Emancipation and Freedom

The story titled "Emancipation" in the novel We Should Never Meet, by Aimee Phan. The character Mai is seen taking control of her life through education. This need for control was because “Mai hated feeling inadequate, especially for things that were out of her control” (146). As her life is further examined through the various stories presented, she can be said to have had no control of her life. She did not choose to be relocated to the U.S after the war and she also did not choose to be placed in the foster system. As a result of being a child in foster care she also had no control of choosing the family that she lived with. Because of this experience Mai was left feeling incapable of controlling her own life leading her to be unhappy. It is when she has to write a personal statement for a college application that she is seen as finally taking the control needed to “emancipate” herself from the life imposed upon her by the war. In this statement she writes about the life she has lived and what she plans to do in order to find a connection to her culture. After her "Emancipation" through college not only will she be free of the title refugee, but she will also be free to take control of her life as a college student paving a future she will feel like she chose it.

By Ada M.

Two Different Outcomes

It is interesting to read the contrasts and similarities between Huan's and Mai's characters show the two stories and Vietnamese War survivors. They both show two different outcomes of orphaned children in result of the war. They either got adopted as babies or were put into foster care because they were too old to be adopted. Huan's attitude is extremely negative compared to Mai's because he resents her for knowing her mother; an opportunity he never received. He also gets this aggression because he feels unwanted by his biological mother even though he was one of the lucky children that was placed in a loving home. At one point Huan even tells Mai she was lucky to know her mother and have some sort of memory even though she was not adopted and had no real family in the United States. The struggle with identity is clearly seen in Huan as he tries to connect with his vietnamese roots but fights with his American side when he visits the orphanage. During his visit to the orphanage he struggles with his identity because he does not feel a connection to it anymore but at the same time still has a desire to be remembered there. Mai on the other hand seems to be calm and collected throughout the story but at the end, reveals the true reason she had not returned to Vietnam. She did not want to feel the resentment that Huan was feeling. Just like Huan She also struggles with her feelings toward vietnam but expresses it in a completely different manner.

By Iliana T.

Black Jade

Black Jade 

Though the Amerasian orphans are entering adulthood in the United States, self actualization and self understanding feels like a maze to Kim, Vinh, and Mai, (illustrated within the American flag). With no history or family to guide them (in their journey into adulthood), they lack motivation and hope. It seems all along they long for the family and tradition that the gifting of the jade bracelet symbolizes to Liens grandmother. As she gifts Lien the bracelet, (upon her journey into the city and into adulthood) she does so while reminding her to always consider her family and family traditions in all her endeavors. In Liens family all children are loved and wanted thus the bracelet is covered in black to symbolize the loss of tradition and family values when Lien is separated from her child. The black gate represents the locked doors for the orphans, a metaphor for the life they are born into which holds limited, if any opportunity. In addition, it represents the desperate longing for love and family tradition (by the orphans) that they will never have.
Flora A.

Void in Vinh

The sketch of the jewelry box depicts Vinh's active effort to invade the trusted space of Bad Nguyen's bed to reach for the jewelry box that safe kept the valuable jewelry of Bac's late wife. Though Vinh scorned the efforts of his people in the U.S. that attempted to keep valuables and live fortunately, this action captures his desire to fill a void of purpose fueled by loss with the values/valuables of others, exclusively targeting the Vietnamese. In the moment where Vinh has escaped with the jewelry box and indulges himself in the beauty and value of its contents, it becomes apparent that a boy with no established values is pilfering that which he does not possess. This hand is in constant reach for something that will bring value. 



By Kristinah K. 

