Thus, we see that he is a character who, despite his misfortunes, still possesses a good nature, brave spirit, and noble heart of a large man in turbulent times. Through this, I admire and admire his character even more.

3. Reference Essay 2
If you've never had the chance to visit the Mekong Delta, you can embark on an adventure through a work about the Southern Mekong Delta that will make you feel as if you've experienced it firsthand. There is no other work that captures the indomitable revolutionary spirit of the people of the Mekong Delta who rose up to fight against the French colonialists and nurtured revolutionary fighters like 'Southern Forest' did. The novel takes us on an adventure through the majestic, pristine beauty of the Mekong Delta and the revolutionary customs, traditions, and spirit of the people here through every word that writer Đoàn Giỏi has embedded in his beloved work. Through the excerpt 'The Man in the Forest', we see a different aspect of the image of the people of the Mekong Delta.
In the excerpt, the character traits of Võ Tòng are depicted on the following aspects: the villagers' accounts, through attire, actions, and the attitude when receiving guests.
In my imagination, Võ Tòng is a tall, rugged person. He is courageous, amiable, always ready to help others around him without caring about difficulties. Details about his home, attire, and hospitality evoke an impression of him. Võ Tòng is depicted as a straightforward, generous person who values relationships and loyalty.
His resistance against the landlord and the act of fighting a tiger show that Võ Tòng is a brave, honest man. He is not afraid of danger and does not hesitate before authority. After committing a crime, the character does not sneak away but directly goes to the authorities to confess.
Not only that, the formal thank-you statement of Mr. Hai and the response of Võ Tòng demonstrate respect and affection. The text has succeeded in describing the character of Võ Tòng by using various narrative perspectives and vivid details. There is the first-person narrative of the character An and the third-person narrative of the storyteller. This narrative style gives readers a multidimensional view of Võ Tòng. In the eyes of An, Võ Tòng is open, generous, and cheerful. In the eyes of the storyteller and the villagers, Võ Tòng is a bold, somewhat rebellious, but extremely kind and admirable person. Đoàn Giỏi has also succeeded in portraying the characteristics of the Mekong Delta through the description of the character's personality, the natural scenery, and the Southern dialect.
The image of the people of the Mekong Delta as generous, simple, honest, and innocent is vividly portrayed through the character image, especially that of Võ Tòng. The art of describing the character's psychology combined with the flexible use of narrative perspectives makes the story more intimate, familiar, and objective to readers.

4. Reference Essay 5
'The Man in the Forest' excerpted from the novel 'Southern Forest' by writer Đoàn Giỏi. Highlighted in the excerpt is the character Võ Tòng.
This character is depicted through the account of the boy An in the situation of visiting Võ Tòng. Firstly, regarding the name, no one knows Võ Tòng's real name, people here only know that from more than ten years ago, he came alone by boat to set up a tent in the middle of the forest full of wild animals. People still pass on stories about how Võ Tòng alone killed more than twenty tigers. Perhaps the origin of the name Võ Tòng also started from there. In terms of appearance, he often goes shirtless, wears khaki pants that look old but not washed for a long time, with the French soldier's pants with six pockets. On his side, he carries a loose spear, neatly fitted in an iron case. From this, we can see his open-minded character, demonstrating courage and bravery.
Hidden beneath the extraordinary exterior is a gentle, kind character. Võ Tòng's life has had to endure many hardships. Previously, he also had a family like everyone else. His wife was a pretty woman, when pregnant with their first child, she kept craving for bamboo shoots. Loving his wife deeply, he dared to carry a knife to the bamboo grove of the village to cut some shoots. When passing by the landlord's bamboo grove, he was accused of theft by him. Võ Tòng vehemently argued but was beaten by the landlord's power, causing him to fight back. But he did not flee but honestly accepted the blame, showing courage and responsibility of a real man. After returning from prison, hearing that his wife had married the landlord, and his only son had died, Võ Tòng immediately left the village and went into the forest to live. Living in the forest for a long time, he became more and more strange in appearance. But everyone loves him for his simple, honest nature, always ready to help others without expecting rewards.
