The 8 Best Passages Reflecting on the Work 'Chích Bông ơi' (Vietnamese Literature 6 - Cánh Diều Series)

In 'Chích Bông ơi!' by Cao Duy Sơn, the character Dế Vần is depicted as a father filled with compassion. His son, Ò Khìn, wants to catch a bird to use as a toy, which makes Dế Vần reflect on a past experience. When he was young, he once went to the fields with his father, where he caught a baby bird from its nest. In the evening, the mother bird desperately searched for its child, its cries full of anguish, but the chick had already passed away. Witnessing this tragedy, Dế Vần felt deep remorse, and the memory of the mother bird's cries still haunted him. As a result, he shared this story with his son to teach him the importance of protecting animals. After hearing the story, Ò Khìn understood the valuable lesson about loving and respecting creatures.

In Cao Duy Sơn's story 'Chích Bông ơi', I was most impressed by the character Dế Vần. He is a father not only full of kindness but also deeply loves his child. When his son expresses a desire to catch a bird trapped in a thorn bush to play with, Dế Vần calmly recounts a story to help him learn an important lesson. When Dế Vần was young, he once followed his father to the fields and captured a baby bird from its nest to play with. In the evening, the mother bird searched desperately for its baby, but the little bird had already passed away. This filled young Dế Vần with deep remorse, realizing the importance of showing love and compassion towards animals. From Dế Vần's story, his son Ò Khìn also learned the valuable lesson about caring for animals.

Through the text “Oh, the Little Bird!”, we see the character of Pa as a compassionate person who cares deeply for animals. When he saw his child bring home a little bird, he reminisced and shared a story from his own past. He too once caught a tiny, weak bird in the vine branches. He was so happy and brought it home to show Pa. Pa, noticing how fragile the bird was, suggested that it should be returned to its nest. However, driven by his love for the bird and a fear that his happiness would slip away, he kept it with him. In the end, when the bird’s mother came searching for it, the little bird died in his hands. Overcome with sorrow, he buried it. Even now, he still hears the soft cry of the bird and feels immense regret. When his own child later brought home a similar bird, he shared his lesson, hoping to teach the child about compassion for animals and the need for freedom in their lives.

The story “Oh, the Little Bird!” conveys a message about the importance of kindness and compassion towards animals. Animals, just like us, have emotions and bonds with their loved ones. This is seen through the little bird in the story, which cannot survive without its mother. Similarly, the mother bird suffers greatly when she cannot find her child and searches everywhere for it. Moreover, the story urges us to think carefully before acting and to approach life with a kind heart, helping others, protecting animals, and avoiding disturbing birds’ nests or capturing young birds. Personally, what left a lasting impression on me was the skillful intertwining of two narratives: the father’s childhood story and the current experience of his child. Both stories share a similar situation, and by recounting the father’s tale, the child gains insight, leading to a wiser decision to prevent the painful outcome experienced by the father. This structure allows readers to not only understand the story but also learn valuable lessons from it.

Through the text “Oh, the Little Bird!”, the story aims to convey a message about compassion and love for animals. To me, the most impactful part is the way animals are treated with care, especially in a time when people are increasingly destroying the environment and harming humanity. If we do not learn to be respectful and friendly to our surroundings, the future of humanity will be in jeopardy. Pa is a father full of compassion and love for animals. When he saw his child bring home a little bird, he remembered and shared a story from his past. He too had once caught a tiny, helpless bird in the vine branches. He was overjoyed and brought it home to show Pa. Pa, noticing how fragile the bird was, suggested returning it to its nest. But because of his deep affection for the bird and his fear of losing the joy it brought him, he kept it close. Eventually, when the mother bird came searching for her child, the little bird died in his hands. Overcome with sadness, he buried it. Even now, remembering that moment, he still hears the soft cry of the bird and feels immense regret.

The book's pages may have closed, but the story lingers in my mind. To me, the author succeeded in intertwining two stories from different generations in a short span of time, creating a unique situation that expresses a truly humane and beautiful narrative. Time in the story seems divided into two halves: one represents the present, while the other captures memories from the past in the mind of Dế Vần, as he recalls his childhood, similar to his son's current age. These two time periods are skillfully interwoven by the author in a coincidence that bridges father and son's lives. In Dế Vần's time, the story was a sad one, as he failed to listen to his father's advice and accidentally caused the death of a little bird. Dế Vần has carried the guilt of his actions to this day. He shared his story with Ò Khìn, who, unlike him, did not stubbornly insist on keeping the bird, but instead urged his father to save it so it could return to its mother. Ò Khìn avoided the regret that Dế Vần experienced as a child. To me, the message the author wants to convey goes beyond just this. Dế Vần's story represents the mistakes of parents in the past, while Ò Khìn's story highlights the challenges we face today. Parents, having learned from their past regrets, want to ensure their children do not repeat the same mistakes, which is why they guide them with such care. The young Ò Khìn listens to his father, returning the bird to the sky and to its mother. He avoids the same mistake his father made in the past, illustrating the continuous development across generations. The next generation is expected to be better and more developed than the previous one, ensuring that past regrets do not repeat. Therefore, I believe the author is also urging us to listen to our parents. Dế Vần's father bravely acknowledged his past mistakes and shared his story with his son. However, in reality, not all parents are capable of doing this. Invisible barriers often prevent such stories from being told, and parents, fearing their children will make the same mistakes, resort to forbidding them, which leads to a disconnect between parents and children. This is why the author uses the art of creating a situation that perfectly blends past and present, allowing the past to resurface in the father's mind and creating a flawless conclusion to the story.

The story of Chích Bông Oh! is a gentle and thoughtful tale that leaves us with many life lessons. What makes the story stand out is its unique structure, a 'story within a story'. Little Khìn was about to catch a bird to play with when he listened to his father, Dế Vần, recount a childhood memory involving a poor little bird. In the past, Dế Vần, out of curiosity and without heeding his father's advice, caught the helpless bird. When its mother came searching for it, the bird had tragically died in Dế Vần's hands. After hearing his father's story, little Khìn was moved and decided to release the bird to let it fly free. This simple and gentle tale imparts a lesson about compassion in life. Every creature, no matter how small, has the right to live and breathe. We should open our hearts to love all beings and refrain from causing harm to the fragile things around us.

The story 'The Little Wren' has left many readers deep in thought. After finishing the text, I realized that the birds in the story not only teach us lessons about love for all creatures but also symbolize various aspects of life. The birds, while flying to search for food, get caught in thorns and are injured—this serves as a symbol of life's obstacles and challenges. To grow, one must overcome these hardships. The young wren, captured by the boy, Dế Vần, is weak and unable to fly. It represents youth, innocence, and vulnerability, much like children. These are the tender shoots that need nurturing, care, protection, and education. The bird's parents symbolize maturity and parental love, evoking the image of the grandfather and father in the story—adults who, through their experiences, impart wisdom and guide the younger generation forward. The birds in the story serve as a powerful and unique symbol, imparting many valuable life lessons.