Family Tension

The story “Bound,” in We Should Never Meet, shows the dichotomy of Operation Babylift, and its volunteers, by using Bridget as its lens. Bridget provides her perspective as an American volunteer to reconcile the differences between a hostile American presence, and a benevolent one. Aimee Phan uses this chapter to show another attitude of the war and its fallout amongst the American people. She uses Bridget to juxtapose her family back in the states, and through this juxtaposition she shows that some Americans welcomed the orphans with open arms. While Bridget represents the positive spirit of this mass exodus, she is situated in a space that is shared by very few Americans. The most powerful evidence of this comes when her husband and parents speak openly amongst themselves, sharing their thoughts on the Vietnamese people, Bridget and the war. It reinforces Phan’s theme in the book of the orphans entering a world where they are beloved by few, and rejected by most. Bridget’s desire to adopt Huan as she leaves exemplifies the idea that some Americans adopt the children for the sake of adopting them, and to satisfy a self serving desire to appear righteous and merciful. While Bridget may have an altruistic reason for the adoption, the fact that she already has a daughter, who she does not have a strong relationship with, back at home casts a suspicious tone around her motivations. Her twisted situation works into the book as a whole because it further muddles the definition of family that is deconstructed in the other 7 stories. The exploration of the theme of family in this story is most powerful because while the rest are centered around people who are not biologically related, yet wish to develop a family like connection, Bridget’s situation sees her seeking that connection with an orphan while her biological relations fall by the wayside.

By:Robert R.

Bleeding identity

In my representation, I portray a painful, bleeding identity that takes shape within the innocent lives affected by war. The top flag, with the yellow star, is the flag of Vietnam post-unification. At the time, it also represented the Communist’s influence in Vietnam. The bottom yellow flag, with the red stripes, represented South Vietnam during the war. The Communist flag is covered in blood and is seeping onto the South Vietnam flag to symbolize the devastating bloodshed that affected families in Vietnam and (as one will see as the book progresses) in America. The characters of Kim, Mai, Vinh, Hoa, Huan, and Bridget evoke this identity crisis which stems from this bloodshed I depict in my visual. 

As for the Cherry Blossom tree, it is mentioned in “Gates of Saigon” on page 129. They are symbolic of beauty, femininity, and renewal. Using this symbolic meaning, the tree's blossoms are to represent the innocent lives. I stained the petals with a darker red as it grows closer to reaching the Communist flag. This serves to express the destructive touch of combat, which can spread from the soldiers to the casual civilians who are barely hanging on. In Phan's book, the aftermath of war has essentially robbed the character's agency in creating a wholesome new beginning. 

The American flag is running off the page, symbolizing America's efforts to retreat during that time. Yet, as seen in Phan's various short stories, no one came away from the war unscathed. The chaotic, black lines connecting the Communist flag and the American Flag, represent the repercussions of war and how it can distort a sense of self as an American or Vietnamese civilian, refugee, or Amerasian. Explicitly speaking of Phan's book, a variety of characters are left to reconcile disconnected relationships caused by the devastating effects of war. Which inherently affect the way Kim, Mai, and Vinh and Huan shape their identity's growing up in America

By Paige M. 

Doubt, Worth, and Belonging

Mai seems to be the most guilt-ridden person of her group of orphan companions. The way Mai thinks of herself, her goals and accomplishments, intelligence, and her over all good fortune seems to make her withdraw into herself even more. Most likely this distance she has created for herself is due to feeling like she does not measure up to the expectations of being an adoptee. Mai's anxiety is all self-induced because she assumes that her foster parents don't love or care for her as she thinks they would a child of their own flesh and blood.

Among the Babylift orphans that are followed in the collection of Aimee Phan's stories, Kim, Vinh, and Mai, Mai was the only one who was fortunate enough to be fostered, and by a good couple. She has security, affection, and doesn't really have many things to worry about -- other than paying for college, which she doesn't feel secured enough to ask her foster parents for help. Again, these small obstacles are all self-inflicted by Mai on herself, and they could all be answered if she felt like she could communicate with her foster parents. Due to this confusion and sense of not belonging, Mai has not yet found happiness and peace within herself and with the family she has gained.

Mai also seems to be struggling with her own image. She feels like she is lacking in physical beauty when compared to Kim, who is often praised for her beauty. These comments seem to bother Mai, and whenever she compares herself to Kim, Mai feels less worthy of her good luck in being adopted. Mai only sees the negatives which she believes she possesses, and because of these believed flaws, everything she thinks she shouldn't have is reinforced. Every insecurity Mai feels appears to be the root of her insecurities, which strengthens her doubt, worthiness, and belonging.

By Selene G.

