Top 6 Best Essays on 'The House of Straw Destroyed by the Autumn Wind' by Du Fu for 7th Grade

A. KEY CONCEPTS

About the Author: Du Fu (712 - 770) is a renowned poet of the Tang Dynasty in China, whose courtesy name was Zi Mi and pen name was Shao Lang. He was born in Henan and lived a life filled with hardship and illness. In 755, during the An Lushan Rebellion, Du Fu resigned from office and moved his family to the southwest, to Sichuan. In 760, with the help of friends and family, Du Fu built a straw house next to the Canhua Stream. However, just a few months after moving in, the house was destroyed by the autumn wind. This poem was written in this context.
About the Poem:
The poem combines several literary techniques and is written in the classical style (with flexible rhyme, tone, and parallelism). Through sharp realism and a profound humanitarian spirit, the poem has had a significant influence on later Chinese poetry.
Du Fu vividly expresses his personal suffering as his straw house is destroyed by the autumn wind. Rising above his personal misfortune, the poem conveys a noble aspiration: the wish for a strong house to shelter the poor people of the world.

B. EXERCISES AND SOLUTIONS

Question 1: (Page 133 - Grade 7 Literature Textbook) Analyze the structure of the poem.

How many parts does the poem have? Identify the boundaries between them. How are the events and scenes described in a well-organized sequence?
Count the number of lines in each section and explain why some sections are longer or shorter, and why the last section contains more lines than the others.

Solution:
The poem can be divided into four parts:
Part 1 (first 5 lines): Describes the destruction of the straw house by the autumn wind.
Part 2 (next 5 lines): Children steal the straw, and the poet feels frustrated.
Part 3 (next 8 lines): Describes the poet's and his family's suffering during the rainy night.
Part 4 (remaining lines): The poet's longing for a warm home for the people and his willingness to sacrifice himself for the happiness of the people.
Line count analysis:
The poem consists of three 5-line stanzas: stanzas 1, 2, and 4. The third stanza has 8 lines.
Regarding the number of characters: Stanzas 1, 2, and 3 mostly have 7 characters per line. The final stanza has 9-10 characters per line.
Rhyme scheme: Stanzas 2 and 3 have a falling tone rhyme (suck - jerked - suffocated - stagnant - special - sharp - broken - ended - completely). The final stanza uses a rising tone rhyme (wealth - happiness - discussion).
Explanation:
Stanza 3 is somewhat unusual as it contains 8 lines. The poet focuses on describing the extreme hardships during the rainy night: the leaking house, the cold, and the sleeplessness. This is why this part is longer. In the last stanza, the longer lines express the poet's noble thoughts and aspirations.
Thus, the structure of the poem breaks the conventional constraints of classical Chinese poetry, such as line and syllable count, and this serves to express the profound humanistic message of the poem.

Question 2: (Page 134 - Grade 7 Literature Textbook) Fill out the table below and mark the correct options.

Solution:
- Part 1: Descriptive combined with narrative
- Part 2: Narrative combined with expressive
- Part 3: Descriptive combined with expressive
- Part 4: Directly expressive

Question 3: (Page 134 - Grade 7 Literature Textbook) What hardships of the poet are mentioned in the poem? How does the poet vividly and clearly describe these hardships?

Solution:
The hardships described by Du Fu in the poem include:
The pain of the house being blown away: some parts flew to the river, some were caught in the trees, and some fell into the muddy ditches. The image is horrific. The poet's description is very specific, creating a feeling of bitterness and helplessness as he watches his straw house fall apart. This is the first hardship the poet portrays.
Beyond the material loss, the poet also conveys the emotional pain (as he watches children steal the straw, a reflection of the dire poverty that even affects children), and an elderly man helplessly shaking his cane and shouting in vain.
The hardship of lying in the cold rain: The dark night, leaking house, torn blankets, and children kicking the covers, making things worse. The rain continues throughout the night, compounding the poet's suffering.
These hardships set the stage for the ultimate tragedy: being old and in a time of chaos, the poet spent the night sleepless, reflecting on the world's suffering and thinking about the poor scholars.
Du Fu's descriptions are vivid and detailed, with great conciseness, allowing readers to fully grasp the scenes of hardship and feel the poet's deep sorrow.

Question 4: (Page 134 - Grade 7 Literature Textbook) If the poem did not have the last five lines, how would the emotional impact and significance of the poem be reduced? Analyze the poet's noble feelings expressed in the final part.

