What are the sample essays analyzing the poem "Bếp lửa"? What titles will be awarded to 9th-grade students in Vietnam?

Family affection is always a familiar theme in Vietnamese poetry, where childhood memories, the dear images of loved ones, are emotionally recreated. The poem "Bếp lửa" by Bang Viet, written in 1963 while the author was studying in the Soviet Union, is a representative work about grandmother-grandchild affection. Through the image of the cooking fire, the author not only expresses reverence and gratitude to the grandmother but also conveys thoughts about homeland affection, family traditions, and the power of love.

Right from the first verses, the image of the cooking fire appears simple yet warm:

"A cooking fire flickering in the early mist

A cooking fire warmly embraced

Grandchild loves grandmother through so many sunny and rainy days!"

"Cooking fire" is not merely a familiar image in life but also carries deep symbolic meanings. It symbolizes grandmother’s affection, family warmth, and the loving childhood years.

From the image of the cooking fire, the grandchild's memory drifts back to the childhood days with grandmother. These were difficult, arduous years when the country was immersed in war:

"At four years old, I got accustomed to the smoke's smell

That year was a year of prolonged famine

Father went driving carts, horses were thin and dry

I only remember smoke stinging my eyes

Thinking back now, my nose still tinges!"

The poem is filled with self-narration, conveying the hardships of wartime life. But in that environment, the grandmother's image emerges full of compassion and perseverance, becoming a solid spiritual support for the grandchild.

The image of cuckoo sounds appearing in the poem also carries multiple meanings:

"Cuckoo calls over distant fields

When the cuckoo calls, do you remember, grandmother?"

The cuckoo’s call brings back memories of childhood, evoking nostalgia and reminiscence. It is the sound of the homeland, of unforgettable memories in the grandchild's heart.

The grandmother not only appears with loving affection but is also a symbol of sacrifice, perseverance, and resilient will:

"The year the invaders burned the village down

Neighbors all around returning in gloom

Helping grandmother rebuild the thatched hut

Still steadfast, grandmother firmly reminded me:"

Despite hardship, despite war's destruction, grandmother remained steadfast, continuing to kindle the cooking fire, kindling the flame of love and faith in the future.

Grandmother not only raised the grandchild but also taught, imparting valuable life lessons:

"Then morning, then evening, again grandmother rekindles the fire

A flame, always kindled in grandmother’s heart

A flame containing enduring faith..."

"The flame" here is no longer just the fire of a stove but the flame of love, faith, and spirit that grandmother passes on to the grandchild.

Life changes, the now-grown grandchild has gone far away. Though currently in a place with "smoke from a hundred ships, fires from a hundred homes, joys from a hundred opportunities," the heart is always directed towards grandmother, toward the former cooking fire:

*"But never do I forget to remind:

Did you light the stove this morning?"*

The rhetorical question at the end of the poem shows both longing and serves as a reminder of grandmother's gratitude, of the unforgettable values.

The poem "Bếp lửa" is not only the personal story of a grandchild with a grandmother but is also a common picture of family affection, of the silent sacrifices of Vietnamese grandmothers and mothers. The image of the cooking fire throughout the poem has become a sacred symbol, not only of grandmother-grandchild affection but also of the homeland, of family tradition. With a whispering, sincere tone along with images rich in evocativeness, the poem has touched the readers' hearts, leaving a profound echo of love and gratitude toward loved ones.

In the flow of Vietnamese literature, there are many works about family affection, but "Bếp lửa" by Bang Viet carries a very distinct color. Created in 1963, when the author was studying in the Soviet Union, the poem is a poignant reminiscence of a grandchild about their beloved grandmother. The image of the cooking fire is not only the thread connecting memories but also holds sacred symbolic value about grandmother-grandchild affection, about the homeland, and enduring family values.

From the beginning verses, the image of the cooking fire appears warm:

"A cooking fire flickering in the early mist

A cooking fire warmly embraced

Grandchild loves grandmother through so many sunny and rainy days!"

The repetition of "cooking fire" not only emphasizes its role in life but also creates an obsession in the mindset of the sentimental character. The cooking fire is where grandmother lights each morning, where she nurtures the grandchild both physically and spiritually. That image evokes warmth and protection, and at the same time, is associated with the difficult days the grandchild and grandmother endured together.

The poem is not only a reminiscence but also a narration of a childhood full of deprivation:

"At four years old, I got accustomed to the smoke's smell

That year was a year of prolonged famine,

Father went driving carts, horses were thin and dry,

I only remember smoke stinging my eyes

Thinking back now, my nose still tinges!"

In the grandchild's memory, the days of famine and hardship were deeply engraved. The smell of smoke evokes toil and difficulty, but at the same time highlights the image of a persistent, diligent grandmother enduring hardships to care for the grandchild. Despite harsh circumstances, she remained a solid support, embracing the grandchild in the warm arms of love.

The image of grandmother does not merely appear through childhood memories but also through teachings and noble virtues:

"The year the invaders burned the village down

Neighbors all around returning in gloom

Helping grandmother rebuild the thatched hut

Still steadfast, grandmother firmly reminded me:"

War passed, leaving losses behind, yet grandmother did not waver. She shouldered the family's burdens, protected the grandchild, while maintaining an optimistic spirit, instilling the grandchild with resilience to live and hope for the future. Although difficulties piled up, she reminded the grandchild not to lament to the parents in the war zone, showing profound yet silent sacrifice.

Not stopping at the endurance, care for the grandchild, grandmother was also the one who passed the flame:

"Then morning, then evening, again grandmother rekindles the fire,

A flame, always kindled in grandmother’s heart,

A flame containing enduring faith..."

The cooking fire is not only where meals are cooked but also symbolizes perseverance, steadfast love. "The flame" grandmother kindled is not merely a physical flame but the flame of emotion, of faith she passed to the grandchild, helping them mature and tread firmly in life.

Now, having gone far away, the grandchild never ceases to remember grandmother, about the familiar cooking fire of childhood:

*"Now I have gone far. There is smoke from a hundred ships,

Fires from a hundred homes, joys from a hundred avenues,

Yet never forget to remind:

Did you light the stove this morning?"*

Modern life, with many changes, with "smoke from a hundred ships", "fires from a hundred homes", but none of that can blur the memory of grandmother, about the homeland's cooking fire. The question at the end of the poem is both a reminder and an affirmation: no matter how far away, the grandchild always focuses on grandmother, on the fondest things of childhood.

The poem "Bếp lửa" is a beautiful symphony about grandmother-grandchild affection, about unforgettable childhood memories. Through the recurring image of the cooking fire, Bang Viet has skillfully evoked a warm space of kinship, while affirming the enduring values of family affection. With a whispering, heartful tone along with evocative imagery, the poem is not only a tribute to Vietnamese grandmothers and mothers but also a message about love, gratitude, and the cherishing of traditional values.