Mai: American Assimilation Aftereffects Aftermath

Mai’s assimilation into American society made her hide her identity as a Vietnamese person. For that, her identity laid hidden behind her white identity of Americanism, which she continued to make sure everyone believed as she grew up. This behavior of her, living as an assimilated Vietnamese orphan living in America, presented itself when she spoke at her graduation because “[maintained] a comfortable balance between conversation and formal speech, Mai was confident she held most of the audience’s attention” (145). In her stance among the American crowd, she appeared as the model orphan assimilated into the American society and because of that, the whiteness of her characteristics and personality shrouded and concealed her Vietnamese identity. She had to look as American as possible to make sure that nobody felt differently about her and knew she had assimilated as one of the Americans.

However, because of her life as a model orphan of Vietnamese ethnicity, she had internal conflicts within herself. She lived the American dream and a very comfortable life, but she felt out of touch with the people growing up with her, especially Kim and Vinh. Two things said respectively by Kim and Vinh had proved how much of an exile she had become when they said, “Mai wants to get away from who she is” and “You got your American dream family by selling us out” (164,165). Kim and Vinh’s response to Mai emphasized and reinforced the hurt she felt about herself because she hated the white mask she wore amongst Americans and she hated the fact she lived a better life than them. In that case, she wanted to run away, but also felt displaced more than expected from living
as a model American orphan.


By Kevin L.

The Forgotten Children

At the essence of We Should Never Meet, is a daunting message that calls for the importance of telling the stories of children who had no voice during The Vietnam War. The effects of war are not limited to war zones but are rather encompassing of a nation. Aimee Phan focuses on a neglected effect of war- the deaths and loss of innocence of children as an unjust by-product of war. Through Hoa, Phan creates a contrast between the infancy of children not exposed to war versus children who grow up during war. As Hoa is witnessing the practical way of potty-training orphans, she reminisces in distress remembering "her sons at this age, crawling on the floor, sucking her breast. They were never forced to hunch over a pail" (Phan 115). Through this image, Phan highlights the pervasiveness of war. These innocent orphans are potty-trained in a manner that is disturbingly similar to a militarized style of training. The orphans must be grouped, disciplined, squat for long periods of times, and obey the adults' commands. Unfortunately, the orphanages have little choice or flexibility due to the increasing number of children and high risk of epidemics. Children are not exempt to the effects of war and are often affected in unconscious ways. Furthermore, Phan acknowledges these cruel environments children endure are not a rarity. The multiple deaths of orphans and growing number of orphanages is truly an epidemic. During Steven's and Hoa's trip to deliver supplies to different orphanages, Hoa states she cannot cave during the first visit.  In other words, Hoa has become accustomed to the visible malnutrition of the babies, the lack of supplies in the orphanages, and the crowded living situations. Hoa had to put her feelings aside in order to think practically and not emotionally. Ultimately, the deaths of these children and their loss of innocence create a dichotomy for people like Hoa. Although she continues to view South Vietnam as home, she also recognizes the nightmare and death sentence it represents for many children. It is a grim reality for these orphaned, Amerasian children. Perhaps it is because of this cruel depiction of children in war culture that it is easier to neglect the conversation. However, Phan highlights the necessity to tell the story of the multiple children who suffered during and after the Vietnam War. Phan does not necessarily present Operation Babylift as the solution, she simply recognizes for many children it was the only option.

By Alejandra M.

The story, "Visitors," evokes a feeling of sympathy for Vinh's character. In the other stories in the book, Vinh is depicted as somewhat of an antagonist. However, in "Visitors," Phan offers a deeper look into his life, his motives, and his true sense of character. In the beginning of the tale, it is not obvious that the student who helps Bac Nguyen is actually Vinh, and the conversations that the two have shows a soft side to his character. He reveals his feelings for Kim by telling Bac Nguyen that "she will always be the most important thing in [his] life" (Phan 97). It is evident that Vinh was emotionally invested in Kim, and this piece of the conversation offers insight into the depth fo his love for her. This, paired with the hesitation that Vinh faced when it came time to rob Bac Nguyen's home offers a look into Vinh's character that could have been previously overlooked. The guilt that Vinh was experiencing as they were driving away from the home showcases his inner conflict. This piece of the book really offers insight to Vinh's character as a whole, showing his desire for family and the overall result of his experience in foster care. He connects to Bac Nguyen and discusses things he probably would not  have with another adult. He clings to Kim as something important to him, not only because he is in love with her, but because she has been with him through his entire life, being the closest thing to a sibling he has ever had.
The story elicits the tendencies that Vinh has to be kind, since he did not want to reveal the location of Bac Nguyen's home immediately, but since he realizes that they need money to pay rent, he feels the need to go through with the robbery anyhow. Vinh's actions reveal his immaturity, since he does not try to find a different way to make the money. Instead, he betrays his newfound friend as a way to prove himself to his gang members and to earn respect from them. However, the scene where Vinh meets with Bac Nguyen and connects with him on a level deeper than any other person he has robbed reveals Vinh's vulnerability and his desire for any form of family that he can grasp onto.