Võ Tòng is also a generous person, rich in patriotism, shown through his conversation with An's foster mother about fighting the French invaders. From preparing poisoned arrows and sharing them with An's foster mother, to recounting the deeds of killing French invaders with enthusiasm and joy.
Thus, the character Võ Tòng in the work Southern Forest by Đoàn Giỏi is built with a fierce appearance, but hidden inside are very human beauties. It is sincerity, honesty, straightforwardness; it is caring, attentive, thoughtful; it is generous, kind-hearted; it is sincere patriotism. This character has represented the image of the people of the Mekong Delta rich in generosity, kindness, and affection.

5. Reference Essay 4
In the novel Southern Forest by writer Đoàn Giỏi, there is a character with a generous, righteous personality, mixed with a bit of stubbornness and ruggedness. That's Võ Tòng, a character with the same name as the character in Thi Nại Am's Water Margin. Võ Tòng in Southern Forest has left deep impressions and emotions in me.
It can be said that Uncle Võ Tòng is a sincere, broad-minded, kind-hearted person, with a bit of daring and stubbornness hidden behind a fierce appearance. Readers will surely remember the terrible scars running from his forehead to his neck. This is the legend that made people call him Võ Tòng, similar to the character in Water Margin. Because Võ Tòng in Water Margin is an extremely strong person, who fought with a tiger and won. The act of fighting the tiger shows that Võ Tòng, whether in any work, has an extraordinary strength and courage. Particularly with Võ Tòng in Southern Forest, that physical strength and courage are expressed through long, somewhat fierce scars.
The seemingly fierce appearance of Võ Tòng hides within a person with a kind heart, sincerity, and approachability. This is shown through the character's dress, language, actions, and thoughts. In the eyes of the boy An, Uncle Võ Tòng is a friendly, kind-hearted, generous person. He dresses casually, goes shirtless, wears khaki pants that haven't been washed for a long time. He talks to An in a teasing, cheerful manner; promising An a pig or deer. In particular, I was impressed with the detail of Uncle Võ Tòng taking the biggest piece of dried deer meat to give to An to cheer him up. Why choose the biggest piece of dried deer meat instead of any other? It's because Uncle Võ Tòng cares, loves An, and it's also his generosity and kindness.
Uncle Võ Tòng's sincerity is shown through two details. When he killed the landlord and went to face the beast, both the beast and the villagers respected him for his honesty and sincerity. With just these two details, Uncle Võ Tòng emerges as a trustworthy person, worthy of respect and affection, not just initial fear when seeing the long scars running from forehead to neck.
Uncle Võ Tòng is approachable, likable because he is a person with thoughtful, meticulous thoughts. He gave Uncle Hai the arrows he had prepared, poisoned to kill the French invaders. But he didn't tell An's foster mother - Uncle Hai's wife because he was afraid that An's mother would hinder the task, afraid that An's mother would feel scared. The silence, not telling An's mother, shows that Uncle Võ Tòng is a thoughtful person. Also in this detail, readers also see a precious trait of Uncle Võ Tòng like many other Vietnamese people. That is love for the homeland, hatred for the invaders. Isn't that why Uncle Võ Tòng poisoned the arrows to prepare to kill the invaders?
Thus, it can be seen that Uncle Võ Tòng in the work Southern Forest by Đoàn Giỏi is a character with a fierce appearance, but hidden inside are very human beauties. It is sincerity, honesty, straightforwardness; it is caring, attentive, thoughtful; it is generous, kind-hearted; it is sincere patriotism. This character has represented the image of the people of the Mekong Delta rich in generosity, kindness, and affection. Reading Southern Forest, readers not only admire the beauty of the Mekong Delta's nature, appreciate the understanding and talent in Đoàn Giỏi's writing style, but also see the beauty of the people of the Mekong Delta. That beauty still attracts today's young generation.

