Top 14 Best Summaries of Kim Lân's Work The Picked Wife

Trang, an ugly young man, lives with his mother in a settlement. Amidst the terrible famine, he has to work as a hired ox cart puller to earn a living. Through a few jokes and four bowls of rice cakes, he and the assertive Thị become husband and wife without formal marriage or courtship. Thị, usually tough and assertive, becomes shy when teased.

Arriving home, she behaves unusually. When Grandma Tứ - Trang's mother - returns home, she is both surprised and saddened that someone calls her mother; she is torn between pride and sorrow because her son has married at the hardest time, not knowing if they can survive this phase, and someone marries her son out of hunger and misery. Wiping away tears, she encourages her children to love and be optimistic in life.

Life changes completely with the arrival of the daughter-in-law, the messy house is cleaned up neatly. The first meal at the husband's house for Thị is just banana leaves and pig feed, everyone eats in silence, no one speaks. Thị tells Trang and Grandma Tứ stories of people breaking into the Japanese rice warehouse, seemingly meaningless stories but they are the key, opening up in Trang's mind the flag of the Party and a promising new life in the future, which promises to be better and more fulfilling than the present.

The short story 'The Adopted Wife' by Kim Lân, published in the collection 'The Ugly Dog,' is a remarkable piece of literature. Originally titled 'The Village of Refuge,' it was written immediately after the August Revolution. The original manuscript was later rewritten.

Hunger floods the market, children look weary, adults wander silently. Tràng leads the unfamiliar woman home. Children shout 'bride chaser,' adults gossip, their dark faces suddenly brighten. Returning to the deserted house, Tràng's mother, Mrs. Tứ, returns late; Tràng paces in and out. The woman follows Tràng in unexpected circumstances. Meeting twice, joking with four servings of rice cake, the woman eats a portion and Tràng's 'sharp tongue.' Mrs. Tứ returns, Tràng cheers, she's surprised. Seeing a woman in the house, she greets her hesitantly, even more surprised. Explained by Tràng, she falls silent. Many mixed emotions in her heart. Talking to her daughter-in-law, she cries. Tràng lights the lamp, she quickly wipes her tears... the smell of straw and the sound of mourning in the neighboring houses reach here.

The next morning, Tràng wakes up late. From inside the house to the outside yard, everything has changed, neat and clean. Tràng feels a responsibility to his wife and loves his home more. The meal only consists of boiled banana flowers with salt and two bowls of watery porridge per person. Mrs. Tứ talks only about happy things. She celebrates her new daughter-in-law with a pot of bran porridge, which she jokingly calls 'sweet soup.' The sound of the tax drum outside the yard rises. Mrs. Tứ cries again. In Tràng's mind, the red flag and the group of people on the Sop dike breaking into the rice barn suddenly appear.

During the famine years of 1945, places like Thái Bình and Nam Định were hit the hardest. People dropped like flies, not a single market visit or day of work passed without encountering several bodies lying along the way. The stifling stench of decay emanated from the corpses. Amidst the darkness of hunger, Tràng, a clumsy and naive young man, led a strange woman home. Children usually teased him, but today they dared not approach because he looked so different. This woman, Thi, became Tràng's wife through a few jokes and four servings of rice cake.

Tràng's mother was half happy, half sad to see her son bring a girl home as his wife. In such hunger-stricken times, people dared not dream of tomorrow, let alone marriage – adding another mouth to feed at home. His mother reluctantly accepted, but her heart was full of worry and confusion. The next morning, Tràng's house looked strange. Neat and clean, everyone sat down to breakfast with a watery porridge, but the atmosphere was cheerful until the porridge ran out. Even though Tràng's mother quickly brought a pot of bran 'sweet soup,' it was only a cover for their hunger.

From then on, no one spoke, because everyone understood the bitterness of reality. They had no food. Suddenly, the tax drum sounded urgently. Thi wondered why their village was still being taxed when they had already broken into the Japanese rice barn. Tràng thought of the people who raided the barn, still seeing the hungry crowd and the red flags flying high in his mind.

In 1945, a horrific famine swept across the country, leaving death and desolation in its wake. Tràng, a rough and unattractive young man, lived in a makeshift village with his elderly mother. He worked as a hired ox-cart puller. One day, while pulling a load of rice for the Cooperative to the provincial town, Tràng encountered a girl. A few days later, when they met again, Tràng barely recognized her. Her once gentle demeanor had been replaced by a haggard, hungry appearance. Tràng invited her to a meal, and she quickly devoured four bowls of rice cake. After a half-joking remark, the girl agreed to become Tràng's wife.

