Top 6 Thought-Provoking Essays on the Fate of Lão Hạc in the Short Story of the Same Name

Works addressing the lives of farmers before the August Revolution harshly criticize the decaying and corrupt society of the time, a society that relentlessly pushed innocent people into poverty and despair. At the same time, these stories also praise the admirable qualities of these individuals. Nam Cao's short story Lão Hạc is one of the most successful examples of this genre.

The very title of the story reveals that the protagonist is an old man. Indeed, the story tells of the life of a frail elderly man, burdened by loneliness, illness, and the torment of poverty. His wife passed away early, and he was left to raise his son alone, only for the son to eventually leave to work at a rubber plantation, unable to bear the hardships of their impoverished life.

With his family gone, Lão Hạc only had his golden dog for company, treating it like a child or grandchild, sharing his meager food and clothes with it, and confiding in it every day. But as life pushed him further into despair, he fell ill and could no longer work. To make matters worse, the village's economy collapsed, and the only option left was to sell the dog, as even one more mouth to feed was a burden. When he sold the dog, Lão Hạc hid his sorrow as best as he could, but his pain was undeniable. He smiled, but his eyes were filled with tears. His wrinkled face contorted with grief, revealing the depth of his love and sacrifice for his child. The sale of the dog symbolized the selflessness and compassion Lão Hạc displayed, even as his world fell apart.

Lão Hạc even entrusted his small garden to the village teacher, so that his son would have something to return to one day. His trust in the teacher was unwavering, as he believed that leaving his son a piece of land was more important than leaving him debts. This deep, selfless love for his son and his hope for a better future revealed a heartfelt and noble side to the impoverished old man.

The ending of the story is particularly poignant. Lão Hạc's death is not just the end of an old man's life, but the tragic culmination of a life full of suffering. The description of his final moments, struggling in pain on his deathbed, symbolizes the cruelty of the old feudal system. It’s a death that reflects the brokenness of the social structure that could only offer two options to someone like Lão Hạc: to live in dishonor or to die in despair. Through this, Nam Cao denounces the old regime, portraying a society so corrupt that it forced its victims into such a grim and tragic end.

Through Lão Hạc’s story, we gain a deeper understanding of the suffering of farmers in old society, as well as the enduring moral strength of individuals like Lão Hạc, whose dignity and humanity shone even in the darkest of times.

The critical realist literature from 1930 to 1945 is home to many outstanding prose writers. While each had their own unique style and subject matter, they all focused on depicting the character and fate of various classes of people during this period. When a nation falls into ruin, and people become slaves to poverty, their lives inevitably become a tale of suffering and torment. This is powerfully portrayed in Nam Cao's short story Lão Hạc.

Lão Hạc is a poor farmer, burdened by hardships but possessing an honest, kind heart full of love for his son. In a village where work is scarce and people are impoverished, elderly men like Lão Hạc suffer the most. Weak and frail, with no one to care for him in his old age, Lão Hạc's situation is further compounded by the absence of his son, who has been missing for years. Lão Hạc's illness worsens, and he lives out his final years in isolation, endlessly waiting for his son to return. This is the ultimate sorrow and agony for him. Spiritually and physically alone, Lão Hạc endures extreme poverty, surviving on roots, tubers, and whatever meager food he can scrape together, from wild fruits to herbs. He is worn down by sickness, longing, and the passage of time. It is the colonial feudal system that has reduced him to such a state, pushing him to the brink of moral decay, as he is forced to contemplate theft or dishonorable actions, such as those committed by Binh Tư. Despite being pushed to this ultimate limit, Lão Hạc refuses to compromise his integrity. He chooses to end his life rather than tarnish his honor. His death is tragic—his final moments are marked by painful convulsions and agony on his deathbed. The life of this peasant, from birth to death, is one of endless hardship, and Lão Hạc represents the epitome of this suffering.

Despite such dire circumstances, Lão Hạc never loses his inherent virtues. His honesty and simplicity shine through in everything he says and does. When speaking to the teacher, Lão Hạc humbly asks, “I beg of you, please accept this from me, an old man. I have no one else to turn to.” His sincerity, mixed with his trust in educated individuals, is evident. Lão Hạc’s heart is full of love for his son, and he refuses to use the money from selling the garden intended for his son’s future. His sorrow at his son’s inability to marry is immense. Though poor and lonely, Lão Hạc’s thoughts are always on his child, day and night. His love for his son even extends to his beloved dog, whom he treats as a family member, bathing it, feeding it from the same bowl, and sharing his every thought with it. When he sells the dog, his tears flow freely, much like when he had to say goodbye to his son. Selling the dog symbolizes his final separation from his son, and in this act, he abandons any hope of seeing his child again.