By Katrina F.

Bridget's Homecoming

“Bound” ends exposing Bridget’s hope of her family understanding why she left for three years and forgiving her. Bridget is able to put up a strong front because she does not believe she did anything wrong which is why I represented her with strong smile coming out of the airplane. Her hope to come home and fix everything is strong, but in reality, what is waiting for her is not exactly what she is prepared for. Bridget wants everyone to understand the help she has provided, which will surprise her when she arrives to her family and see people have moved on without her. In my drawing representation Ronald and Chelsea don’t have a face expression because they are the main one who stopped believing she would come back to them and how much of a stranger Bridget is to them now. Her mom, who is next to Ronald, shows how happy she is that her daughter did not die and is coming back. She is the only one that feels genuine relief, but still critical of her daughter’s choices. Bridget’s dad, who is next to her mom, does not seem specifically or relieved. Bridget’s dad has come to terms on how his daughter abandoned her family and even relates to Ronald more than his own daughter. Bridget’s dad feels a stronger connection to Ronald by relating to Bridget’s abandonment. The couple with Huan’s name on a paper are the possible adoptive parents he might leave with. Everything that is waiting for Bridget demonstrates that people won’t receive the notion that she helped others, but instead she abandoned her family to fulfill her own conscious.

Engraved

This drawing depicts a jewelry box. The cloth lining is blood stained. The blood is seeping from a circular metal necklace. The necklace, as opposed to having fine filigree, depicts the physical atrocities of the Vietnam War. These depictions include tanks, soldiers, and planes firing at people and villages. As a Vietnamese cultural artifact, the depictions of war on the necklace expresses how ingrained the tragedies of the American war in Vietnam have had on the culture of Vietnam. Within the ring of the necklace lies a baby on an American flag. The baby is placed so in order to express the cultural struggle that the future generation of Vietnamese individuals in America must face. They lie on a bed that is (supposed) American safety and freedom, while also being surrounded by the legacy of the American war in Vietnam and its impact on the Vietnamese identity. Tired eyes of the older generation watch from above as the Vietnamese orphans in America is molded by and navigates the world with the looming narrative of freedom and war.

By Marcus H.

Unmet Expectations

In my drawing I have two little girls in two different boxes, which are meant to represent the different circumstances. The first little girl is drawn in only black and white holding a colorful set of balloons. The colorful balloons are meant to demonstrate how a birthday is typically a happy occasion and when celebrating the birthday girl or boy should be happy. The little girl is black and white to demonstrate how she does not meet the expectations because she is not happy to be receiving the balloons; just like Mai. Thus the contrast between the girl and the balloon is designed to point out how the girl is unhappy because she does not meet expectations. In the second box the little girl is colorfully drawn because she is happy as she is depicted letting go of the balloons, thus getting rid of the expectations that come with the celebration. This is to demonstrate the theme of acceptance within the story, “Emancipation.” In the story Mai works to make everyone happy except herself even though it is her birthday, but the traditions that come with a birthday are not things that appeal to her. Mai expresses her dislike for birthdays towards the beginning of “Emancipation,” “ Mai never liked birthdays. She hated attention, the scrutiny and judgement, and that was what birthdays were for. There was an expectation to have fun that she resented. For Mai, to make the day special and glorious was too much pressure, the probability of failure was so imminent. Then a person was left with only disappointment” (Phan 149-150). Mai’s negative connections to birthdays I believe is due to her life spent in judgement. Mai has faced judgment from Kim who has deemed her as lucky and living a life filled with advantages, thus she claims that Mai knows nothing of suffering. Mai also faced judgement through the foster system as she had to go through judgement from other homes before the Reynolds. 
By Marisa M.

