Top 5 Best Essays on 'The Examination Poem' (Trần Tế Xương) (Literature 11)

Structure

- First two lines: The disruption in the exam system...

- Next four lines: The chaotic and disorganized atmosphere at the exam.

- Last two lines: Awakening the candidates and the poet's sorrow over the nation's decline.

Lesson Content

The excerpt reflects the chaotic state of the examination system during the early colonial feudal era, and the poet's sorrow for the nation's struggles.

Essay Writing Guide

Question 1 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- Abnormalities in the exam system: Candidates from Hanoi and Nam Dinh take the exam together in Nam Dinh (a policy to reduce exams that would eventually lead to the elimination of the Chinese character exam by 1915, 1918). The term 'lẫn' (confused) hints at the disorder, lack of seriousness, and chaotic atmosphere in the examination.

Question 2 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- Imagery:

+ Candidates: Disheveled, untidy.

+ The bureaucrats: Loud, fake authority.

- Literary techniques:

+ Use of onomatopoeia and imagery: loud, untidy.

+ Contrast: untidy candidates <> loud bureaucrats.

+ Inversion.

⇒ A portrayal of the noisy, disorganized exam environment full of chaotic scenes (disheveled candidates, long skirts dragging on the floor...)

Question 3 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- Imagery:

+ The envoy: Received grandly with a canopy covering the sky.

+ The lady: Wearing flashy, showy clothing.

- Literary technique of contrast: Grand canopy <> dragging skirt, the envoy arrives <> the lady leaves. This is a satirical, sarcastic portrayal where calling the foreign envoy 'Your Excellency' is respectful, but calling his wife a 'lady' is dismissive—a sharp form of criticism from Tú Xương.

Question 4 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- The poet's attitude towards the exam scene: A mockery of the chaotic, unorganized examination system, and sorrow over the nation's downfall.

- The final message: A call to awaken the candidates—intellectuals and future leaders—who should understand the disgrace of the current situation, the nation's plight, and harbor hatred towards foreign invaders and collaborators, never forgetting the humiliation of losing the country.

Answer to Question 1 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

The first two lines highlight the unusual nature of the 1897 Đinh Dậu exam:

- The government: Reflecting the puppet nature of the feudal court.

- 'Lẫn': Evoking the chaotic and disorganized scene when the Hanoi and Nam Dinh exams took place together.

Answer to Question 2 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

Imagery of the candidates and officials at the exam:

- The use of inversion (disheveled, noisy): Candidates and bureaucrats appear sloppy, untidy, and pitiful, losing their scholarly dignity.

- The image of the official with a hanging lantern and shouting commands: Loud, ridiculous, chaotic, stripping away the solemnity and orderliness of the past exams.

=> A depiction of a disordered, messy exam scene, far removed from the dignified and sacred atmosphere of traditional exams.

Answer to Question 3 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

Imagery of the envoy and the lady in the two lines:

- The envoy and the lady: They receive a grand reception at the exam, representing colonial rule.

- The sharp contrast: The official’s grand canopy <> the lady’s extravagant dress: A satire and insult towards the colonizers and traitors, while highlighting the poet’s sorrow and shame for the fate of the candidates and the enslaved nation.

Answer to Question 4 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- The last two lines are rich in emotion, expressing sorrow, anger, and concern for the state of the nation.

- The poet’s deep, heartfelt patriotism.

Structure

- The introduction: An overview of the examination.

- The description: The scene at the examination.

- The discussion: The arrival of high-ranking officials at the exam.

- The conclusion: The poet's critical stance toward the examination system.

Answer to Question 1 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

The abnormality of the exam was the merging of the Nam and Hanoi exam centers. The term 'lẫn' (confused) signals disorder, a lack of seriousness, and chaos in the examination process.

Answer to Question 2 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- Imagery:

+ Candidates: Sloppy, carrying lanterns—appearing untidy and disheveled.

+ Officials: Loud and pompous, shouting orders—showing false authority, creating an impression of chaos.

- Literary techniques:

+ Use of onomatopoeia and imagery: loud, untidy.

+ Contrast: untidy candidates <> pompous officials.

+ Inversion: Inverted syntax such as 'sloppy candidates' and 'pompous officials.'

⇒ The exam scene is disordered, chaotic, and lacking the seriousness of traditional exams.

⇒ It symbolizes the decline of education and the outdated Confucian system.

Answer to Question 3 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- Imagery:

+ The French official: The French official in charge of Nam Dinh province receives a grand reception.

+ The lady: The official’s wife, dressed elaborately and stylishly.

⇒ The exhibitionism and formality contradict the solemnity expected of an exam.

- The technique of contrast: The official's grand canopy <> the lady's extravagant dress, and the official's arrival <> the lady's departure. A satirical critique of the colonial officials and their lack of proper etiquette.

⇒ This all signals a decline in the quality of the exams, as well as the corrupt, colonial feudal society.

Answer to Question 4 (page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- The poet’s attitude toward the exam scene: Disillusionment and sorrow at the nation's decline. The poet expresses mockery and frustration toward the existing examination system and his own personal failure in it.

- The last two lines serve as a message to the candidates about the disgrace of losing the country. The poet asks others, but it is also a question directed at himself.

Question 1 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1)

What makes the examination unusual? (Pay attention to the word 'lẫn').

