MS Madagascar Plum

In "The Madagascar Plum", it is hard to follow the narrator because there is more than one narrator. Throughout the whole short story, the author writes from in the first person, however there is constantly someone else telling the story. The author is reliable, it is just that he's telling story from a different perspective.



The American Captain in the beginning of the story describes how his troops destroyed the town from where the girl who reminded him of the Madagascar plum was from. Even a long time after, he is suffering from drinking problems because of all the suffering he caused in that town. This does influence the reader because it creates a 'soft spot' in the reader toward the Americans. Even though he destroyed a whole town and executed a girl, the reader doesn't come to hate him. Therefore by adding the present feelings of the American Captain, it influences how the reader thinks about the story.



The little girl also influences the thoughts of the reader. The reader feels angry at the American captain for constantly threatening the girl. Also, I believe, the girls was mute because of something that happened to her when her town was under attack by the Americans. After, she doesn't speak or explain for days, possibly because she is unable too, and the 'guardians are missing, which is not her fault, she is executed.


The most important narrator is telling us all this while he is drinking and like other writers e.g. Bah Ninh evokes his memories and thoughts only after drinking.