Solution:
The humanitarian spirit of the poem is conveyed through the last stanza. If the poem ended before this final part, it would only highlight the poet's personal suffering, and the poem would merely evoke pity for the poet's hardships. Therefore, the emotional depth and significance of the poem would be diminished.
The final stanza expresses the poet's high ideals and love for the people, which greatly enriches the poem's emotional and moral value.

EXERCISE
Question 1: (Page 134 - Grade 7 Literature Textbook) Summarize the main idea of the following passage on 'The House of Straw Destroyed by the Autumn Wind' by Du Fu in no more than two sentences.

Solution:
The poem 'The House of Straw Destroyed by the Autumn Wind' not only expresses Du Fu's personal suffering but also the hardship of countless poor scholars. The poet's love for the people and his noble ideals will remain in the hearts of readers forever.

Expanded Reference: The Artistic and Content Value in 'The House of Straw Destroyed by the Autumn Wind'
Solution:
1. Content Value
The poem vividly depicts Du Fu's personal suffering as his straw house is destroyed by the autumn wind. More importantly, it expresses the poet's noble aspiration: the desire for a strong house to shelter the poor people of the world. This also reflects the harsh reality of Chinese society at the time, while showing the poet's compassionate and selfless heart toward life and others.
2. Artistic Value
The classical form of poetry
Logical arrangement of details
Realistic writing style
Combination of narrative, descriptive, and expressive elements

READ - UNDERSTAND THE TEXT

Question 1 - Page 133 of the Textbook

Analyze the structure of the poem.

Answer:

The poem consists of 4 parts:

- Part 1 (the first 5 lines): General context: The autumn wind blows away three layers of the poet's thatched house.

- Part 2 (next 5 lines): The poet, old and weak, sees children stealing his thatched roof.

- Part 3 (next 8 lines): Describes the misery of the leaking house, cold, and disturbed by the noisy children.

- Part 4 (remaining part): The poet’s compassionate, forgiving spirit.

There’s also an alternative interpretation: The poem could be divided into two main parts: the first 18 lines set the stage, and the last 5 lines express the poet’s noble ideals and deep humanitarian values. The first part can also be divided into three smaller parts.

This interpretation is also valid.

Question 2 - Page 134 of the Textbook

Fill in the chart and mark with an X the appropriate columns.

Answer:

- Part 1: Descriptive narration combined with storytelling

Question 3 - Page 134 of the Textbook

What suffering does the poet describe in the poem? How are these hardships portrayed vividly and clearly?

Answer:

The wind stops for a moment, the sky turns dark,

The autumn sky grows thick and dark as night

The old blanket feels as cold as iron,

The child kicks and tears the worn-out bedding

The roof leaks without mercy

Heavy rain keeps pouring endlessly

From the turmoil, little sleep is had.

The long, wet night cannot end soon enough.

- The hardship of the house being torn apart by the wind: Some parts fly into the river, others get stuck on tree branches, and some fall into a muddy ditch, creating a horrifying scene.

Due to poverty, the poet relied on help from friends and family to build the house, and now it’s destroyed by the wind. How does one deal with such a loss?

- The pain of family betrayal: The image of the children fighting to steal the roof while the elderly father struggles helplessly is truly heartbreaking.

- The suffering of lying in the cold rain: The rain doesn’t stop, the roof is torn apart, the bedding is soaked and shredded, and the poet is cold like iron, shaking with his family in fear and discomfort.

- The pain caused by war and chaos: This is the greatest suffering and the root cause of the other hardships. Because of war, the poet is forced to wander and lose his position; children steal for survival, and the poet endures long sleepless nights, cold, and hunger.

The poet’s vivid descriptions are concise yet powerful, allowing the reader to easily visualize the scene.

Question 4 - Page 134 of the Textbook

If the last 5 lines of the poem were removed, how would the meaning and emotional impact of the poem be affected? Analyze the noble sentiment expressed by the poet in the final lines.

Answer:

The value of the poem would be diminished significantly without the final lines:

“I wish for a vast house with thousands of rooms,”

“To shelter all the poor scholars from storms and rain,”

“No longer afraid of the wind, firm as a stone slab!”

“Alas, when will such a house rise before my eyes,”

“While my own hut is falling apart, and I would rather die in the cold!”

These last lines elevate the poem’s meaning: the poet, despite his own suffering, dreams of a sturdy house to shelter others in need. The poet's noble dream expresses compassion and selflessness, thinking of others before himself. His longing for a stable shelter for the poor reflects a deep humanitarian spirit.

