1. Reference Article No. 4
The story centers on Nhĩ, a man who, in his youth, traveled extensively across the world, far from his family. However, in his old age, he succumbs to a serious illness, unable to leave his bed. He is cared for by Liên, his devoted wife, who has endured much hardship and sacrificed her entire life for him and their children. As Nhĩ lies in bed, he gazes across the riverbank and suddenly realizes that despite having traveled so far in his life, he can no longer cross over to the riverbank of his hometown. He asks his son, Tuấn, to take his place and fulfill his last wish—to cross the river. But due to a distraction with a game of chess, Tuấn misses the ferry, failing to complete his father's final request. Nhĩ then understands that while his son may miss a ferry today, he could take another one tomorrow, but he himself will never be able to leave his sickbed. In that moment, Nhĩ discovers the value of life and the beauty of the world around him that he had previously overlooked.
Illustration2. Reference Article No. 5
'Ben Que' by Nguyen Minh Chau tells the story of Nhĩ's life. In his youth, Nhĩ traveled to various places around the world for work, but now, he is struck by a debilitating illness that leaves him bedridden, dependent on his family. It is only while lying in bed that Nhĩ realizes the beauty of the sandbanks across the river that he had long overlooked. Unfortunately, it is too late for him to visit those shores. Through this narrative, the author conveys deep reflections on the philosophy of life and the human condition.
Illustration3. Reference Article No. 6
The short story 'Bến quê' revolves around the character Nhĩ. Throughout his life, Nhĩ traveled extensively, reaching far corners of the world, even flying halfway across the globe. However, in the final days of his life, due to a serious illness, he is confined to his sickbed. It is during this time that he begins to appreciate the struggles and sacrifices of Liên, his wife, for the family, and to realize the simple beauty of the riverbank across from their home— a place Nhĩ had never set foot. Nhĩ's final wish is that his son will visit this spot in his place, but despite being urged, his son becomes distracted by the temptations of a game and misses the ferry that would have fulfilled his father’s desire. In the end, Nhĩ understands a profound truth: 'People often get caught in circles of indecision and hesitation, but one must break free to embrace the true values of life.'
Illustrative ImageThe short story 'Bến quê' was published in 1985, written by the talented Nguyễn Minh Châu. In his youth, Nhĩ spent his time traveling the world, leaving his mark wherever he went. But as time passed, he was struck by a debilitating illness that left him bedridden, dependent on his family. It was in this vulnerable moment that he suddenly saw the beauty of the riverbank across the way, a place near his home he had never visited. By the story's end, he asks his child to fulfill his dream and explore the site on his behalf. The narrative conveys a deep philosophical message that the author wishes to share.
Illustrative ImageIn his youth, Nhĩ traveled to many places, but ironically, in the final years of his life, he found himself confined to a sickbed. From the small window, Nhĩ saw the simple, familiar beauty of the riverbank across from his home and longed to visit it, yet he could not. Nhĩ asked his son to go in his place, but the son, unable to understand his father's desire, became distracted by things along the way and missed the last ferry of the day. Reflecting on this, Nhĩ came to a profound realization: 'Life is full of detours and delays that are hard to avoid.'
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Bến quê kể về bi kịch trong cuộc đời của nhân vật Nhĩ. Từng đặt chân đến rất nhiều nơi trên trái đất, thế nhưng căn bệnh hiểm nghèo đã cột chặt Nhĩ vào giường bệnh, mọi sinh hoạt đều phải nhờ đến vợ. Nằm trên giường bệnh, Nhĩ nhìn sang bãi bồi bên kia sông và nhận ra mình chưa một lần đặt chân đến. Anh đã nhờ Tuấn, con trai của mình thay mình sang bên kia sông, thế nhưng vì tò mò với đám cờ vây ven đường mà Tuấn bỏ lỡ chuyến đò sang sông cuối cùng. Nhĩ buồn bã, thất vọng và chiêm nghiệm ra những nghịch lí trong cuộc đời.
