Share your standout thoughts on Nam Cao's short story, Old Hạc.

Prompt: Share your standout thoughts on the short story of Old Hạc

Explore 3 sample essays expressing standout thoughts on Nam Cao's short story, Old Hạc.

Sample Essay 1: Expressing Outstanding Thoughts on the Short Story of Old Hạc

We've encountered stories like Old Hạc, The Interrupted Light, and undoubtedly, few among us haven't marveled at the artistic talent of Nam Cao or Ngô Tất Tố. Personally, despite reading Nam Cao's short story Old Hạc numerous times, it seems I always discover something intriguing. It captivates and stirs me, evoking feelings of resentment at times and at others, reminiscing about affection.

Old Hạc is a manifestation of elevated human compassion. It is love, praise, and deep respect for the toiling individuals by Nam Cao. Similar to Ngô Tất Tố and many writers of that era, Nam Cao crafted an image of pre-revolution Vietnamese farmers with admirable qualities: diligence, industriousness, rich in love, and laden with a spirit of sacrifice.

Before the revolution, Nam Cao passionately explored the life and character of farmers. In his works, the environment and living conditions of the main characters are often intertwined with poverty, hunger, and societal prejudices deeply rooted in the perceptions of rural people.

Old Hạc, too, lived in perpetual poverty and hunger. He dedicated almost his entire life to raising his son, never once thinking about himself. Old Hạc felt boundless compassion for his son: compassion when his son couldn't find a wife due to our impoverished status, compassion when his son had to leave the village and hometown to pursue dreams of wealth amidst the wilderness. Reading the story, we also witness Old Hạc's agonizing sacrifice when he had to sell Golden, his son's only cherished possession. Without selling, how would he provide for its livelihood? Life grew increasingly challenging. Eventually, faced with his own aging body, Old Hạc couldn't hold on. He ate banana roots, surviving on boiled water chestnuts. Yet, he thought, he 'should not' continue living. To live further would mean exhausting all the savings for his son. Thus, it's a heartbreaking tale! Old Hạc had to 'arrange' his own death. The lives of our pre-revolutionary farmers were stifling, almost breathless. Witnessing that reality, we feel pain, sorrow, and an intense hatred for the landlords and cruel imperialists.

Old Hạc dies. His death illuminates the noble qualities of a peasant. It elicits both sympathy and admiration for a character rich in self-respect. Even in death, Old Hạc resolved not to burden his neighbors. His death stands as an indictment of an inhumane society—a hybrid product of feudalism and imperialism.

Reading Old Hạc, one realizes it's not just Old Hạc suffering. People like Binh Tư, impoverished and forced into a life of theft due to poverty. He is a teacher, an intellectual brimming with knowledge but unable to escape the pressures of a tattered family, hunger, and deprivation. Poverty compelled the teacher to painfully sell his priceless books. But what good are those books when sold for a few meals? It turns out, everyone in the story is Old Hạc. Old Hạc had to endure and die first. How long can the others hold out?

In the work Old Hạc, we witness the writer's belief in the inherent goodness and optimism of humanity. However, more importantly, the author conveys a poignant message, sounding like a cry to rescue humanity. From the depth of ideological content, the work emphasizes the urgency and imperative need for a complete change in the living environment to save the genuine and beautiful values of humanity.

Old Hạc provides us with a glimpse into the past to appreciate life today even more. It teaches us that life is not just a struggle for survival but also a battle to preserve human dignity.

After having Expressed the standout thoughts on the short story of Old Hạc, you can delve into Narrating about Old Hạc, Binh Tư argues that the old man is not all that great. Write a paragraph expressing your opinion or refer to Analyze the character of Old Hạc in the work of the same name to reinforce your knowledge.

Sample Essay 2: Expressing Outstanding Thoughts on the Short Story of Old Hạc

In my middle school program, the short story that left the most lasting impression on me is 'Old Hạc' by the writer Nam Cao. After finishing the short story, I felt deep sympathy for the situation of Old Hạc and compassion for Golden. Old Hạc epitomizes the simple, kind-hearted peasant, pre-August Revolution.