Huan's Acceptance

I chose to focus on Huan's struggle to find an equilibrium in America and his heritage in Vietnam. Throughout "Motherland," Huan is not only angry at his adoptive mother, but at Vietnam as well. He admits he told his adoptive parents that he was only a charity case; an exotic human they can flaunt around. As this story progresses, Huan reveals his anger extends to Vietnam as well, for Vietnam abandoned him for the sole reason he is Amerasian. In his trip to Vietnam, Huan faces an incident with a police officer, who thinks Huan is stealing because his hands were in his pockets. In Huan's perspective, the police officer harassed him because he is Amerasian. In America, Huan admits he faced racism, and now, in Vietnam, they are wary against him. Huan does not feel wanted by either nation, for both nations reject him, and he cannot find balance between them. Huan's mother, although she means well, pushes Huan to embrace his roots, but Huan cannot, for he feels rejected. My picture shows Huan being in torn in two sides via rope. The Vietnamese side expect Huan's life to have a picture perfect life because Gwen and her husband adopted him. In contrast to Huan's parents, they want him to accept his Vietnamese roots, but Huan can do either. He cannot accept either country because both reject him. Both sides, America and Vietnam, expect Huan to be and act a certain way, causing him to be torn in two ways. The rope in my picture symbolizes that Huan is trapped in the middle of two sides. Huan cannot find balance between his Vietnamese roots and his life in America, for both countries reject him on the sole basis he is Amerasian.

Differences in Places

Towards the end of the story, Emancipation, Mai realizes that reading her letter from college isn't as important as her friendship towards Kim. She reminisces about her past comparing herself towards Kim's tough life. Because Kim never had a home, she struggled with her identity and finding her home. Kim has lived through bouncing from one home to the next, through physical abuse, sexual abuse, betrayal, and through the unsupportive friends. Mai is one of her friends that both grew up together through tough paths through the effect of the baby lift operation. Kim living through all this situations has taught her to be tough, rough, and to live on her own. She is an independent woman, but because of the way she lived her childhood, she never had a huge accomplishment in her life. Kim didn't graduate from high school, she never had the desire to try hard and become successful.

On the other hand, Mai, had a foster family after being in the "system" for a few years. Mai had the support from her foster parents to be able to succeed in college. Mai was never abused, nor she demonstrated the struggle of having to be dependable. Mai had a life where she only had to worry about school. This also could have been the effect of her knowing her mother and knowing that her mother wanted nothing but the best for her. Mai is successful because her foster parents knowledge of her presence. Mai lived the "American Dream" that Vinh and Kim were against from the beginning. Because Vinh and Kim did not believe in living the dream, she always struggled through seeking approval from her own roots. She was split in the middle between being successful or feeling like where she belong.

Both girls struggled through finding a place for themselves. Being in two different situations demonstrates that all girls can survive through anything, as long as they are strong. Even though they both had different situations, both have accomplished more in life than leading through a bad path. They both struggle through identity and home and don't find themselves.

By Cory P.

Female Vietnamese Feminism Conquering Male Vietnamese Opression

I strongly support the notion of Vietnamese feminism throughout Aimee Phan’s collection of short stories in We Should Never Meet. Although the characters within the collection struggle against oppression, native Vietnamese women demonstrate an admirable conviction to their beliefs. Therefore, the emotionally invested nun Phuong and  the loyal mother Hoa both represent Vietnamese feminism in the face of war and moral oppression.

Hoa’s dilemma of whether to flee Vietnam or not reflects her familial loyalty in the face of deathly harm. I thought this was especially prevalent in the moment in Gates of Saigon where the orphanage volunteer Thanh urges Hoa to reconsider from staying in a doomed Saigon to fleeing to America (Phan 141). However, Hoa opts to stay behind in hopes that her elder son and husband will return from the war. In that moment, she exemplifies her loyalty and faith to her family by hoping to keep her family from being yet her divided by the presence of war. Essentially, Hoa’s denial of American refuge equivalent to the condemnation of foreign American interference as its influence severely divides Vietnamese families.

