Paradise Of The Blind Symbolism

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Recommended: Duong thu huong’s novel without a name

This novel Paradise of the Blind, written by Duong Thu Huong, is set in the 1980’s. The novel narrates the life of a twenty year old Vietnamese lady, who has been through a great deal of things in her life. While she is on a train to Moscow, Russia, she reflects on her childhood in Vietnam during the time of communism. Throughout the confusing yet great novel, Huong writes the story in the perspective of a main character, Hang, by using many different motifs. No doubt, one main motif is the use and the culture of food that is told throughout the novel. Food is mentioned countless numbers of times, it is very significant through the novel and the Vietnamese culture. This novel, is a great written novel, considering it was banned from Vietnam in 1993. There are many foods mentioned throughout the book, and each of them have a great significance of the culture Vietnam and areas around that region as well as in the book, Paradise of the Blind. The author emphasizes food in the novel, which reveals once status of hierarchy, which also brings in family as a connection with the culture of food they have other homes in Vietnam.

In the novel, Aunt Tam, a main character hosts a huge banquet for Hang and they celebrated Hang getting accepted into the university. With consideration to some guests attending the celebration party, Aunt Tam, claims that "there are going to be a a lot of guests"(146), many that are "important people to the village" (147), such as the Vice President. Many important people were invited to the celebration for Hang. The quotes show high class and respect in the society, and is shown by the celebration. I noticed in the novel, you knew the quotes there was a long paragraph with tons of details and description of th...

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...od bond as well as a Vietnamese society and food. symbolism through the motif of food in the connections in the book, the author has gotten the message out that no matter what you're going to do or how bad the situation is, family, relationships, and bonds between people are very important, and you would be nothing without your family and friends. It is a great blessing to our family and friends, but the love they give you. A quote from Dan Wilcox "I don't care how poor a man is, if he has his family, he's rich." and I completely agree with this quote because as shown through the novel with or without symbolism of food, you would be nowhere without the love from your family and friends. The connection in the novel, food is so great and real in society today. Food brings people together as shown through the novel, Paradise of the Blind, written by Duong Thu Huong.

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