Tràng's unexpected acquisition of a wife astonished the entire impoverished village. Even Tràng's mother, initially shocked and worried, eventually understood and accepted the new daughter-in-law. During the welcoming meal for the new bride, they served only a simple porridge accompanied by a pot of bran 'sweet soup' that Tràng's mother prepared generously for her new daughter-in-law. The story concludes the next morning with the urgent sound of tax drums and black crows flying ominously overhead. Thị talks about the Viet Minh raiding the Japanese rice barn, and Tràng recalls the image of the red flag with a yellow star fluttering in the wind on that fateful day.

'The story of 'The Gathered Wife' is found within the collection 'The Ugly Dog,' a remarkable short story by the writer Kim Lân, crafted after the August Revolution. This tale resembles an indictment, exposing the atrocities committed by the French colonialists and fascists, while also reflecting and recreating the harsh life of our people during the famine of 1945. The narrative carries profound humanistic values, successfully depicting the image of farmers who, no matter how dire the circumstances, strive to love and support each other amidst hardship and famine.

'The Gathered Wife' recounts the events of 1945, when a devastating famine swept across the country, leaving heaps of corpses unburied, and the living akin to ghosts, gaunt and skeletal. The protagonist, Tràng, an ugly and uncouth man, unmarried, resides in a makeshift community. Tràng earns a living as a hired ox cart driver, supporting his elderly mother - Granny Tứ.

During a trip hauling rice for the Allied Forces, Tràng becomes acquainted with a young woman. However, a few days after the famine, upon meeting her again, Tràng no longer recognizes the woman he once knew, as she appears frail and emaciated. Tràng invites the unfamiliar woman to share a meal of rice cakes, and after a half-joking, half-serious remark, the stranger agrees to accompany him home as his wife. Leading the unfamiliar woman back, the entire community is astonished, their somber faces suddenly brightening.

Tràng's mother - Granny Tứ returns home late, surprised to find a strange woman in the house, and she expresses both astonishment and concern. After Tràng explains the situation, Granny Tứ is filled with a myriad of emotions, experiencing surprise, sadness, but also joy and hope. Speaking with her new daughter-in-law, Granny Tứ shows no disdain for the woman who has chosen to marry her son. Then, she cries... Their wedding night passes quietly amidst the poignant atmosphere, with the scent of straw and the sound of distant mourning from the neighboring households.

The next morning, a summer morning with glaring sunlight. Tràng wakes up late. Granny Tứ and the new bride have tidied up, cleaning meticulously from inside the house to the courtyard. Tràng feels happy and feels he must have a part to play in his wife's life, a responsibility to the family. Looking at his wife, Tràng sees a truly virtuous woman, devoid of the roughness displayed during their initial encounter. And Granny Tứ sets up a meal with boiled banana flowers dipped in salt, two bowls of watery porridge, and a pot of bran gruel. Throughout the meal, Granny Tứ recounts only cheerful stories, while Tràng's wife shares tales about the Viet Minh, gradually enlightening him. Suddenly, the sound of tax drums outside the village temple reverberates, prompting Tràng to envision the image of a red flag fluttering alongside a group of people on the Sop dyke, heading to break into the Japanese rice barn. The impoverished people have ignited a flame of hope for a brighter future through the revolutionary path to save the nation.

Amidst the desolate makeshift community during the famine of early 1945, on a late afternoon, Tràng - a poor, rough, and unrefined peasant of middle age, out of desperation, leads a woman back to his home. Bound by the dire circumstances of hunger and destitution, their acquaintance is fleeting, with only a few jesting remarks exchanged. Yet, after Tràng gallantly serves her a pair of rice cake bowls, the woman willingly follows him home.

Tràng's mother (Granny Tứ) receives the new daughter-in-law with a mixture of sorrow and joy, anxiety and hope, but she shows no disdain towards the woman who has chosen to accompany her son. Their wedding night unfolds amidst the eerie atmosphere, with the echoes of mourning from the makeshift community. The next morning, on a glaring summer morning, Granny Tứ and the new bride tidy up diligently, inside and out. Witnessing this scene, Tràng feels a sense of belonging and responsibility towards his home and realizes that his wife is indeed a virtuous woman, devoid of the roughness displayed during their initial encounter. Granny Tứ cheerfully serves them a few bowls of watery porridge and a pot of bran gruel. Through his wife's narrative, Tràng gradually comes to understand the Viet Minh, and in Tràng's mind, the image of hungry people marching to raid the Japanese rice barn, with a red flag fluttering ahead, comes into view.

