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.
Kevin, your analysis of the actions of the two stories from a feminist perspective is very enlightening, as it highlights family and maternity. Hoa’s refusal to leave in order to preserve the integrity of her family is very powerful when faced with the presence of an active military presence. I had originally viewed Phuong’s breaking of their engagement as a breaking of family and community, but viewing it as a sacrifice that demonstrates the humanitarian concerns of Vietnam is a perspective that I had not considered. However, their actions aren’t always aligned with preserving themselves, but rather family and the lives of others. They seem to even put their lives on the line in order to be a part of an effort that they believe to be greater than their lives.
ReplyDeleteMarcus H.
I agree with your claim that Hoa and Phuong find empowerment through their Vietnamese identity. When I first read "Gates of Saigon," I thought Hoa's choice to keep her children in the country was shortsighted or selfish because the city was going to fall and her and her children's safety was not guaranteed. But I understand her need to keep her family together because at this time, Hoa witnessed many families who chose to abandon their own children. I did not see Hoa's choice as condemning American interference in the war until you pointed it out. Her choice to remain in Saigon makes much more sense.
ReplyDeleteChristina R.