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THOUGHTS OF HANOI
Nguyen Thi Vinh
Fern J. Jacoby
Far Rockaway High School
Far Rockaway, New York
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Nguyen Thi Vinh (1924), is a poetess who writes about Vietnam's
recent history- its decades of warfare during her lifetime. In
the early 1950's, she fled to the South and settled in Saigon,
now known as Ho Chi Minh City. Her literary accomplishments include
her novel Two Sisters published in 1953, and several books of
poetry.
In her poem, "Thoughts of Hanoi," students can sense
the bittersweet knowledge that those whom she considered childhood
friends are now her enemies. How is she able, or is she able,
to reconcile her feelings about these people?
Nguyen remained in Vietnam until 1983, when she immigrated to
Norway, where several members of her family had settled.
As the class reads the poem, the following question should be
posed-
AIM: How do our childhood memories often contrast with
our present situations?
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Look at the last 2 lines carefully. What is
the paradox the poetess presents to the reader? How can someone
be both, "my fiend," and "my foe"?
-
Why does the speaker say that the way back to
Hanoi is now "sliced"? Knowing what you do about recent
Vietnamese history, why is this word appropriate?
- What questions does the speaker ask about the present? About
the past? What are the answers to these questions, if any?
- Look carefully at lines 23-46. What images are presented? How
do they affect you, as the reader?
- What fear is expressed by the speaker?
- Who is the "Brother" that the speaker refers to? What
is their apparent relationship? While reading the poem, did you
think the speaker was male or female? Give reasons for your answer.
SUMMARY: 1. What overall attitude does this poem convey
about war, especially civil war?
2. A famous American novelist, Thomas Wolfe, once said we "Can't
go home again." After reading this poem, do you think this
quote has some truth in it? Why/why not?
3. How do you think the poetess would feel if she visited Hanoi
today? (Show pictures to the class).
HOMEWORK: Think about a place from your childhood that
you remember with fondness. How would you describe it so that
it actually comes alive to the reader? Submit your answer in essay
or poetic form. Add photos or drawings, if you can.
SOURCE: "Thoughts of Hanoi," by Nguyen Thi Vinh,
translated by Nguyen Ngoc Bich. Copyright 1975, The Asia Society.
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