Vietnam: What are the 04+ sample essays analyzing the characteristics of a literary character that you have a deep impression of?
What are the 04+ sample essays analyzing the characteristics of a literary character that you have a deep impression of?
Students can refer to the following sample essays analyzing the characteristics of a literary character:
Character Tam
In the treasure of Vietnamese folklore, there are many good fairy tales that leave deep and meaningful lessons. The story "Tấm Cám" is one such work, where the character Tam is emblematic of the beauty of Vietnamese women, who are beautiful both in appearance and virtue. Despite living in difficult circumstances, she maintained her gentle, capable character, which ultimately led her to happiness.
Tam is built up as an orphaned girl who has to live with her stepmother and stepsister. Tam is forced to work hard and is treated unfairly. Her circumstances are representative of the typical stepchild in fairy tales. Despite this, Tam embodies kindness and diligence. She represents goodness and beauty in the working class. Her image as a gentle, hardworking girl contrasts with the injustices inflicted by her stepmother and stepsister. Tam had to toil away while Cam was spoiled. The basket of shrimps that Tam caught through hard work was seized by Cam, who stole Tam's labor results. Even when the village held a festival, Tam obediently followed her stepmother's instructions without protest and did not dare escape. Nonetheless, her kind nature was assisted by a fairy, and despite becoming a queen, Tam was repeatedly harmed by Cam's family. Her royal position and wealth were not enough to protect her from the wicked plots of her stepmother. Tam had to die and be reborn multiple times, transforming into a golden bird, then a soapberry tree, or taking form in a loom and finally emerging from a persimmon to become a person again. Tam continuously fought fiercely, transforming and rebirthing to strive for life and happiness.
Tam's beautiful image helps us understand the lives of workers in the old society. These individuals were voiceless and trampled under unfairness, without the right to express their voices. Therefore, they placed their dreams and hopes for a better, happier life into fairy tales, which acted as vessels of aspiration from ancient folklore.
Character Lao Hac
Nam Cao is an exceptional realist writer who always shows deep empathy for the plight of the poor in the old society. In the short story "Lão Hạc", the titular character leaves a deep impression on readers with his gentle demeanor, strong self-respect but enduring much suffering.
Lao Hac is a poor farmer living alone in a small house in the countryside. His wife passed away early, and his son left to work at a rubber plantation due to poverty. Lao lived in solitude, with only his dog Vang as a companion. His life was extremely difficult, with deteriorating health, failed crops, and a nearly despairing life.
What creates the beauty of Lao Hac's soul is his boundless love for his son. Despite living in poverty, he insisted on preserving their garden for his son to have capital in the future. This sacrifice becomes noble when he accepts a miserable life, eating banana roots, wild vegetables, and boiled figs to save money.
However, Lao Hac's greatest tragedy is having to sell Vang, his closest friend. He cried like a child, tormenting himself with the feeling of betrayal towards the little dog. This act demonstrates his immense compassion, even if it is for an animal.
The most touching part for readers is Lao Hac's painful death. Not wanting to burden his neighbors or live off the help of the teacher or Binh Tu, he chose to commit suicide with dog poison. This death is proof of the self-respect and dignified character of a poor farmer full of dignity.
Lao Hac is one of the typical images of farmers before the August Revolution. Through Lao Hac's tragic fate, Nam Cao not only condemns the unjust feudal society but also expresses deep sympathy for the poor. Lao Hac becomes a symbol of self-respect, love, and noble sacrifice, leaving readers with much sorrow and reflection.
Character Johnsy
O Henry, an American writer famous for his short stories about the impoverished, misfortunate people, presents a deeply impressive character in Johnsy from the short story "The Last Leaf." Johnsy evokes in us emotions that are hard to describe, simultaneously pitiful and frustrating, worthy of criticism but also admiration.
Living amid bustling Washington D.C., the capital of one of the world's wealthiest and most developed countries, there are numerous dire and unfortunate circumstances. Johnsy is one of them, a young free painter renting a room while making meager earnings from her artwork. Her difficult life became even harder when she suffered from pneumonia. Given her condition, she had no thoughts of recovery in this city, as illness and poverty left her deeply despondent, unwilling to prolong such a life. We sense her frail health: "vacant eyes," "faintly giving orders," yet more fragile is her will to live. Johnsy placed her life’s fate on a small ivy leaf, reasoning that when it fell, her life would end. Despite dear sister Sue’s care and constant encouragement, Johnsy lingered in thoughts of awaiting death with a withered soul, ready for the mysterious distant journey. Johnsy and the ivy leaf were akin to each other, with the bond between the leaf and its branch weakening just like the ties binding Johnsy to friendships, life, and the world. Her thoughts and spirit provoke sympathy and warrant censure, yet through Mr. Behrman's masterpiece—the "Last Leaf" on his wall—Johnsy's soul was saved. The masterpiece came at the cost of Mr. Behrman's life, painted amidst a stormy, windy night resulting in his pneumonia and subsequent death two days later. Seeing the last leaf standing steadfast despite the storm, sparked a positive transformation in Johnsy, prompting her realization: "I'm a bad girl," and "wanting to die is a sin." In that moment, she regained her spirits, eager to eat, to sit up and observe everything, to paint Naples, and most importantly, she wanted to live. Previously, we witnessed a Johnsy resigned to death, yet suddenly, she emerged as a Johnsy full of life and determination to overcome illness. While she may not be cured yet, her spirit was fully revitalized. Johnsy's vitality is resilient, much like the enduring ivy leaf Mr. Behrman left behind. Her transformation commands admiration, prompting us to learn from it.