6. Reference Essay 7
In the excerpt 'The Lonely Man in the Jungle,' the character Võ Tòng is fully developed by writer Đoàn Giỏi in terms of appearance and personality.
Once, An's foster aunt took him and Cò to visit Võ Tòng. Through An's eyes, this character appears as a gentle, simple man. The people in the area do not know Võ Tòng's real name. They only know that many years ago, Võ Tòng rowed a boat alone to set up a tent in the forest full of wild animals. Alone, he killed more than twenty tigers. Since then, people have called him Võ Tòng.
Living in the deep forest, his way of dressing is also very simple. He often goes shirtless, wears khaki pants that seem old, and carries a French soldier's pants with six pockets. He also carries a machete hanging loosely on his side, neatly tucked in its sheath.
Unlike his appearance, he has a gentle, kind-hearted personality. His life has been through many bitter experiences. In the past, he also had a happy family. His wife was a beautiful woman. When she was pregnant with their first child, she kept craving for bamboo shoots. Loving his wife immensely, he risked his life to steal bamboo shoots from the village's bamboo grove. When passing by the landlord's bamboo grove, he was falsely accused of theft by the landlord. Võ Tòng argued vehemently but was beaten by the powerful landlord. However, instead of fleeing, he honestly accepted the accusation. This action demonstrates his honest, courageous nature.
After serving his time in prison, Võ Tòng heard that his wife had married the landlord, and their only son had died. He then left the village and went into the forest to live alone. Despite this, he still often helps others. Võ Tòng is also a patriotic person. He prepared poisoned arrows to fight the French invaders. He enthusiastically recounted killing the French enemies, sharing the arrows with An's foster aunt - a person he dearly loves and trusts to use them against the enemy.
It can be affirmed that the character Võ Tòng embodies all the beauties of the people of the Mekong Delta: generous, courageous, strong, with a deep love for the country.

7. Reference Essay 6
In the excerpt 'The Lonely Man in the Jungle,' author Đoàn Giỏi vividly portrays the character of Võ Tòng - a figure characterized by openness, righteousness, and a touch of ruggedness.
The name Võ Tòng evokes the character of the same name in the famous novel 'Thủy hử' by Thi Nại Am. In the excerpt 'Đi lấy mật,' there is also an explanation of the origin of the name Võ Tòng. People in the area do not know Võ Tòng's real name. They only know that many years ago, he rowed a boat alone to set up a tent in the forest full of wild animals. People still tell the story of how Võ Tòng alone killed more than twenty tigers. Perhaps this is the legend that led people in this area to call him Võ Tòng. Because in 'Thủy hử,' Võ Tòng is a very strong person who fought and won against a tiger. The act of fighting the tiger shows that Võ Tòng, regardless of the work he appears in, possesses extraordinary strength and rare courage.
Võ Tòng's appearance suggests a ferocious individual, but his personality is kind-hearted and simple. In An's eyes, Uncle Võ Tòng is a close, kind, and generous person. His dressing style is very simple: going shirtless, wearing khaki pants that seem old and unwashed for a long time. He speaks humorously and familiarly.
Võ Tòng's life has endured much pain. He once had a happy family, a beautiful wife, and an unborn child. But due to a misunderstanding, he fell into prison. When he returned, his wife had married another man, and their unborn child had died. Grieving, he left the village and lived alone in the forest. Although his appearance is strange, people love him for his character.
Võ Tòng is also a thoughtful and meticulous person. He shared with An's foster aunt the arrows he had prepared, poisoned to kill the French invaders. Like many other Vietnamese, Uncle Võ Tòng also has a love for his homeland, country, and a hatred for the invaders.
Thus, Uncle Võ Tòng in Đoàn Giỏi's work 'Đất rừng phương Nam' is a character with a ferocious appearance but hidden inside are the beautiful qualities of a true human being. This character represents the image of the people of the Mekong Delta, rich in openness, kindness, and affection.