Hình minh họaNhĩ had once traveled to many parts of the world, but in the end, he found himself confined to a sickbed. From this position, he looked out at the familiar riverbank and finally saw the simple, comforting beauty of his homeland. It was only in this state of helplessness that he fully understood the hardships, love, and silent sacrifices of his wife. Nhĩ longed to visit the riverbank across from him, but his illness made this impossible. He asked his son to go in his place, but the child, not understanding his father's desire, reluctantly set off and became distracted by a game along the way, missing the last ferry of the day. Nhĩ reflected deeply and realized a paradox of life: 'People cannot escape the endless cycles of indecision and delay; one must break free to truly embrace the values that matter most in life.'
Illustrative ImageThe story is about Nhĩ, who once traveled across the world, but in his later years, he was bound to his sickbed due to a terminal illness, unable even to shift a few inches by the window. As he lay there, he gazed across the river to the familiar riverbank and saw a simple beauty he had never truly noticed before. It was only while bedridden that he understood the struggles, love, and silent sacrifices of his wife. Nhĩ desperately wished to visit the riverbank, but the distance felt impossibly far. Unable to fulfill his own wish, he asked his son to visit in his place. However, his son, unable to grasp his father's yearning, was distracted by a roadside game and missed the last ferry across. This experience led Nhĩ to a profound realization: 'Life is full of paradoxes and detours. One must break free from them to seek the true values of life.'
Illustrative ImageNhĩ, the protagonist of the story, had traveled the world in his youth. But in his later years, he fell seriously ill, so much so that he could not move even a few inches from his bed by the window. It was during this time that he discovered the beauty of the riverbank across from his home, a place that he had never truly appreciated before. It was also during these moments of helplessness that Nhĩ realized the silent sacrifices, the love, and the tireless care his wife, Liên, had given him. A deep longing filled his heart: to visit the riverbank across the way. He asked his son to fulfill this wish on his behalf. However, the son, not understanding his father's desire, agreed reluctantly. Along the way, he became distracted by a game of Go on the street and missed the only ferry of the day. This situation led Nhĩ to a profound realization: 'It is difficult for people to avoid the winding detours of life.' At the end of the story, when Nhĩ saw his son coming close to the opposite bank, he gathered his remaining strength to lean out the window, raising his thin arm as if urgently urging him to go on.
Illustrative ImageIn the quiet of the evening, as the sky faded into dusk, the sound of the wind swept through the trees. The room where Nhĩ lay was filled with a heavy silence, broken only by his shallow breaths. His wife, Liên, carefully fed him, and their son, Tuấn, gently wiped his face with a warm towel. Nhĩ, despite the pain, gazed at the worn clothes Liên wore and sighed softly, 'I’ve made you suffer all this time... yet you never complained.' The quiet conversation lingered in the room, a tender moment between husband and wife. Outside, the yellow and green hues of the riverbank reflected the fading light, a gentle reminder of the life Nhĩ had once known. The world seemed distant, but the family was here, close, even as Nhĩ’s health faltered. His heart, however, still clung to the hope that Tuấn would experience the world he had missed. 'Tuấn... have you ever been to the other side?' Nhĩ asked in a soft voice, longing to share his secret wish. With that, Tuấn, now grown, donned his wide-brimmed hat and took a few coins to cross the river at his father’s request.
Throughout his life, Nhĩ had traveled to every corner of the earth, yet never once had he crossed to the other side of the Red River that flowed just outside his door. Now, bedridden and weakened by illness, he lay in his modest home, gazing out the window at the river's golden and green shores. The purple flowers of the lăng trees had faded with the season, and the once vibrant landscape outside his window had grown still and silent. Liên, his devoted wife, was there, tending to him, feeding him when needed, while their son, Tuấn, had just returned from his studies in the south. Nhĩ felt the weight of his years and the sadness of missed opportunities, yet his heart was full as he saw his son, now a young man, growing more like him every day. 'Tuấn... you’ve never seen the other side, have you?' Nhĩ asked, his voice weak but full of meaning. With that simple request, Tuấn set out to fulfill his father’s wish.
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