The Confucian ideal of ‘prioritizing the welfare of others before one’s own’ is embedded in the poet’s soul. Despite his severe poverty, the poet does not wish for his own comfort, but rather dreams of giving others a better life. This selfless ideal is truly admirable and showcases a deep sense of humanity.

EXERCISE

Question 2 - Page 134 of the Textbook

Use up to two sentences to summarize the main idea of the following passage discussing the poem 'The Song of the House Destroyed by Autumn Winds' by Du Fu. (Read more on page 134 of Textbook, Literature 7, Volume 1)

Answer:

+ Through his own suffering, Du Fu condemns the dark reality and hopelessness of the society of his time.

+ Despite his own pain, the poet shows a compassionate heart towards the poor and suffering people who share his fate.

Conclusion
By using multiple expressive techniques, Du Fu vividly portrays the suffering caused by the destruction of his thatched house by autumn winds. More importantly, the poet rises above personal misfortune to express a noble ideal: a dream of having a strong, vast house to protect all the poor people in the world.

I. Tác giả, tác phẩm

1. Tác giả

Đỗ Phủ (712-770) là nhà thơ hiện thực nổi tiếng vào đời Đường ở Trung Quốc, tự là Tự Mĩ, hiệu Thiếu Lăng, quê ở tỉnh Hà Nam
- Ông từng làm quan trong một thời gian ngắn nhưng gần như suốt đời sống trong cảnh đau khổ, bệnh tật
- Năm 759, ông cáo quan, đưa gia đình về vùng Tây Nam, một thời gian sống ở Thành Đô, phủ Tứ Xuyên.
2. Sự nghiệp sáng tác
- Ông để lại cho đời 1500 bài thơ
- Bút pháp hiện thực cũng như tinh thần nhân đạo cao cả của ông đã ảnh hưởng khá sâu rộng đến thơ ca Trung Quốc đời sau

3. Tác phẩm

Bài thơ Bài ca nhà tranh bị gió thu phá được viết theo lối cổ thể (tương đối tự do về vần, luật, đối). Bằng bút pháp hiện thực sắc sảo, cùng với tinh thần nhân đạo cao cả, bài thơ này đã có những ảnh hưởng khá sâu rộng đến thơ ca Trung Quốc đời sau.

II. Hướng dẫn soạn bài

Câu 1:

* Bài thơ có thể được chia làm 4 phần:

Phần 1: 5 câu đầu: Cảnh gió thu cướp mất lớp tranh của ngôi nhà.
Phần 2: 5 câu tiếp: Tâm trạng ấm ức vì già yếu nên đã bị bọn trẻ con xô cướp giật mất tranh.
Phần 3: 8 câu tiếp: Nỗi khổ nhà dột, ướt lạnh, con quậy phá và sự lo lắng về loạn lạc.
Phần 4: còn lại: Ước mơ cao cả của nhà thơ.
* Bài thơ có 3 đoạn mà mỗi đoạn chứa 5 câu, đây là một hiện tượng hiếm gặp trong thơ ca cổ Trung Quốc, bởi thường số câu trong mỗi đoạn là nhịp chẵn). Riêng khổ thơ thứ 3 thì dài hơn, gồm 8 câu, diễn tả nỗi khổ cực vô hạn của nhà thơ. Tiếp tục đến khổ thơ thứ 4, những câu trong khổ này đều dài hơn các phần còn lại, có lẽ để diễn đạt những tâm tư, tình cảm và ước vọng cao đẹp của nhà thơ.

=> Đỗ Phủ là một nhà thơ không quá câu nệ về hình thức trong sáng tác thơ. Ông có thể chủ động thay đổi số câu, số chữ, cách gieo vần,…cốt là để phục vụ tốt nội dung diễn đạt.