8. Reference Essay 9
Võ Tòng stands as one of the central figures in the literary work 'Southern Forest Land' by author Đoàn Giỏi. He is a remarkable individual with a ruggedly beautiful soul hidden behind an eccentric appearance. Despite enduring numerous tragedies and hardships, these individuals always maintain their openness and deeply virtuous spirit, characteristic of the Mekong Delta, imbued with the spirit of the Cuu Long River.
According to the author's account, Võ Tòng's background is obscure. No one knows his real name or where he originally came from. Võ Tòng is just a name that people call him based on a legend from a frequently heard story. His appearance is quite peculiar and different from others. His deep-set eyes with wild white irises seem to pierce through one's soul, sharp as a knife. His wild mane of hair resembles a horse's mane cascading down his neck. On the right cheekbone, there are five scars as long as tiger claws. Encountering such a figure, such a person, anyone who isn't familiar with him would feel fear.
Võ Tòng has experienced many harrowing events. He was exploited and robbed by landlords, even losing his wife. Overwhelmed with anger, he committed a crime and turned himself in. Upon release from prison, his child had died, and his wife had remarried the landlord. People thought he would seek bloody revenge, but the man just laughed heartily and quietly retreated into the forest to pursue trapping and hunting, living in seclusion, rarely interacting with others.
For many years in the forest, Võ Tòng lived alone but paid no attention to any woman. Day by day, he became more bizarre in appearance. People gradually became accustomed to his gentle and straightforward nature. Everyone respected and felt pity for the lonely man.
Despite enduring many hardships and oppression in life, Võ Tòng always maintains a noble spirit and the simple, kind-hearted nature of a farmer. Contrary to his rugged exterior, he is a humble man, always ready to help others without expecting anything in return.
In me, Võ Tòng always appears as a beautiful image, representing the ordinary yet indomitable farmers of the Mekong Delta. These hardworking and straightforward individuals, when faced with invaders, do not hesitate to wield guns and spears, willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the beloved homeland for generations. They are the great examples that remind me to cherish and be grateful for the peaceful and prosperous life I am enjoying, while also striving to contribute and repay those intense sacrifices.

9. Reference Essay 8
The character Võ Tòng appears in the excerpt 'The Lone Man in the Forest' (from the novel Southern Forest Land). He is a peculiar individual with characteristic traits typical of people from the South.
According to An's account, Võ Tòng's background is unclear. No one knows his real name or where he is from. The name 'Võ Tòng' that people call him comes from the fact that he alone killed more than twenty tigers, similar to a character in a legend from a Chinese story. His appearance is quite peculiar, different from others. His deep-set eyes with wild white irises seem to pierce through one's soul, sharp as a knife. His wild mane of hair resembles a horse's mane cascading down his neck. On the right cheekbone, there are five scars as long as tiger claws.
Võ Tòng's life has also endured many hardships. He once had a happy family like many others. His wife was a beautiful woman, craving bamboo shoots during her first pregnancy. Loving his wife dearly, he risked carrying a knife to cut bamboo shoots. When passing by the landlord's bamboo grove, he was accused of theft by the landlord. Võ Tòng vehemently protested but was beaten by the powerful landlord. Instead of fleeing, he accepted the blame. Later, when he returned from prison, hearing that his son had died and his wife had remarried, he left the village.
For many years in the forest, Võ Tòng lived alone, not thinking about any woman anymore. Contrary to his eccentric appearance, he has a kind, gentle heart. He always helps everyone around him. This makes everyone admire him.
Despite enduring many hardships and oppression in life, Võ Tòng always maintains a noble spirit and the simple, kind-hearted nature of a farmer. Contrary to his rugged exterior, he is a humble man, always ready to help others without expecting anything in return.
The character Võ Tòng is a representative image of the ordinary yet indomitable farmers of the South. They are hardworking and straightforward individuals in daily life, willing to wield guns and spears when faced with invaders, willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the beloved homeland for generations.

