Vietnam: What are the guidelines for comparison of the imagery of tears in "Vợ nhặt" and "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa"? What are the orientations in educational methods for the 12th-grade Literature curriculum?

What are the guidelines for comparison of the imagery of tears in "Vợ nhặt" and "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa"?

1. Tears in "Vợ nhặt" by Kim Lan

Context: "Vợ nhặt" is a work reflecting rural Vietnamese society during the famine of 1945. The main character, Trang, is a poor young man who, in a dire situation of hunger, happens by chance to "pick up" a wife. The tearful scene in this work occurs when Trang and his newly "picked" wife are sharing a meal of bran porridge.

Imagery of tears: In this scene, Trang's wife (Co Vi) sheds tears when looking into the bowl of bran porridge that Trang offers her to eat. These are emotional tears, symbolizing the pain and choking sorrow in the face of poverty and instability.

Meaning:

Tears of empathy and sharing: Vi's tears express her feelings as she realizes the grim circumstances of Trang and her own future. Though the tears represent sorrow, they are also tears of humanity and empathy between two destitute individuals.

Tears of hope: Despite the dire circumstances, these tears also symbolize hope for a brighter future. The poverty and hardship cannot extinguish the faith in life and the potential changes that might occur. This imagery evokes vitality and the aspiration to rise above adversity among the impoverished.

2. Tears in "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa" by Nguyen Minh Chau

Context: "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa" is a prominent work by Nguyen Minh Chau, about an artist (character Phung) undertaking a journey to understand people and life. The tearful scene in this work is tied to a haunting discovery of the suffering life of a woman water carrier's family.

Imagery of tears: When Phung witnesses the scene of a woman being beaten by her husband on the boat, she sheds tears due to her helplessness in the face of indescribable pain. Her tears not only signify pain but also acceptance and endurance of life's tragic conditions.

Meaning:

Tears of pain and endurance: Tears in "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa" are symbols of pain and endurance. The woman sheds tears not to change her situation but because she has become accustomed to suffering and humiliation. Her tears carry helplessness and stagnation.

Tears of understanding and awareness: For Phung, the woman's tears are indicators of the brutal realities of life that he could not have imagined. This moment is one of the pivotal scenes in the work, enabling the character and readers to gain a deeper understanding of social injustice and serving as a sign of Phung's growth in understanding life, art, and humanity.

3. Comparison of tear imagery in the two works

Tears in "Vợ nhặt":

Emotion and hope: Tears in "Vợ nhặt" symbolize compassion and sharing in a dire situation. Although they represent sorrow, they also embody an aspiration for a new future, a desire for change, and upliftment from poverty.

Object of tears: Vi's tears belong to a poor individual's confrontation with poverty and hunger, yet they maintain hope and faith in human kindness.

Tears in "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa":

Pain and endurance: Tears in "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa" are associated with profound pain and endurance, as the character has become too accustomed to a life of violence and oppression. These tears are not of hope or aspiration for change, but of acceptance of fate.

Object of tears: The tears of the woman in this work reflect deep helplessness in a violently oppressive family context, indicative of loneliness and isolation in a life filled with suffering.

4. Conclusion

The tear imagery in both works bears different layers of meanings, reflecting the living circumstances and emotional states of the characters:

In "Vợ nhặt," tears symbolize humanity, empathy, sharing, and hope, despite difficult circumstances.

In "Chiếc thuyền ngoài xa," tears hold a deeper meaning of pain, endurance, and helplessness, illustrating suffering and acceptance of a tragic fate.