This is the tale of a young man named Tràng and his fate. In the chaotic times of famine that ravaged in the year 1945, claiming over 2 million lives, death seemed to lurk everywhere. Yet, amidst such adversity, Tràng, a notably unattractive, rough-mannered individual, surprisingly found himself a wife (or rather, picked one up).

Upon hearing of Tràng's marriage, the entire neighborhood was astonished and concerned for him, especially his mother, known as Granny Tứ, who seemed to oscillate between joy and sorrow inexplicably. When her son married, all she could offer were words of encouragement for the newlyweds to lead a good life.

During the celebratory meal for the arrival of the new daughter-in-law, Granny Tứ shared only tales of joy, hoping for a bright future for her children, serving a bowl of bitter gruel prepared by her own hands, symbolizing her care for their happiness. Amidst the family's joy celebrating the new bride, the drums of tax collection echoed loudly. In Tràng's mind, the image of the Vietnamese flag fluttering alongside many hungry people raiding the enemy's rice stores emerged. It was the spirit of solidarity among the suffering populace during the war, always hopeful for a brighter future awaiting them ahead.

'The Adopted Wife' is an outstanding work by Kim Lân, printed in 1962. The work, originally titled 'The Hamlet of Homeless,' was lost right after the successful August Revolution, and it wasn't until peace was restored in 1954 that Kim Lân based this short story on the old plot.

Hunger began to descend upon the hamlet of homeless, with children emaciated, adults silent like ghosts. Amidst this, Tràng brought a strange woman home. The children in the hamlet cheered 'a funny couple.' Adults were surprised and whispered, their dark faces suddenly brightening. Arriving at the dilapidated, crooked house, Tràng impatiently awaited Granny Tứ; the strange woman sat timidly on the edge of the bed, also in sadness and worry. As night fell, Granny Tứ returned, very surprised to find a strange woman in the house greeting her with courtesy. After Tràng explained, she fell silent, her heart in turmoil, a mix of sorrow, pity, and joy, then expanded her heart to welcome Thị, accepting her as her daughter-in-law. Tràng's happy night with his wife unfolded amidst the bleak, desolate, and miserable atmosphere. The next morning, Tràng woke up late and noticed changes in the house, with piles of torn clothes brought out to dry, the garbage at the alley's end swept clean, and the water jar filled. The scene deeply touched Tràng, evoking a sense of excitement and responsibility towards his family. The first meal to welcome the new daughter-in-law consisted of a clump of tangled banana leaves, white salt, a bowl of watery porridge, and a pot of bitter tea. During the meal, Granny Tứ spoke only of happy things, but when the sound of tax collection arose, she wept, and in Tràng's mind, the image of a red flag and a group of people on the dike raiding the Japanese rice store suddenly appeared.

Tràng, a poor man, struggles in the hamlet of homeless. One day, in the dreary, dismal atmosphere of hunger, Tràng brings home a woman. She is his wife—the wife he picked up. Tràng encountered his future wife in tattered hunger and jokingly invited her to eat four bowls of rice cakes.

Tràng's elderly mother welcomed the miserable woman as her daughter-in-law with pain and compassion. Tràng felt a change within himself. From jesting to fleeting worries, Tràng now finds joy in being responsible, even though the first night of the newlyweds passes in a bleak atmosphere of deathly smell and faint cries. The poor mother served her two children little porridge and a special pot of tea. The bitter taste lingered, but Tràng still looked towards a different life with his wife. In his mind, he sees hungry people raiding the Japanese rice store and the red flag flying.

The short story 'The Picked Up Wife' by writer Kim Lân is excerpted from the collection 'The Ugly Dog'. It tells the fate of a young man named Tràng. In the era of famine rampant in the 1945s, which claimed over 2 million lives, every corner was marked by death, yet Tràng, an apparently uncouth man, managed to marry a wife (or more accurately, picked up a wife). Despite being described as very unattractive, rough, and uncouth, Tràng somehow got married.

Upon hearing that Tràng got married, the whole neighborhood where he lived was surprised and worried for him, especially his mother, whom everyone called Grandma Tứ, sometimes happy, sometimes sad for reasons unknown. When her son got married and she had nothing but wishes for the newlyweds to live well. During the celebratory meal for the arrival of the new daughter-in-law, Grandma Tứ recounted only happy stories, hoping that the future of her two children would be bright, with a 'khoán sweet soup' made by her own hands, though bitter, it expressed her care for their happiness.

