As the close of the memoir approaches. a shift in outlook begins to emerge from hopelessness to one of renewed hope. The biracial and capitalist prejudice left Kien and his family ostracized, may now offer them a chance of freedom in America. His being Amerasian will give the family a chance at new life. What had to be endured to reach this opportunity can be shown through the description of Kien's mother's hands. Once beautiful and fair, now aged hardened, and wrinkled. Hands that have experienced decay and hardship. Loan's jade and kindness allow the promise of the family's escape and remind the reader that beneath the atrocity of the Vietcong Regime, a small seed-like act of kindness remained.
By Cassandra V.
This ending of the memoir is close to my favorite quote; about how Kien first wrote this memoir for his own personal reasons, but then he had it published to share the story of childhood trauma and the struggle to find hope in a cruel world that many other Amerisans like him had to endure. He believed his memoirs would spread hope to those who have none.
ReplyDeleteBy William H.
The depiction of Khuon's hand and the loss of her beauty is stunning. From the beginning of the novel, her hands are one of her prized possessions. She loves and sacrifices for her children through the memoir. In the end, she sacrifices her beautiful hands to give her children a chance to live in the United States of America. The necklace, Khuon's hands, her jewlery and all the mementos Kien gains is a piece in his puzzle.
ReplyDeleteIvan R.
This drawing was incredibly insightful. The way you describe her hands and the physical changes they have undergone is really splendid. Khoun’s love for her children is evident by the way she sacrifices herself and her well-being. There is nothing that she would not do to provide for her children. Loan’s necklace allowed them to escape and gave them that extra push that they needed.
ReplyDeleteI think you made a strong point indicating how Kien’s biracial origins were the reason for him being discriminated against by his classmates at school, community, his extended family, and country. But now his biracial identity provided a way for him to escape the communist regime of Vietnam and finally travel to the United States. I think the shift in the novel towards hope is portrayed by Kien’s ability to persevere even through the most trying of circumstances, which allows for his family to have a better future. At the end of the novel as he is trying to get the last signature from the Vietnamese official we really get a sense of his desperation and also his faith despite the uncertainty. He chooses to walk out of the office without the signature and leaves with hope that they will let him get out of the country.
ReplyDelete-Karen S.
The analysis that freedom comes with a price can display as evidence that life is a game of chance. Kien and his family sometimes have good luck and sometimes suffer without it. There seems to be worse than good surrounding the ideologies in what it means to have luck. I think the jade toward the end of the memoir really supports the actions needing to be done in order to reach a certain hope. Everything happening for a reason needed to in order for the family to be able to have such freedom. The imagery of hands is something I never would have thought about the novel but it makes perfect sense looking back at the family during the time of their westernized lifestyle to the time of their shattered poor communist life.
ReplyDeleteBy Sarah R.
I like the parallelism depiction between the ticket and its keywords descriptions in front. In order for Kien and his family (Khuon, Jimmy and BeTi) to obtain the pass towards freedom, they had to experienced those keywords written on the ticket. I really like Loan’s jade residing next to the keywords Cassandra, it is what gave Khuon and her children the extra currency and facilitation their departure to the States –and yes, Loan’s selfless contribution aided the family’s escape. It saddens me seeing Khuon’s aged and wrinkled hand. It’s a stark contrast to when her hand presented itself with youth and flamboyant colored nails. However, I am delighted (me da orgullo) that her wrinkled hand now represents diligence, perseverance, and adaptability.
ReplyDeleteNelson M.