Phuong’s selflessness represents the Vietnamese capacity to personally sacrifice one’s personal ties in favor of a humanitarian collective. Phuong demonstrates regret for singlehandedly triggering the emotional rift between Truc and their families throughout the short story The Delta. However, Phuong heavily disagrees with Truc’s insistence on bipartisanship and condemns both sides of Vietnam for orchestrating a war at the expense of their own people (Phan 81). Her refusal of her people’s demands for war symbolizes her moral superiority as she volunteers to heal and mend the emotional and physical displacements as a consequence of the war through the orphaned babies. Hoa chooses to unify and seek peace for her people and her country whereas a significant number of Vietnamese people resort to war, unaware of the inhumane and irrecoverable consequences they inflict among each other.

Ultimately, both Hoa and Phuong conflict against oppressive influences that are foreign and communal. I greatly respect the Vietnamese women in Phan’s collection who behave unapologetically towards the conservation of themselves and their loved ones. The female protagonists perform faithfully to their personal morals and remain unflinching and unapologetic towards their male Vietnamese oppressors.


By Kevin D.

Denial in "Bound"

In the final story titled "Bound," it becomes apparent that while Ronald, Bridget's husband, is the only one who originally approves of her leaving to Vietnam, eventually, they all disapprove. Bridget doesn't care about their opinions about her leaving, though she tries to pretend she does."But I care what you think. Is this okay?" (191). She continually asks her husband if he is okay with her extending her stay in Vietnam but even when he starts to say he isn't okay with it, she still stays. Because she is a mother and a wife, she understands their uneasiness about her leaving her family behind. However, because she cares so deeply about the children in this war country, she puts herself and her family aside. Throughout the years Ronald files for legal separation from Bridget, yet she remains in denial about their relationship. "She'd make them see. They could love each other. They'd be happy. They would appreciate for the rest of their lives the sacrifices that Bridget had made for them, realize she'd been right all along" (209). Bridget assumes that she can make everything go back to the way it was before she left because in her mind, she thinks her family can understand why she had to go to Vietnam.

However, their opinions of her leaving have not improved and in fact they have worsened. She fails to realize that her family could never understand her reasoning for staying so long. They didn't see the struggles she faced in Vietnam with having to see babies die or having to turn away sick children. They also didn't see how much she was able to help save children in the orphanage and how much of a difference she made as the only doctor in the orphanage.Ronald's separation from her proves just how distant their relationship has become not only physically but also emotionally. They were already physically separated with her being in Vietnam, but his choice to file for legal separation and send the papers to her shows how serious he is about their relationship being over. And her decision to not leave after receiving those papers, shows how serious she is about her work in the orphanage and how little she thinks of her relationship with Ronald. Not only is she in denial about her relationships in America, but she is also in denial about her relationship with Huan. She knows there is little chance of her being able to keep Huan, yet she continues to hold onto him believing she will. Even if she could keep Huan, her family dynamic would drastically change and there is no assurance that they would be accepting of him.

By Ariel R. 

Constellation and Loss

The idea of loss and being lost is very prevalent in the stories "Miss Lien" and "We Should Never Meet." The sense of loss in identity that Kim feels and Lien's loss of family is depicted by drawing eyes in the night sky. In the daytime, it is easier to see where someone is going, but in the nighttime, it is harder to know where someone's path is, even if their eyes are wide open. The constellation below the eyes include the North Star, which is often the star that travelers use to find their way in the dark. There is no moon or other stars because Kim, Lien, and Lien's child come across as utterly alone in the first two stories. Despite the presence of other people in their lives, Lien and Kim feel as if they can only rely on themselves. The constellation is included as a reference to found families as well, representing how the stars are seen together in order to form a constellation. Even though Mai loses her parents just like Kim, she finds some sort of peace with herself by the end of the stories. Kim tries to find her way, just like Mai, even if she stumbles along the way. The constellation also reflects the idea of trying to move on from her past and focusing on her future that the story "We Should Never Meet" presents for Kim, even if she does not necessarily do so.

By Kelsey C.

Echoing Losses: Multi-Generational Loss of Identity

Aimee Phan’s We Should Never Meet considers the lives of orphans of the Vietnam war, and their sense of isolation and abandonment. In the stories “Miss Lien” and “We Should Never Meet”, Phan unpacks these sentiments as the narrative moves between Lien’s first hand experience of the war and the necessary actions required to survive. And, later, in “We Should Never Meet”, the experiences encountered by orphans living in the United States after the war.

