Blog 2

In Anh Hung Tran’s film, The Scent of Green Papaya, symbolism is used to illustrate the lives of the Vietnamese during the 1950’s and 1960’s while also showing the impact of the war. Despite the lack of dialogue, the director of the film conveys different themes through the use of cinematography and by emphasizing different aspects of the film. Nature plays a large role in the film, shown through insects, trees, and the natural world that surrounds Mui, the servant to the family. Mui shows great respect to nature, symbolizing that of the Vietnamese people. The young boys that live in the house treat Mui poorly and also hold an opposite view of nature. The youngest boy, and most ruthless to Mui, enjoys killing lizards and performing other acts that degrade nature. The middle child in the house also commits acts of hatred and destruction towards nature. Mui, representing the Vietnamese people, and the young boys, representing the colonization of Vietnam throughout the war, show the impact of the war on the nation. Instances of symbolism affecting nature are evident when the young boy pours hot wax onto ants. Camera focus is used to highlight these moments, often times focusing in or pausing on the scene. This is symbolic of the way the Vietnamese were often incinerated from above through the use of napalm bombs. Crickets were kept locked up in a cage, just as Vietnamese villagers were kept in strategic hamlets that were similar to prison and did not allow them to live their lives freely. In another scene, two fish were in a small bowl with shallow water, struggling to stay alive, just as the Vietnamese struggled during the war. The sounds of planes flying above remind the viewer of the time period and what is occurring that has an impact on the family. The lives of the family are symbolic of the Vietnamese struggle during the war. Despite good reasoning by some, the family still falls apart when the father steals all of the family’s money and then he dies, just as the Vietnam War did for the Americans. Another reminder of the time period during the film is the family’s struggle to get food. The quality of the food received is mentioned when the rice is considered good. Subtle reminders such as the food quality and the sound of planes flying over help the viewer discover symbolism in the film. The male female relationship is also a noticeable theme in the film. Despite women having the majority of the dialogue, men have the greatest impact on the film. The men’s impact is seen through the husband’s actions towards the family and the distress that the young men have on Mui. Mui also falls in love with an engaged man, raising her to another social class. Through the use of symbolism in nature, cinematography emphasizing nature, and Vietnamese social situations, connections to the people of Vietnam and the war can be made.