Amidst the joy of the family celebrating the new daughter-in-law, the sound of tax drums thundered incessantly. In Tràng's mind, he thought of the Vietnamese flag flying alongside many people raiding the enemy's rice store to share with the poor. It was the spirit of unity of the people enduring hardship in war, and they always hoped for a brighter future awaiting them.

In the horrific famine of 1945, the dead fell like wilted leaves, and the living wandered like ghosts. Trang, the protagonist of the story, emerged as a figure described as 'ugly and uncouth,' unmarried, and a resident of the refugee settlement. Trang encountered Thi, a woman of humble origins. Out of compassion, Trang treated Thi to a pair of rice cakes. Thi followed Trang home to become his wife, meeting Trang's mother, Mrs. Tu.

Though Mrs. Tu was surprised by Trang bringing home a wife, she understood and felt sympathy for the girl. As Trang's wife, Thi changed, becoming someone who cared for the family rather than being brash as before. Trang himself underwent a transformation, feeling concern for the future and contemplating life more deeply. Trang, Thi, and Mrs. Tu joyfully shared a pot of rice porridge, jokingly calling it 'special soup.' During their conversation, Thi mentioned the Viet Minh's raid on the Japanese rice warehouse, prompting images of the red and yellow flag to appear in Trang's mind.

The story unfolds in the dreadful famine of 1945, where starvation claimed countless lives. Despite the dire circumstances, Trang, a seemingly unattractive young man, found himself married. Their encounter mirrored the shared plight of those around them.

Amidst astonishment, Trang's mother (Mrs. Tu) welcomed the new daughter-in-law with mixed emotions—joy and concern, yet without a hint of disdain. She wished them well, hoping for a better life ahead.

The following day, Mrs. Tu and the bride tidied up the house. Witnessing this, Trang realized his responsibility towards his home and his new wife. Mrs. Tu prepared a simple meal for the family—some thin rice porridge and a pot of rice husk tea, modest yet filled with warmth and joy. The sound of drums echoed, and in Trang's mind appeared images of starving people raiding the Japanese rice warehouse, with the red flag fluttering ahead.

The story unfolds during the famine of 1945, claiming the lives of millions due to starvation. The situation was dire, with barely enough to eat, let alone meet other basic needs. In such circumstances, Trang, an unattractive and rough-looking young man, managed to marry. Upon hearing the news of Trang's marriage, the whole neighborhood was surprised and concerned, especially Trang's mother, Mrs. Tu, who was torn between joy for her unattractive and rough son finding a wife and worry about the additional mouth to feed amidst scarcity. When her son got married, she only wished them happiness and advised the newlyweds to live well.

The next day, thanks to the new daughter-in-law, the house was tidy and clean. The family meal once again welcomed the presence of the new bride. Mrs. Tu cheerfully chatted, hoping for a bright future for the couple. The only dish on the table was a pot of rice husk tea, bitter but a display of a mother's love and desire for her children's happiness. Amidst the cheerful meal, the sound of tax drums echoed. At that moment, Trang thought of the red flag fluttering in the wind and many people raiding the rice warehouse to share with the poor.

In the year 1945, our country was plagued by famine, and many perished. People lived worse than the dead, scavenging for food. In a small village, there was Trang, an outwardly ugly man, living with his elderly mother. Every day, Trang pulled a hired cart for others. Despite his old age, dreams of a wife seemed extravagant when food was scarce. One day, while pulling the cart, Trang met and helped a starving girl, and they quickly bonded. Trang brought this girl home to be his wife.

Trang bringing home a newly acquainted girl as his wife surprised the entire village, but they also worried about Trang's family because their impoverished situation made every mouth to feed a struggle. At this moment, Granny Tu felt a mix of joy and sorrow—joy for her son having a wife, but sorrow and worry for not knowing how to make ends meet. Their first meal together was a pot of rice bran porridge, which Granny called 'sweet soup.' The daughter-in-law understood the mother's heart and the family's situation, so she cleaned the house thoroughly. Trang felt like a new person and a stronger sense of responsibility towards his family. From afar, the sound of drums rose, and the image emerged of people breaking into the Japanese rice storehouse to save the starving, while the flag fluttered in the wind, bringing hope for a new future.