Câu 2. Các phương thức biểu đạt trong từng đoạn thơ:
Miêu tả
Tự sự
Biểu cảm trực tiếp: Phần 4
Miêu tả- tự sự: Phần 1
Miêu tả- biểu cảm: Phần 3
Tự sự - Biểu cảm: Phần 2
Tự sự- miêu tả- biểu cảm

Câu 3:

* Những nỗi khổ của nhà thơ được đề cập trong bài thơ:

Nỗi khổ của ngôi nhà bị gió thu cuốn: cái thì bay sang sông, cái thì treo trên ngọn cây cao tít, cái nhào xuống lòng mương tơi tả => cảnh tượng thật kinh hoàng. Vốn dĩ Đỗ Phủ rất nghèo, ngôi nhà tranh ấy được dựng là phải nhờ vào sự giúp đỡ của người thân thích và bạn bè, nay lại bị gió cuốn, ông biết phải làm sao?
Nỗi khổ vì thân tình thế thái: hình ảnh một bên là lũ trẻ đua nhau cướp những tấm tranh chạy đi, một bên là ông già chống gậy lom khom, miệng thì gào thét đến khô cháy mà chúng không chịu nghe.
Nỗi khổ nằm trong mưa lạnh: nhà thì bị tốc mái mà mưa chẳng dứt, chăn mền cũng ướt sũng, con thơ thì rét mướt, quấy khóc.
Nỗi khổ vì chiến tranh loạn lạc: đây mới chính là nỗi khổ lớn nhất và là nguyên nhân chính dẫn đến 3 nỗi khổ trên. Vì loạn lạc mà nhà thơ phải từ quan, phiêu bạt, vì loạn lạc mà những đứa trẻ túng thiếu phải đi cướp giật của người khác, và cũng vì loạn lạc mà nhà thơ đêm dài ít ngủ, chịu lạnh, chịu đói.
=> Chỉ với vài nét chấm phá đơn sơ, Đỗ Phủ đã miêu tả sinh động và khúc chiết những nỗi khổ của ông, nhất là chỉ với nét điểm xuyết: từ trải cơn loạn ít ngủ nghê đã làm cho nỗi khổ của nhà thơ như được tăng lên gấp bội.

Câu 4:

* Giả thử không có 5 dòng thơ cuối thì bài thơ vẫn rất hay và vẫn có giá trị biểu cảm cao. Bởi nó vẫn nói lên được nỗi thống khổ thực sự của con người trước sự tàn phá của thiên nhiên, cũng như vẫn nói lên được sự âu lo của nhà thơ trước việc đời, hay nói cách khác là lo lắng về tương lai của lũ trẻ.

Tuy nhiên, nhờ có 5 dòng thơ cuối mà nỗi đau của một người mới trở thành nỗi đau phản chiếu của muôn người, muôn nhà. Hơn thế nữa, nó còn cho thấy tư tưởng nhân văn cao đẹp của nhà thơ khi đặt nỗi đau chung của đất nước, của muôn người lên trên nỗi đau riêng. Có thể nói, ước mơ của nhà thơ tuy viển vông, ảo tưởng nhưng lại rất đẹp, bởi nó bắt nguồn từ khát khao về một cuộc sống bình yên, hạnh phúc và ấm no. Thật là một tư tưởng giàu tính nhân văn đáng ca ngợi.

I. The Author

- Du Fu (712 - 770), courtesy name Zi Mi, alias Xiao Lang, was one of the most renowned poets of the Tang Dynasty in China.

- He held a government position for a short time but lived most of his life in misery, plagued by illness.

- In 755, General An Lushan rebelled against the imperial court. Unable to gain favor and fearing for his life, Du Fu retired to his hometown in the southwest.

- Along with Li Bai, he is considered one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.

- Some of his notable works include:

Collection of Poems: Traveling the South and North (731 - 745)
Collection of Poems: Desperate Times in Chang'an (746 - 755)
Collection of Poems: Exile and Government Service (756 - 759)
Collection of Poems: Wandering in the Southwest (760 - 770)

II. The Work

1. The Circumstances of Creation

- In 760, Du Fu, with the help of friends and family, built a small thatched house beside the Canhua River in the western part of Chengdu.

- However, soon after, the house was destroyed by strong winds. This led to the creation of the poem "The Song of the Thatched Hut Destroyed by Autumn Winds" to describe this incident.

- This poem became one of his most famous works, combining realism with humanistic sentiment, leaving a profound impact on Chinese poetry.

2. Structure

- The poem consists of 4 parts:

Part 1. The First Stanza: The thatched hut destroyed by autumn winds.
Part 2. The Second Stanza: The scene of village children stealing the thatched roof.
Part 3. The Third Stanza: The family’s life during the night the hut was destroyed.
Part 4. The Fourth Stanza: The poet’s hopes for the future.

III. Understanding the Text

1. The First Stanza: The Thatched Hut Destroyed by Autumn Winds

- Time: In August, during autumn, with chilly winds.

- Event: The wind blows through the thatched roof of the house.