O Henry has excelled in depicting the psychological developments of Johnsy, thoroughly and profoundly capturing the full spectrum of emotions, thoughts, and transformations she experiences. Johnsy transcends her abyss of despair, poised for death, only to leap into a space filled with hope for life, creativity, and the realization of her dreams.
Character Chi Dau
In the realm of realistic Vietnamese literature before the August Revolution, "Tắt đèn" by Ngo Tat To stands as a quintessential work reflecting the oppressed lives of farmers. The character Chi Dau—a poor, yet strong, loving, and self-respecting woman—imprints deeply on readers' minds.
Chi Dau is a poor peasant woman living amidst the destitution of colonial feudal society. Her family was already struggling, worsened by the heavy tax burdens. To rescue her husband from capture and beating, she had to sell her children and dog, and borrow money everywhere to pay the taxes. This alone demonstrates her profound love for her husband and children.
However, Chi Dau is not only loving, but also possesses extraordinary strength. When her husband is taken by the tax collector and village official, despite enduring patiently, she is pushed to the breaking point. Her declaration, “You tie up my husband, I'll show you,” followed by her uprising to fend them off, encapsulates the image of a woman daring to stand against tyranny to protect her family.
Despite her moments of fierce resistance, her fate could not escape the cruel cycle of injustice. After her relentless efforts to protect her husband, she once again found herself in despair—having to flee oppression. Chi Dau's story was not just her tragedy but echoed the collective voice of impoverished farmers of the era.
Through Chi Dau, Ngo Tat To not only mirrors the brutal reality of society but also glorifies the magnificence of Vietnamese women: loving, powerful, and brimming with self-respect. Chi Dau is a symbolic representation of farmer's plights under a cruel feudal system.
Note: Information is for reference only!
What are the 04+ sample essays analyzing the characteristics of a literary character that you have a deep impression of? (Image from the Internet)
What Vietnamese knowledge does the 7th-grade Literature curriculum cover?
Under the General Education Program for Literature issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the 7th-grade Literature curriculum covers the following Vietnamese knowledge:
1.1. Idioms and Proverbs: characteristics and functions
1.2. Terminology: characteristics and functions
1.3. The meaning of some common Sino-Vietnamese elements (e.g., quốc, gia) and the meanings of words containing those elements (e.g., quốc thể, gia cảnh)
1.4. Context and the meaning of words within context
2.1. Numerals, adverbs: characteristics and functions
2.2. The main components and adverbial clauses in a sentence: expanding main components and adverbial clauses with phrases
2.3. The usage of ellipses (cooperating with commas, indicating many similar objects and phenomena not fully listed; expressing incomplete or hesitant speech; extending rhythm in texts; preparing for the appearance of surprising or humorous, satirical content)
3.1. Rhetorical devices of hyperbole, understatement, euphemism: characteristics and effects
3.2. Text coherence and cohesion: characteristics and functions
3.3. Document types and genres
- Narrative text: a narrative essay recounting true events related to historical characters and events
- Expressive text: an expressive essay; four-line, five-line poems; prose capturing emotions after reading a four-line or five-line poem.
- Argumentative text: the relationship between opinions, arguments, and evidence; argumentative essay on an issue in life; an analysis essay on a literary work
- Informational text: Footnotes and references; a description essay explaining a rule or regulation in a game or activity; a report; summarizing texts of various lengths
4.1. Regional languages: understanding and appreciating the differences in language across regions
4.2. Non-verbal communication means: images, statistics
How many regular assessments will 7th-grade students in Vietnam undergo in Literature?
Under Article 6 of Circular 22/2021/TT-BGDDT, the regulations are as follows:
Regular assessment
1. Regular assessment shall be conducted via: ask – answer, provide presentation, practice, experiment, produce learning products.
2. In each subject, each student shall be examined and assessed multiple times where several examinations and assessment satisfactory to teaching progress as per education plans of specialized departments are selected and the results thereof are recorded in student monitor and assessment record (by classes) in order to assess learning results of a subject according to Clause 1 Article 9 hereof as follows:
a) For subjects where assessment is conducted via feedback (does not include learning topics): choose twice each semester.
b) For subjects where assessment is conducted via both feedback and scores (does not include learning topics), choose regular assessment scores (hereinafter referred to as “DDGtx”) in each semester as follows:
- Subjects that have 35 lessons/school year: 2 DDGtx.
- Subjects that have from more than 35 lessons/school year to 70 lessons/school year: 3 DDGtx.
- Subjects that have more than 70 lessons/school year: 4 DDGtx.
...
Thus, since the 7th-grade Literature is a subject with more than 70 lessons per school year, there will be 4 regular assessments.