The short story 'Old Hạc,' written by Nam Cao in 1943, has been highly praised for its realistic portrayal of pre-August Revolution society.

The narrative revolves around Mr. Old - Old Hạc, a simple and gentle farmer. Old Hạc is a widower with a son working in a rubber plantation to earn a living. The old man lives by gardening, a plot that his late wife worked hard to buy and left for his son. Life becomes increasingly difficult for Old Hạc, who keeps a dog named Golden, left by his son before going to work in the rubber plantation. Old Hạc regards Golden as a companion, sharing hardships together. Realizing he can no longer afford to feed himself and Golden, Old Hạc decides to sell his beloved dog. He agonizes over the decision, shedding many tears. After these events, he chooses to take his own life.

Old Hạc is an embodiment of the pre-August Revolution peasant, pushed to the brink, ultimately choosing death for personal liberation. In the face of Old Hạc's unfortunate fate, the storyteller - Mr. Teacher, the witness, represents society's perspective on humanity.

The death of Old Hạc is the ultimate expression of self-sacrifice, a way for individuals to liberate themselves when pushed to the extreme. Extreme circumstances, hunger, drove him to death as a form of release. His death is full of bitterness and compassion, reflecting the tragic and stagnant fate of the poor in a society full of unjust oppression.

Reading 'Old Hạc' is a clear and accurate reflection of reality. The death of Old Hạc and Golden is equally poignant. Golden is not just a role in the story; he is a family member to Old Hạc. Losing Golden is like losing a loved one. Golden and his death leave a haunting impression on readers.

Through the short story 'Old Hạc,' we gain some understanding of the plight of peasants before the August Revolution: a life of hardship, poverty, and no way out. 'Old Hạc' leaves a lasting impact. Even though Nam Cao has been gone for a long time, his works reflect a powerful intensity. Reading 'Old Hạc,' we clearly see the fate of those in extreme suffering before the August Revolution. Faced with extreme hardships, human beings must empathize, support, and love each other in life. Upholding human values and virtues is the way to unite people in overcoming all difficulties and hardships.

Sample 3: Expressing the most notable thoughts on the short story 'Old Hạc'

Nam Cao, a renowned Vietnamese writer, has contributed numerous notable works to the country's literature. The short story 'Old Hạc' is one such piece that vividly portrays the hardships of the peasants in poverty, misery, and desperation, ultimately leading to the path of death. Old Hạc becomes the embodiment of this struggle.

Old Hạc, born into the life of a poor and destitute farmer, becomes a widower. Difficult circumstances force him to send his son away to work on a rubber plantation, leaving Old Hạc with only one companion – a dog his son bought.

Old Hạc loves the dog dearly, providing it with everything despite his own impoverished state. However, facing extreme poverty, he can barely find enough for himself, let alone for the dog. In the end, he decides to sell the dog, a choice that burdens him with guilt.

As life becomes increasingly challenging, Old Hạc decides it's not worth living. He takes his own life, leaving the saved money for his son and the piece of land he managed to hold onto. Old Hạc orchestrates his own death – a liberating end, reflecting the shared plight of poor, oppressed farmers pushed to the brink.

In his final moments, the character Old Hạc maintains his dignity and morality, refusing to let a lifetime of poverty tarnish his noble reputation. His death becomes the focal point of the narrative, illuminating the lofty humanistic spirit that perseveres in the face of adversity, earning even greater admiration for the resilience of a poor farmer.

The work 'Old Hạc' leaves readers deeply moved and choked up by the portrayal of an elderly peasant who, even in death, upholds his integrity. The image of the educated teacher unable to find a solution to escape a life of exploitation, the constant worry about food and basic necessities – all characters in the story evoke immense sympathy. Their fates are entangled in a dire and oppressive reality.

The author provides readers with a genuine and profound insight into the lives of the impoverished in the ancient society, offering a profound perspective on human existence by Nam Cao.