- The imagery of the thatched hut being blown away:

"The wind howls fiercely" - the violent and powerful force of nature.
The thatched pieces are blown all around: scattered along the river, stuck in the trees, swirling into the ditches.
=> The vivid imagery paints a picture of nature’s harshness, showing the dilapidated state of the hut, while also conveying the poet’s deep sadness and concern.

2. The Second Stanza: The Village Children Stealing the Roof

- The image of the children stealing the roof:

Disrespecting the elderly and weak.
Pushing and grabbing at the thatch.
Running off with it into the bamboo thicket.
=> The poet depicts the children as malicious, symbolizing the chaos and poverty of society at the time.

- The image of the lyrical character:

Dry lips and a hoarse voice, unable to scream.
Leaning on a cane, returning home with a heart full of bitterness.
=> An elderly man, weak and helpless, representing the poor, kind-hearted people of society who are constantly oppressed and exploited.

3. The Third Stanza: Life in the Family During the Night the Hut Was Destroyed

- The imagery of nature:

"The wind is still, the clouds darken the sky"
"Autumn night, dense and dark"
"The rain never stops"
=> A cold, lonely autumn night with continuous rain, making everything feel dreary and tiring.

- The family’s life:

"Old, cold, worn-out blankets like iron": The blankets in the house are old and offer no warmth in the chilly night.
"The children kick away the bedding, leaving it in tatters": The bedding for the children is also worn-out and useless.
"The roof leaks, no corner is left dry": The rain pours through the broken thatched roof.
- The lyrical character’s image:

"I can't sleep, for I've seen so much suffering. The long night drags on, endless and cold."

=> Unable to sleep due to worry for the people who share the same suffering, but also powerless to help, since he is just as destitute.

This shows the poet’s deep compassion for others, a selfless care for the suffering of the people, even at the cost of his own misery.

4. The Fourth Stanza: The Poet’s Hopes for the Future

- A grand house, with thousands of rooms, capable of sheltering all the poor scholars of the world. This is a practical and heartfelt wish from the poet.

- To make this dream come true, he is willing to endure poverty alone.

=> It reflects Du Fu’s spirit of altruism and his deep humanitarian compassion.

IV. Conclusion

- Content: The poem conveys Du Fu’s own suffering due to the destruction of his thatched house by autumn winds, as well as his noble desire for a solid home to protect all the poor in the world.

- Artistic Technique: A combination of descriptive and narrative techniques, with vivid imagery.

V. Answering Questions

Question 1: Analyze and describe the structure of the poem:

- The poem is divided into 4 parts:

Part 1. The First Stanza: The Thatched Hut Destroyed by Autumn Winds.
Part 2. The Second Stanza: The Village Children Stealing the Roof.
Part 3. The Third Stanza: Life in the Family During the Night the Hut Was Destroyed.
Part 4. The Fourth Stanza: The Poet’s Hopes for the Future.
- The different number of lines in each part is based on the content and emotions the poet wishes to convey.

Question 2

- Part 1: Descriptive mixed with narrative.

- Part 2: Narrative mixed with emotional expression.

- Part 3: Descriptive mixed with emotional expression.

- Part 4: Direct emotional expression.

Question 3: What hardships of the poet are described in the poem? How does the poet vividly and clearly depict these hardships?

* Both physical and emotional suffering:

- Physical hardship:

The harshness of nature shows no mercy: the thatched roof is blown away by autumn winds.

Humanity is changed in times of chaos: the children steal the thatched roof.
The family, already poor, becomes even poorer due to the cold rain of the night.

- Emotional hardship: The poet feels sorrow for himself, his family, and all the poor souls in society.

* The poet vividly and clearly depicts these hardships by illustrating the harshness of nature and the suffering of humanity through powerful imagery.

Question 4: If the last five lines of the poem were omitted, how would the meaning and emotional value of the poem change? Analyze the noble emotions expressed by the poet in the final part.

- In the last five lines, the poet expresses his hope for the future:

A grand house, with thousands of rooms, to shelter the poor scholars of the world. This is a practical and heartfelt wish from the poet.
To make this dream come true, he is willing to endure poverty alone.
=> This shows Du Fu’s spirit of compassion and his deep humanitarian heart.

II. Practice

In two sentences, summarize the main idea of the following passage about Du Fu’s "The Song of the Thatched Hut Destroyed by Autumn Winds":

Suggestion:

Through this poem, Du Fu not only expresses his own suffering but also that of the "poor scholars in the world." This highlights his deep patriotism and compassion for the people.