Vietnam: What is the sample analysis of the poem "Floating Cake/Bánh trôi nước" for 7th-grade students? How many types of texts are 7th-grade students taught in the Literature curriculum?

What is the sample analysis of the poem "Floating Cake/Bánh trôi nước" for 7th-grade students in Vietnam?

The poem "Floating Cake/Bánh trôi nước" by Ho Xuan Huong is a brief yet rich piece that reflects the image of women in feudal society, conveying their strong desire to live and their noble qualities. To effectively analyze the poem "Floating Cake," it is necessary to focus on its content, artistry, and ideological value.

Below is a sample analysis of the poem "Floating Cake/Bánh trôi nước" for 7th-grade students in Vietnam:

We are living in a world full of happiness, a world with equality across races and all social classes. But, do any of us know that in ancient societies, women had to endure a fixed, wrongful belief in "favoring men over women"? Living in such conditions and sharing the fate of women, Ho Xuan Huong wrote the work "Floating Cake/Bánh trôi nước"

The poem describes the image of a floating cake but essentially speaks about the beauty and fate of women:

"My body is both white and round"

"Thân em vừa trắng lại vừa tròn"

The author uses the familiar folk motif "Thân em" to allow women to transform into lovable, rustic floating cakes. Implicitly, it praises the beauty of women, turning them into the most beautiful, splendid, and fresh flowers of life. It makes this life more beautiful and colorful.

"Six times floating, three times sinking with the mountains and rivers"

"Bảy nổi ba chìm với nước non"

The idiom "bảy nổi ba chìm" (seven ups and three downs) is skillfully applied to evoke the fate of Vietnamese women in the old feudal society. It expresses Ho Xuan Huong's deep compassion for the uncertain, drifting fate of women, left at the mercy of fate. I ask myself: "Why does a beautiful woman have to endure such a life, never living in joy and happiness?" Why do big, strong men impose such struggles and assign those burdens upon small, fragile women?

"Shape retained to the squeezers’ hands"

"Rắn nát mặc dầu tay kẻ nặn"

The author uses an economic measure: inversion. It highlights that women must live independently. "At home, follow the father; married, follow the husband; husband deceased, follow the son." At home, they depend on their father, doing whatever he commands without daring to defy, and when married, they must serve their husband, not daring to err. When their husband dies, they live depending on their children. How can such a senseless notion exist in this world? When will they have an independent life of their own? They must endure so much pain to withstand such unjust principles.

"Yet, I still retain a true heart"

"Mà em vẫn giữ tấm lòng son"

The proud, determined voice expresses perseverance and resilience. "A true heart" symbolizes the steadfastness, faithfulness, and hard-working nature of Vietnamese women towards their husbands, children, and everyone, even though life is unfair. The verse expresses pride and strongly reflects Ho Xuan Huong's personality: compassion for women, and indignation towards their husbands.

The poem talks about Vietnamese women in the past through the image of a floating cake – a folk dish using simple, vernacular language. The seven-word quatrain form is completely Vietnamese. The poetry of Ho Xuan Huong is rich in meaning, showcasing her style. The poem expresses both empathy and pride for the fate and status of Vietnamese women and holds distinct humanistic values. The authors writes with great affection and pride for the Vietnamese cultural identity.

Note: Content for reference only!

What is the sample analysis of the poem "Floating Cake/Bánh trôi nước" for 7th-grade students? How many types of texts are 7th-grade students in Vietnam taught in the Literature curriculum? (Image from the Internet)

How many types of texts are 7th-grade students in Vietnam taught in the Literature curriculum?

Under Section 5 of the General Education Program for Literature issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the Vietnamese knowledge that 7th-grade students learn includes four types of texts as follows:

- Narrative text: a piece recounting true events related to characters and historical events.

- Expressive text: an expressive essay; four-syllable, five-syllable poems; paragraphs recording feelings after reading a four or five-syllable poem.

- Argumentative text: the relationship between opinion, reasoning, and evidence; an argumentative essay on a life issue; an analysis of a literary work.

- Informational text: Footnotes and references; explanatory texts to explain a rule or law in a game or activity; report text; summary text with varying lengths.

What learning outcomes are required for reading comprehension of literary texts by 7th-grade students in Vietnam?

Under Section 5 of the General Education Program for Literature issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the learning outcomes required for reading comprehension of literary texts by 7th-grade students in Vietnam are as follows:

- State the overall impression of the text; identify representative details, themes, stories, characters within the integrity of the work.

- Recognize the theme and message the text wishes to convey to the reader.

- Identify the sentiments and emotions of the writer through the language of the text.

- Summarize the text concisely.