1. Reference Essay Number 4
'My Hometown' is a poignant depiction of the devastated state of Chinese society at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Through the narrative of the protagonist’s final return to his hometown, his feelings about the drastic changes, especially in the character of Nhuan Tho, reflect the deteriorating feudal society of China. At the same time, the author poses the question of the future of the peasant class and society as a whole, encouraging deep reflection.
The protagonist's visit home, after 20 years of absence, is to sell the house and move his family elsewhere. It occurs on a dreary afternoon. As he rides the boat, the protagonist realizes with sorrow that his hometown has changed significantly over the past two decades, but these changes are painful ones.
The village now lies desolate. The people have aged, become uglier, and either grown dull or bitter and harsh (like Nhuan Tho and Aunt Hai Duong). With his family, the protagonist leaves his hometown on a late afternoon, carrying hope and trust in the future generation: 'In reality, there is no road on the earth. People walk, and a road is made.'

2. Reference Essay Number 5
The protagonist returns to his old hometown after more than 20 years of absence. The purpose of this final visit is to sell the house and move his family elsewhere. Upon seeing the changed landscape, no longer as it once was, the protagonist is deeply saddened. He recalls past memories with Nhuan Tho. When he meets Nhuan Tho again, he is worn out and mentally dulled, which is heartbreaking. The people in the village have been further devastated by poverty. The protagonist leaves without regret, holding hope for a brighter future for his homeland.

3. Reference Essay Number 6
'My Hometown' is a short story that recounts the protagonist's final return to his rural village and his emotional reactions to the changes he encounters.
The protagonist returns to his village after more than 20 years of absence. The weather is bleak and cold, with the wind whipping through the boat as the village appears abandoned and dilapidated. The old image of his hometown in his memories no longer brings joy. This visit is intended to be his final farewell, as he plans to move his family elsewhere.
The protagonist reminisces about his childhood friend, Nhuan Tho: a strong, capable, and innocent farmer boy. They were once very close. But after 20 years, when they meet again, the protagonist sees a stark transformation in Nhuan Tho: he has become a poor, dull, and mentally diminished man.
With a heavy heart, the protagonist leaves his hometown, uncertain about the future of his children, Hoang and Thuy Sinh. The image of the road at the story's end symbolizes his hope for future change.

4. Reference Essay Number 7
'My Hometown' tells the story of the protagonist's pilgrimage back to his homeland after more than two decades away, having relocated to seek a living. Upon returning, he is deeply sorrowful to find that his hometown, as well as his former neighbors, have deteriorated, especially his childhood friend Nhuan Tho. With sadness, the protagonist leaves the village, holding onto hope for a brighter future elsewhere. From these heartbreaking changes, Lu Xun directly addresses the corruption of the feudal, class-divided society in China at the time, while also raising the question of the future path for the peasantry and society as a whole.

5. Reference Essay Number 8
After more than twenty years of absence, I returned to my hometown. The weather was mid-winter, with gloomy skies and cold winds sweeping through the boat. The image of my homeland emerged in my memories. The village appeared abandoned and desolate, and I felt deeply sorrowful. This time, I intended to visit for the last time, preparing to leave for another place. As I thought about my childhood friend Nhuan Tho, I remembered him as a healthy, knowledgeable, and carefree farmer boy. However, upon meeting him again, I saw a great change; he had become more sluggish and dull. I left with a heavy heart, wondering what the future held for Hoang and Thuy Sinh. The image of the road at the end of the story represents my hope for change.

6. Reference Essay Number 9
The return to my hometown after twenty years was to sell my house and relocate my family. It was a dull afternoon. Sitting on the boat, I realized with great sorrow that my hometown had changed drastically over the last two decades. However, this change brought with it a sense of heartache. The once thriving village now appeared desolate, abandoned. The people had aged, grown uglier, and had either become dull-witted or bitter, like Nhuan Tho and Aunt Hai Duong. With my family in tow, I left the village that late afternoon, holding on to the hope and belief in a brighter future for the next generation: “In truth, there’s no path on the earth. People walk and make a path themselves.”

7. Reference Essay Number 10
"A hometown" is one of Lu Xun's most iconic short stories, included in his collection *Call of the Wild* (1923). Through the protagonist’s final return to his homeland and his reflections on the changes in both the land and the people, the author subtly critiques the decaying feudal system. At the same time, it touches upon the issue of liberating farmers from the invisible shackles and harsh realities of contemporary society.
The protagonist returns after more than twenty years to visit his old village with the intention of leaving it for good. The village, as he remembers it, no longer matches the scene before him. The people he once knew have also changed in both appearance and character. Especially his childhood friend, Nhuan Tho, who is no longer the lively boy he once was. The current Nhuan Tho is a poor, passive man.
The encounter and farewell with the villagers is brief. The protagonist and his family leave during a melancholic afternoon. He thinks of the friendship between Hoang’s son and Nhuan Tho’s son, Thuy Sinh, with hope for a better life that these children will have in the future.

8. Reference Essay Number 1
After more than twenty years, the protagonist returns to his hometown for the last time to move his family to another place. This visit stirs many emotions within him, most notably sadness and regret at the changes in both the landscape and the people. The once peaceful and beautiful countryside in the protagonist's memory has now turned desolate, and the people have changed, no longer honest and simple but rather more pragmatic and dull. Nhuan Tho, the protagonist's childhood friend, is no longer the quick-witted, innocent boy, but has become a weary, utilitarian man. The protagonist, along with his family, departs during a late afternoon, holding onto the hope that his people and his homeland will have a brighter future ahead.

9. Reference Essay Number 2
"A Hometown" is a work that reflects Lu Xun's inner struggles through the journey of the protagonist’s return to his homeland. The short story portrays the declining state of Chinese society in the early 20th century, critiquing and expressing the author’s hopes rooted in his love for his homeland and its people, which forms the ideological foundation of the work.
The story recounts the protagonist’s final visit to his village, where he intends to move his family elsewhere to start a new life. The protagonist is deeply saddened by the dramatic changes in the village, particularly the degradation and dullness of Nhuan Tho, his close childhood friend.
This encounter prompts the protagonist to uncover the pressing issues of Chinese society at the time. He reveals how the class division in society is a man-made construct and emphasizes that to end such misery, a new society must be built, where all people are treated equally.
As he and his family bid farewell to their old village, the protagonist hopes for a brighter future for everyone.

10. Reference Essay Number 3
"Hometown" tells the story of the protagonist's final visit to his village before relocating with his family to another place. After many years apart, the protagonist returns to his hometown and is deeply saddened by the dramatic changes in the village and its people. The once lively village has become desolate and quiet, with one notable change being the deterioration of Nhuan Tho, a close childhood friend of the protagonist. Through these changes, the author addresses social issues prevalent in old China and expresses hope for a brighter future and a better society.