As the Vietnam war consumes her village, Lien is forced to relinquish her former child identity in lieu of one of adulthood and provider. Despite her parent’s attempts to shield Mai and her siblings from the war, the ever closer bomb raids slowly creeping to their village marks the inevitable coming war. Mai being the hope for the future, is tasked with moving to the city in order to provide her family with a means to survive (Phan 16). Just as their home is ravaged and destroyed, Mai herself has her identity stolen as she becomes the victim of rape. She feels unable to confide in her family of the resulting pregnancy as her reliability in the familial institution is disrupted. Although not an orphan herself, Mai no longer has the family and paternal reliance she once counted on resulting in a sense of abandonment and alienation.

These themes translate into “We Should Never Meet” where Kim, an actual orphan now living in America essentially inherits the sentiments experienced by Mai. Unable to understand the rationale behind her parent’s “abandonment”, Kim and her ex-boyfriend Vinh harbor resentment towards older Vietnamese generations as they blame them for their loss of identity. Childhood and the loss of innocence are the most enduring casualties of the war as Mai and Kim are each tasked to find new identities capable of maneuvering through the debris and remnants of a warring Vietnam.

By Oscar A.

Mother to All: Bridget's Choice in "Bound"

The short story "Bound" in Aimee Phan's We Should Never Meet questions the family bonds and to which extend moral obligation becomes selfish within relationships. Bridget is a physician who feels a need to travel into the Vietnam war zone to help the children who can not themselves, only expected to stay a month, her family "loudly agree[d] that what Bridget was doing was admirable and Christian." However, when she feels that she is morally bound to the children and extents her stay, Bridget's family, states that she is abandoning her husband and her own child to help "damn gooks" and "gook babies." Bridget cannot commit to one group without betraying the other. Although her husband, Ronald, understands her calling, he ultimately perceives Bridget's choice as abandonment and files for separation.

During the three years that Bridget was away, Ronald lived a normal life in the United States; meaning, he lived in his own home with his daughter and only experienced the war through news reports. His lifestyle changes and he no longer sees himself as a husband but rather, a single father whose wife abandoned her family. Living this way, Ronald experiences time as moving forward; Bridget, on the other hand, lives in the war torn country so she experiences time as a standstill. She experiences her family bond and her sense of duty as one drive to bring to safety to as many as possible but Ronald experiences her choice as selfishness.

Once the choice is made, the Vietnam's civilians are now considered the "others" who bring harm to the family dynamic. Bridget's parents cannot understand her choice because they did not experience the war first hand. Ronald, who experienced the Vietnam War as a soldier, understands Bridget's sense of obligation, but views it as a life choice to live as a humanitarian.

By Christina R.     

"Miss Lien" and "We Should Never Meet"

  

In each of the two stories, "Miss Lien" and "We Should Never Meet," a jade bracelet is passed from one character to another. In "Miss Lien," Lien must give up her "last possession of value" in order to avoid being indebted to the midwife. The bracelet represents her identity before the war, a young girl who lived on her family's farm; by giving up her identity, she becomes "Miss Lien," an adult who must provide for her family no matter what, even if it means giving up her own child. In the story "We Should Never Meet," the jade bracelet represents the Vietnamese half of Kim's mixed race. The act of giving the bracelet to her as a gift by the shopkeeper, a Vietnamese woman, gives Kim a sign that she could have a meaningful connection to her Vietnamese heritage, inspiring her to try to look for her own birth mother in Vietnam. Unfortunately, Kim misunderstands the connection she's made with the shopkeeper, when she asks her for money and the woman refuses, leading her to feel hurt and betrayed; she does not realize that families are meant to contribute to one's identity through emotional support, not money.

Symbolism of Downfall in "Bound"

Due to the plane crash occurring in the middle of Bridget's particularly vexing interview with the American journalist, I thought the crash was foreshadowing Bridget's life going up in flames. Not only is this symbolism true with her upcoming divorce and Huan's adoption complication, the plane crash itself was a real event. It was the first plane to take off as part of Operation Babylift, but due to a malfunction shortly after takeoff, the pilot was forced to crash land into a nearby rice paddy field. Out of the 300 lives on board, 50 adults and 78 children were killed. As this was the first flight of the mission, people's hopes for survival must have plummeted like Bridget's did after witnessing the crash. Knowing babies were aboard that plane tempered her optimism to return home. The inclusion of the plane crash is also used as a climax for Bridget. Her husband and her parents think she's dead and begin planning their lives without her. When Bridget manages to reconnect with Roland, he's upset she can't come home and decides to end their marriage. Bridget is confident that her life will return to normal when she's heading home, but that overconfidence or cockiness may lead to her downfall.