Through Lão Hạc’s character, we see that even under the oppressive colonial and feudal system, the suffering of peasants did not strip away their fundamental goodness, simplicity, and compassion.

A true literary work must transcend boundaries and limitations; it should embody both greatness and suffering, celebrating love, kindness, and justice, bringing people closer together. Nam Cao’s short stories, saturated with humanity, are just such works. One of his finest stories is 'Lao Hac.' Through the character and fate of Lao Hac, the story leaves readers with deep reflections on the tragic circumstances and noble qualities of the Vietnamese peasant before the August Revolution.

Lao Hac is an elderly farmer who lives alone, raising his child by himself. His house is modest, and the only asset he has is a small piece of land to pass on to his son. Lao Hac’s son had fallen in love with a local girl and wished to marry her, but due to their poor circumstances, he had to leave home to work at a rubber plantation, leaving his father behind to live in solitude, yearning for his child. Lao Hac worked hard as a farm laborer, cultivating the land and raising his son. Now, at an old age, he is left to struggle alone, a truly pitiful situation.

Despite his lonely existence, Lao Hac shines with the noble character of a Vietnamese peasant. He is a gentle, humble farmer who, despite his poverty, never compromises his dignity or integrity. He is poor but maintains his moral values and compassion. When his son left for the rubber plantation, Lao Hac kept the dog, Cậu Vàng, which his son considered a part of the family. Lao Hac suffered deeply when he had to sell Cậu Vàng. His sorrow was intense, and he was heartbroken as he watched his beloved dog being sold, 'Lao Hac’s eyes were filled with tears, and he felt suffocated as if someone was squeezing his chest.' Only a person with deep emotional ties could feel this way about a dog. Furthermore, even in his dire circumstances, Lao Hac would never seek help or rely on others. He saved what little money he had and kept his land for his son, refusing to touch it even when he was sick and starving. Lao Hac is a symbol of selflessness, love, and sacrifice for his child. Even when he decided to end his life to preserve the money, he did so without hesitation. Lao Hac died by eating dog poison from Binh Tư, to avoid touching the money meant for his son, and perhaps to atone for the sale of Cậu Vàng. His death was painful and brutal, but it was also a final act of preserving his honor and dignity. Ironically, his death led others to mistakenly believe he poisoned the dog himself. This serves as a reminder from Nam Cao that we must look beyond appearances and exercise empathy and understanding when interpreting complex human lives.

Through the portrayal of Lao Hac, Nam Cao conveys profound messages about life, philosophy, and the world view. He expresses deep sympathy for the fate of the peasants of that time and praises their noble qualities. Though they may be close to the dirt, they are not tainted by it.

In the context of Vietnamese realistic literature from the 1930s to 1945, if Ngô Tất Tố is seen as the founder of this genre, then Nam Cao is undoubtedly the one who brought it to its artistic peak. A key factor in Nam Cao's success is his masterpiece "Lão Hạc," which vividly portrays the image of a peasant with an unfortunate fate, yet still shining with admirable qualities.

In the first half of the 20th century, French colonialists had nearly completed their first phase of exploiting Vietnam's colonies. Vietnamese society was in turmoil, divided into many social classes, with the peasants suffering the most. Rural life was overshadowed by hunger, the search for food, and tears. Amidst these cries of injustice that “reached no heaven,” Nam Cao took up his pen to express the heartache and feelings of countless people at the time. The story “Lão Hạc” was born from this situation. The character Lão Hạc is portrayed through the perspective and empathy of the teacher character.

First and foremost, Lão Hạc is presented with a tragic fate, a life marked by hardship. Like many other peasants, Lão Hạc's life is engulfed in poverty. He has no land to till, and his only possessions are a dog and a small garden. However, this garden is barren, and the crops it produces are barely enough to sustain him. Therefore, he must work as a laborer, exchanging his physical strength for a meager living. As time goes on, Lão Hạc's situation grows more dire. After a long illness lasting nearly two months, Lão Hạc is left weak and penniless. He has no work, and a storm devastates his crops, while the price of rice continues to rise. Poverty and hunger continue to haunt him until he utters, “My life is barely better than that of a dog.”

