What are the sample argumentative essays on the analysis of a lyrical work in 10th-grade Literature? What literary knowledge do 10th-grade students in Vietnam learn?

Sample 1

Thach Lam is considered a leading author in Vietnamese prose. Thach Lam has left many valuable works, including the piece "Dưới bóng hoàng lan". The work is a short story without a plot. It does not tell a story but deeply evokes thought. Time stopped, and the still space subtly revealed the human life's tragedy that readers must carefully feel to comprehend. That is precisely the interesting, unique aspect of the work.

The story is about a young man orphaned of both parents, closely bonded with his grandmother. Thanh went to the city to work and returned every year during the holidays. This return came two years after the previous one. Was it city life that often made Thanh forget his gray-haired grandmother who lived her final days, eagerly waiting for him? Responding to her call, "Grandma," a light shadow swiftly emerged from inside, landing on the table—just his housecat. Thanh smiled at the feline, asking softly, "Where's grandma?"

As always, Thanh returned home but felt oddly anxious and emotional as though the familiar house stirred a deep emotion in him. Everything at home appeared aged yet unchanged. Time seemed to reverse, and the space stood still. The landscape was the same, the house silent, and his grandmother gentle with white hair. Amid the serene, leisurely surroundings of his childhood, a refreshing image appeared. Before him lay the old garden with the moss-covered Bat Trang path, rays of light filtering through the trees, the low floral wall extending straight to the house, and the scent of fresh leaves lingering in the air. This scene, familiar yet so refreshing and gentle to him, let him appreciate the contrast between the fresh faces of young ladies in white dresses and his grandmother's white hair. He felt that the bustling life outside paused at the entrance, bringing a peaceful, serene feeling as if the city life's hustle was left behind, drawing only his soul into nature and scenery. Perhaps it was because:

"Hometown is all one has

Just as you only have one mother"

To Thanh, his hometown was a cool refuge nurturing his soul. While visiting one's hometown might be seen as a duty for some, for a young man like Thanh, each return brought peace and leisure unmatched in life. Distancing from the city's noise, he longed for his homeland, the place of spiritual solace. Returning to his village, he cherished memories of his grandmother and little Nga, the neighbor girl. Nga's innocent joy and Thanh's introspection questioned whether her hushed words hinted at love, or mere nostalgia: "When I came to pick flowers, I missed you." Thach Lam's prose particularly shines through such simple endearing words. At an unspoken farewell, Thanh didn't hesitate to hold Nga's hand; letting her know he cherished the bond they shared without needing words. Even later, as he prepared to leave, those memories of holding hands by the flowers, staying silent, lingered.

The duality of Thanh's upright figure next to his grandmother's bent frame held no divide; instead, it brought him warmth and comfort under her protection. While resting, he pretended to sleep, savoring her tender care he seldom received. He absorbed the cool breeze her arms provided, basking in her affection. However, such a great writer as Thach Lam wouldn't pen something meaningless. Writing "Dưới bóng hoàng lan," he grasped an indescribable, imminent feeling, tangible and clear, foreshadowing somber times in his life and nation's history. The sorrow within "Dưới bóng hoàng lan" is deep, foretelling a silent grief shadowing his story.

At the gate, Thanh paused, gazing at the yellow electricity pole and other garden trees. Mr. Nhan eagerly seized his suitcase. Thanh softly requested, "Tell Ms. Nga I send my regards." An unspoken love, with neither farewells nor final meetings, reflected shattered blue skies. Thanh gazed into the pool's reflections, warped yet carrying dreamy fragments of the sky.

Furthermore, the poetic nature of “Under the Hoang Lan” also emerges through its symbolic images—the Hoang Lan trees. This symbolism may represent the garden's Lans or resemble Thanh's loving grandmother. Loving him for his loss, she, like the Hoang Lan, gently sheltered him upon each return, providing comfort and warmth, standing quietly as his guardian against the world. Her patience & gentle care stood witness to Thanh and Nga's budding affection, like the gardens hosting his childhood memories.

The work takes us back to childhood, embracing warmth and closeness of home, fostering nostalgic connections to youthful times with beloved family experiences. This evokes deep feelings related to one's homeland and its endearing fragments etched in memory.

Sample 2

Poet Bang Viet, during his years studying abroad, deeply missed his hometown, with its quaint kitchen smoke, and his hard-working grandmother raising and nurturing him. All these beautiful childhood memories were encapsulated by the author in his poem "Bếp lửa". This poem is included in the "Hương cây, bếp lửa" collection, co-authored with poet Luu Quang Vu. "Bếp lửa" can be said to be one of Bang Viet's masterpieces. He wrote this poem in 1963 while studying in the Soviet Union.

The poem opens with the image of a flickering flame, a real flame yet filled with meaning:

A flickering stove in the morning mist

A stove lovingly tended warm

Grandchild cherishes you through sun and rain

A simple yet familiar scene unfolds before readers. The fluttering flame evokes memories, gratitude from the grandchild abroad for his grandmother. The phrase "lovingly tended" symbolizes her caring hands kindling the fire each day, staying up late and rising early to care for his nourishment and sleep. From this, his heart overflows with boundless affection:

"Grandchild cherishes you through sun and rain."

Then, countless memories surge through the poet's heart, unforgettable. A famine that claimed many Vietnamese lives looms:

At four I got used to the smoke smell

The year was a tumultuous hunger year

Dad drove the cart, horse hard and thin

Remembering smoke stung my eyes

Thinking back now, it still stings my nose

Amidst famine where many perished, his grandmother stood steadfast, providing food scraps for each meal, helping Bằng Việt endure the hunger pangs. The haunting hunger persists in the author's soul. Whenever recalling, the experience rekindles a poignant sting, not merely the smoke but tears of empathy for the grandmother's hardships, honoring her sacrifices. As long as she was there, she shielded him from life's tempests.

Eight years apart from parents, Bang Viet lived with his grandmother, with her care and guidance shaping him:

"Mom and Dad busy at work, not home,

Living with grandma, listening to her talk,

Grandma taught me work, guided my learning.

Lighting the stove, I think of her struggles.

Oh cuckoo! Why don't you live with grandma,

Why call out across distant fields endlessly?"

The verse, raw yet expressively reveals the grandmother's devotion. Grandma became the parental figure, mentoring his growth. The "grandma-grandchild" narrative underscores their close-knit bond, highlighting her pivotal role in his becoming. The author cherishes her deeply.

The poem later intensifies with warfare views, with burning villages reduced to ashes. But, Grandmother stood strong, with neighbors' aid rebuilding their shelter. She advised Bang Viet: "Dad at base has work" “Write home simply that we're well and safe.” Her words honor profound maternal sacrifice.

Beyond caregiving, she ignited in him noble emotions:

"Lighting a care-warmed stove,

Lighting an affection, sweet potato meal,

Lighting new rice bliss, shared cheer,

Lighting youthful sentiments…

Oh wondrously sacred stove!"

The repetitious "lighting" evokes holiness, warmth, love. This stove cultivated love, sharing, bold dreams within him. Bang Viet esteems the stove’s, or Grandma’s, monumental role in his journey. It ignited my perseverance and ambition, aiding my success. Though afar, he reminisces, self-echoing: "Grandmother light her stove yet?"

The rhetorical question closing the poem resonates deeply, leaving a memorable impact. Through Bang Viet's authentic diction, profound gratitude shines for his grandmother. Concurrently, imparting the family’s importance, prompting us to cherish these sacred bonds.