Detailed Answer:

The first two lines introduce the context of the examination:

The government holds an exam every three years,

Nam and Hanoi centers are merged for this one.

Normally, under the feudal system, an exam was held every three years to select talent. There’s nothing extraordinary about this practice, but these lines do more than just introduce. The humorous tone is evident right from the start. The lines resemble an announcement. The examination is organized by the government every three years to select talented individuals, as a usual practice. However, it hints at something different. The word 'lẫn' (mixed) not only introduces the merger of the Nam Dinh and Hanoi centers but signals disorder in the examination process. It implies disruption, no longer orderly or proper. The following lines further describe this situation in detail.

Question 2 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1)

What do you think about the image of the candidates and the officials? What does the scene at the examination suggest about the situation during that time?

Detailed Answer:

The second lines humorously depict the chaotic scene at the examination:

Sloppy candidates carrying lanterns,

Loud officials shouting orders.

- The inversion of syntax: 'Sloppy candidates', 'Loud officials' combined with vivid imagery such as 'sloppy' and 'carrying lanterns' alongside sound-related words like 'loud' and 'shouting orders' creates a chaotic atmosphere, stripping away the solemnity expected of a national examination.

Images:

+ The candidates appear untidy and disheveled, losing their scholarly and refined appearance.

+ The officials have lost their authority and dignity, now resembling stage clowns with 'loud' and 'shouting orders.' The ones responsible for organizing the examination and the candidates themselves no longer maintain their roles or respectability.

⇒ The scene reflects the decay of the educational system and the obsolescence of Confucian teachings.

Question 3 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1)

Analyze the images of the French official and the lady, and the biting sarcasm in the literary technique of contrast in lines 5 and 6.

Detailed Answer:

- The presence of the French official and his wife was meant to add formality to the exam scene. However, their presence only adds bitterness. The fate of the candidates is decided by an outsider who knows nothing of Confucian scholarship. The lady in her extravagant dress contrasts sharply with the official's formal attire. The contrast between 'Her dress sweeping the ground' and 'The canopy towering into the sky' highlights the absurdity and humiliation. Compared to another poem that reads 'The lady sits proudly while the candidate humbly stands,' the disgrace becomes even more apparent.

- Literary technique of contrast: The canopy <> the dress, sky <> earth, the official <> the lady—used to mock and ridicule the colonial officials and their disregard for proper ceremony.

⇒ These lines expose the chaos and randomness of the examination process, while subtly conveying the poet's sorrow and the reader's frustration.

Question 4 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1)

Analyze the poet's mood and attitude toward the examination scene. What is the philosophical meaning behind the poet's call in the last two lines?

Detailed Answer:

- The last two lines are a question. The poet asks, 'What about the talent from the North?' referring to the intellectual class, the candidates eager for fame and success. The poet seems to awaken them to the disgrace of losing their nation. If foreign enemies are present at this official announcement, then even if the candidates pass and become officials, they are merely puppets serving colonial interests. What value does such a career hold? The words 'turn your head' express both a strong attitude and a deep sense of shame. The poet is asking the candidates, but in reality, he is also asking himself. His tone is harsh but tinged with sorrow and regret.

- The chaotic scene of the examination highlights the bitter irony of a nation that has lost its sovereignty. This conflict between the aspiring intellectuals and the unfair examination system encapsulates the internal contradictions of the time.

Structure

- The introductory lines: Introduce the examination.

- The body lines: Describe the scene at the examination.

- The analysis lines: Discuss the influential figures arriving at the examination.

- The conclusion lines: Present the poet's critical attitude toward the examination.

Question 1 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

The first two lines:

- The tone is narrative, recounting the examination held in the year of the Rooster, following the customary practice of the government holding exams every three years.

- The peculiar element: Nam and Hanoi exam centers merged. The word 'lẫn' (mixed): signals a lack of seriousness, disorder, and chaos in the examination process.

Question 2 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- Imagery:

+ Candidates: disheveled, with lanterns hanging from their shoulders—untidy and shabby in appearance.

+ Officials: blustering, shouting orders—trying to assert authority, but it feels forced and insincere.

- Artistic techniques:

+ Use of onomatopoeia and vivid imagery: 'blustering', 'disheveled'.

+ Contrast: 'disheveled candidates' <> 'blustering officials'.

+ Inversion: Syntax inversion of 'disheveled candidates', 'blustering officials'.

→ The chaos and disorder of the examination scene reflect the degradation of the education system and the obsolescence of Confucianism.

Question 3 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

- Imagery:

+ The French official: the French representative from Nam Dinh, ceremoniously welcomed.

+ The lady: the official's wife, extravagantly dressed and stylish.

→ This showy display breaks from the solemn tradition of the examination.

- Artistic contrast: Canopy <> Dress, Sky <> Earth, Official <> Lady—used to mock and criticize the colonial officials.

→ These elements signal the decline of the examination system and the nature of the colonial feudal society.

Question 4 (Page 34, Literature 11 Textbook, Volume 1):

The last two lines are a call to awaken the candidates and express the poet's feelings about the nation’s fall:

- The rhetorical question serves as an awakening to the candidates about the disgrace of losing the country. The poet asks others, but he is also questioning himself.

- The lyrical tone of the poem aims to stir the conscience of the candidates.