Not only is he poor, but Lão Hạc's life is also marred by misfortune. His wife died young, and he was left to raise his only son alone. But even this bond was eventually broken. It was poverty that prevented Lão Hạc from providing for his son’s future. Unable to afford a proper marriage for his son, the boy eventually left for a rubber plantation. Poverty had taken away his only son. With tears in his eyes, Lão Hạc said to the teacher, “His card is with them, his photo has been taken, and he has taken their money. He belongs to them now, not to me anymore.” This heartbreaking line encapsulates a lifetime of suffering in the old society. His son’s departure left Lão Hạc alone in his sorrow, with only his dog, Vàng, for company. However, his dire circumstances eventually forced him to part with the dog, the last source of comfort in his life. This may have been the most painful moment of Lão Hạc’s life. Yet, misfortune did not stop there. After days of eating sweet potatoes, bananas, and boiled fruits, Lão Hạc's life became more and more hopeless. Eventually, he took his own life by poisoning himself with dog poison. His death was violent and tragic: “Lão Hạc was struggling on his bed, his hair disheveled, his clothes torn, his eyes bloodshot. He was howling, foam at his mouth, his body shaking violently every few seconds. Two strong men had to sit on top of him. He struggled for two hours before he died.” Lão Hạc had reached the peak of his suffering. It was poverty that drove him to an unprecedentedly horrific death. In this brief description, the author vividly captures the life of a peasant caught in a cycle of poverty, humiliation, and despair. At present, Lão Hạc’s situation is desperate, and his future is shrouded in darkness. Is there anything more painful, more grim, than what these peasants of the past had to endure?

Despite his dire circumstances and unfortunate fate, it is in this desolate life that we see the shining beauty of the peasant’s soul and noble character. Lão Hạc is a father who deeply loves his son. When he could not afford to marry his son, “Lão Hạc loved him dearly, but what could he do?” This is the helpless love of a poor father. Later, his son, feeling despondent, left for the rubber plantation. Once again, the father felt the pain of losing his son, “I can only cry; what else can I do?” This is the cry of a parent unable to keep his child. When his son left, Lão Hạc even gave up his claim to the land, thinking, “The garden that his mother bought is for him to enjoy.” When he had nothing left, Lão Hạc still thought of his son, saying, “Spending a single cent is spending his money. If I spend too much, I might kill him.” For his son, Lão Hạc sold his cherished dog, Vàng, his only companion. Ultimately, he chose to end his life with dog poison to preserve his son's happiness. Though uneducated and illiterate, Lão Hạc's violent death stands as a poignant testament to the pure, simple, and sacred love of a father.

Not only is Lão Hạc a father who loves his son, but he is also a humble, kind-hearted peasant. His affection for Vàng, the dog, is recorded in moving words. Lão Hạc treats the dog like a child, calling it “Cậu Vàng” and caring for it as a beloved pet. He bathes it, combs it, and scolds it affectionately. He sees it as a companion and friend. However, when he is forced to sell the dog, Lão Hạc sinks into the depths of tragedy. His conscience tortures him, and he cries for betraying the dog: “At my age, I have tricked a dog.” Only someone with a truly compassionate and pure heart could feel such deep remorse.

Remarkably, despite being a poor peasant, Lão Hạc still retains his sense of dignity. Even when faced with relentless hunger and meager meals, Lão Hạc refuses the teacher’s help with a sense of pride. When he had some money left, he entrusted it to the teacher, intending to use it for his funeral, not wanting to burden his neighbors. His sense of dignity forbade him from troubling others. In the end, Lão Hạc chose to end his life rather than live in shame. His dignity prevented him from compromising his conscience: “Hunger makes you clean, rags make you fragrant.” While not as powerfully defiant as other characters like Chí Phèo or Tí, Lão Hạc’s inner struggle and ultimate resistance to violating his own principles represent the most intense battle of all. Hunger is terrible, but to sacrifice one’s dignity for it is far worse. Lão Hạc chose death to preserve his integrity, while so many others had succumbed to the lure of food, like Chí Phèo, Binh Tư, or Tí. This is the hidden beauty within the poor peasantry.

Through this character, Nam Cao successfully depicts the inner world of Lão Hạc, using vivid psychological portrayal and capturing complex, contradictory states of mind. Nam Cao's innovation lies in his use of Western techniques in character development, creating characters who possess conflicting qualities. The character of Lão Hạc is explored from multiple angles. Nam Cao also impresses readers with his unique use of nonlinear storytelling. Through Lão Hạc’s character, Nam Cao highlights the tragic fates of peasants in the old society, whose misery stems from the rot and injustice of that society. Yet, even in such circumstances, they continue to embody the essence of what it means to be human. Though they never read sacred texts or went to school, their lives and their noble qualities serve as the most moving and complete testament to human dignity. Nam Cao’s work reflects a deep respect for, and belief in, the peasantry, embodying the realistic and humanitarian values of the story.

Today, poverty and suffering have passed into history. However, each time we read “Lão Hạc,” we are reminded of the pain of our ancestors and our renewed hope for a better life.