10. Reference Essay 10
The text 'The Lonely Man in the Forest' is an excerpt from the novel Southern Forest Land by writer Đoàn Giỏi, a story written for children that was very successful and famous. The story has been translated into many languages, reprinted several times, adapted into films, and included in the Golden Bookshelf by Kim Đồng Publishing House. The excerpt tells about Tía fostering An to visit Uncle Võ Tòng. During that meeting, Võ Tòng told An and his father about killing tigers, killing the landlord, and Võ Tòng's act of making poisoned arrows for Uncle Hai. Through the character of Võ Tòng, one can better appreciate the qualities of the people of the South.
From the title alone, 'The Lonely Man in the Forest' prompts me to think about a man living in the desolate, lonely forest, living a solitary, cold, and somewhat strange life. Inside the text, through the narration, one can imagine Võ Tòng as a robust figure with long hair, a rugged face, with scars running from his forehead to his neck; he has a dark, strong complexion; his voice is deep and clear. At the same time, one also sees Võ Tòng as a righteous, brave, and patriotic man.
The character traits of Võ Tòng are portrayed in various aspects such as his living environment, clothing, speech (how he welcomes guests), actions (killing tigers, killing the landlord, making arrows). Details about his home (hut, rudimentary kitchen, clay pot, sitting on tree stumps...), clothing (shirtless, wearing new khaki pants with a loose green belt, a dangling knife on his hip) and hospitality (pouring wine into a bowl and offering dried meat, addressing An as 'little brother') evoke many impressions about Võ Tòng that are somewhat affectionate mixed with a bit of amusement. Võ Tòng's way of drinking wine, as observed by An: 'pouring wine into a bowl, taking a sip, passing the bowl to my foster mom,' makes this character appear rugged and straightforward yet drinking wine cautiously, but also very approachable. Võ Tòng's words to his foster mom 'I' liken the comparison between a dagger, a crossbow, and the enemy's gun. Võ Tòng thinks the gun is useless, noisy, and cowardly because even from a distance, one can shoot. But with a dagger and a crossbow, one can strike silently. Through this, the reader sees the determined spirit, bravery, and courage of the character Võ Tòng.
The story of Võ Tòng killing a tiger presents the reader with a character of extraordinary strength, straightforwardness, and heroic righteousness. However, this action also reveals the tumultuous life of the character. Võ Tòng's resistance against the landlord with the act of tiger hunting has many similarities, mainly because the root cause is the evil that finds its way to the character: 'the guy was sleeping in the tent, a tiger king crept in'; 'this guy accuses me of stealing bamboo shoots.' If considering the action of eliminating evil, the character is straightforward in combating evil: 'the guy grabs... stabs straight into the lower jaw of the tiger king'; 'stabbing back into the face... lying down in a pool of blood' also has similarities. Or the result is the evil being destroyed 'the tiger rolled over and fell to the ground,' the landlord 'lay down in a pool of blood.' And the character Võ Tòng also receives painful consequences for the rest of his life, 'a terrible scar runs from his forehead to his neck,' sentenced to ten years in prison, and his only son died while he was in prison. These are also very similar and interesting points.
Through the text, I gain further understanding of the people of the Southern region, who are rugged with peculiar qualities: Uncle Hai and Võ Tòng both don't own land, living around the forest, working for the landlord, being robbed of their labor, loved ones, wives; they fought back and were imprisoned, the difference being that Uncle Hai caught snakes, escaped from prison, picked up his wife, then disappeared into the U Minh forest. A small boat, a couple, a son, and the dog Luốc wander around making a living with various trades: catching snakes, collecting honey, hunting crocodiles... while Võ Tòng fled into the depths of the U Minh forest alone...
Especially, the detail of Võ Tòng killing the tiger leaves a strong impression because it is a beautiful image; that image shows the extraordinary strength of human beings, the ability to withstand all the hardships of nature to protect oneself. At the same time, that image also shows me the high spirit of self-defense of the Vietnamese people.
The text 'The Lonely Man in the Forest' vividly depicts the beautiful soul of the people of the Southern region, which is both realistic, straightforward, yet deeply emotional and generous. This is clearly demonstrated through the character of Võ Tòng.