By Lauren S.

"Visitors"

The chapter "Visitors" focuses on Vinh's struggles as an orphan of Operation Babylift, as well as a confused teenager who wants to feel important and dynamic to his peers. His vulnerabilities are exposed when he interacts with Bac Nguyen, even though he claims that their interaction was manufactured so Vinh could case his house. Their conversation about their homeland, resentments, and loved ones divulges his feelings of abandonment and desperation for a parent figure in his life. This chapter also explains the nature of betrayal, how personal it is, and what is means to disrespect an elder in the Vietnamese community. Let alone rob them of everything that possesses sentimental or monetary value to them and beat them viciously. His character truly breaks through when he hears Bac Nguyen call his name pleadingly while Vinh steals his most valued and personal keepsakes. "The voice was soft and frail, but in the cold night air, soared furiously through Vinh's ears, down his throat, nearly strangling his heart. Vinh froze, the boys heard it too. They stared at Vinh in horror, disbelief and betrayal" (110). This section ultimately shows who Vinh really is, immature, a product of his upbringing, desperate for an adult role model in his life but in deep denial about it. Desperate to feel successful and  to make something out of the situation he was born into, and make it to a place where he considers himself a success, ideally with Kim by his side.

By Julia G.

Anger and Projections

When reading "Motherland," I got the sense of Huan's alienation. At first, Huan feels out of place, aware of his Amerasian difference from the full Vietnamese natives. Since the story is told from his perspective, I sympathized with Huan especially after being harassed by an overly aggressive police officer. However, as the story unfolded, it became apparent that Huan was hesitant and scared of visiting his past orphanages and Vietnam in general and was projecting his own insecurity onto those around him. He spend so much time being angry and looks to blame anyone he can for his feeling of alienation and feeling of being an outsider that he never takes the time to realize how blessed he's been to have a family and people who love him. It takes Mai to give her perspective about her own experiences fleeing the country by boat and her time living with the Reynolds for Huan to ultimately understand just how many things he has taken for granted - a home when he arrived in America, a loving mother, and a generally normal childhood. Mai says that she knows better about her attitude towards the war and her experiences as a child now that she's matured and tells Huan that heir situation is not anybody's fault really. With Mai's help, Huan ultimately comes to terms with his life and finds some closure within himself, as evidenced by the lines, "It was a war. It was."

Symbolism of America-Vietnam Relationship in "Gates of Saigon"

"Gates of Saigon" is an interesting story in Aimee Phan's We Should Never Meet because it deals with Operation Babylift and the impending loss of South Vietnam in the war through the context of Hoa working at an orphanage. Hoa's relationship with Steven, the American volunteer, is symbolic of the American presence in Vietnam. During one of their initial conversations, Hoa feels that he is intrusive--but out of genuine concern--when he begins asking her personal questions she doesn't want to answer (119). Hoa also notes how the American volunteers' ignorance about adjusting to Vietnam irritates her, along with their denial that they could be more in the way than helpful (117). This represents how the American presence in Vietnam and support to the South was rushed because they believed they could easily win the war with their resources. This was of course a false assumption, and they ended up being more in the way than helpful because they didn't have combat experience in the Vietnam Jungle terrain, and were also unfamiliar with Northern Vietnamese war tactics. This resulted in the South losing battles and countless soldiers' lives lost for both Americans and Southern Vietnamese.

American involvement in the war might have seemed intrusive, but it was allowed because the aid seemed out of genuine concern for the South. The Americans' help wasn't exactly selfless though, since they were concerned about South Vietnam losing the war, but only because it would spread Marxist Ideology. The part in this story when Steven is grieving over the dead child is also notable because it represents America's reluctance--or possibly stubborn denial--in letting the South fall to Northern Vietnam in a losing war. Steven clutches to the baby desperately and in denial because he wanted to "save" it so much. Hoa brings him back to reality and reminds him that the baby was sick to begin with. This represents how the Americans tried to intervene in an already losing war.

by Eric M.