I learned many new things about the Vietnam war after watching the PBS documentary "American Experience: Vietnam War". The most shocking thing that I learned after the movie was that the Kennedy administration had actually supported the coup of Diem. I knew that by the end of Diem's rule the Kennedy administration was unhappy with his policy's, but I never thought they would go as far as backing a coup.
Robert Butler combines two narratives when he tells the story of the old Vietnamese man Dao. The first narrative is Dao talking to his old friend Ho chi Minh. Minh visits Dao at night during a time when it seems like Dao is near his death. They both talk about their past as young friends working in London. They both worked at the fancy Carlton Hotel where Minh was a pastry chef and Dao was a dishwasher. During their encounter it seems like Minh is having a difficult time trying to remember the recipes for the pastries he was in charge of back at the hotel. The overall style of this narrative makes it clear that Minh is not completely satisfied in the afterlife. Minh and Dao recall those carefree days where they talked about politics and religion. The second narrative ,which takes place in New Orleans, concerns Dao's current family. A local Vietnamese newspaper writer was shot while driving because he supported Vietnam and its communist regime. As Dao listens to the conversation of his son and grandson he becomes more and more concerned that they have something to do with the murder. They mention certain suspicious facts about the murder that makes Dao suspicious about their intentions. In the end Dao decides to let it go because he is already near death and he no longer is as involved in life as he was when he was younger. The two narratives connect and form the idea that Vietnamese people Will never be completely satisfied with their situation. Just like Minh is not satisfied and peaceful in the afterlife, Dao's family is clearly not happy either because they were involved in a murder for political reasons.
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I learned many new things about the Vietnam war after watching the PBS documentary "American Experience: Vietnam War". The most shocking thing that I learned after the movie was that the Kennedy administration had actually supported the coup of Diem. I knew that by the end of Diem's rule the Kennedy administration was unhappy with his policy's, but I never thought they would go as far as backing a coup.
ReplyDeleteRobert Butler combines two narratives when he tells the story of the Vietnamese man Dao. The first narrative is Dao talking to his old friend Ho chi Minh. Minh visits Dao at night during a time when it seems like Dao is near his death. They both talk about their past as young friends working in London. During their encounter it seems like Minh is having a difficult time trying to remember the recipes for the pastries he was in charge of baking back at the hotel. The overall style of this narrative makes it clear that Minh is not completely satisfied in the afterlife. I think Minh felt guilty about dying before the war was over. He felt like he abandoned his army before they accomplished their primary goal of independence. "There was the soft edge of yearning in his voice and I had the thought that perhaps he had come to me for some sort of help" (237). Minh visits with the hope of receiving help from Dao so he can rest peacefully. Dao cannot change the past, which is why I believe Minh is so troubled.
The second narrative ,which takes place in New Orleans, concerns Dao's current family. A local Vietnamese newspaper writer was shot because he supported Vietnam and its communist regime. As Dao listens to the conversation of his son and grandson he becomes more and more concerned that they have something to do with the murder. This narrative parallels the other one focused on Minh. Dao, not Minh, is troubled and cannot rest peacefully. Once again he sees his people fighting amongst themselves because of politics. I believe Minh is worried about the future of the Vietnamese. He sees this aggression and how similar it is to the politics of the Vietnam War. I believe Minh is afraid his people might forget the past. They already fought a brutal civil war, and Minh can recognize the murder as signs of agression, even years later. Like Minh, Dao cannot rest peacefully. Yet Dao decided that his life belongs in the past. He concludes that he is old now and should not concern himself with the politics of the future anymore. I think this whole second narrative shows the effect the Vietnam war had on an, essential peaceful people. It devastated them in such a large way that the effects can still be felt today.
*All these blog comments don't allow you to use Italics, I just put all titles in quotation marks.
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