Hangs Emotional Development and the Parallel Changes in Nature Illustrated in Huong's Paradise of the Blind

The novel Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong is set in North Vietnam during the Communist revolution in 1980's and is translated into English by Phan Huy Duong and Nina McPherson. The traditional Vietnamese society of time set in the novel is illustrated through Hang, the protagonist. The author conveys the underlying message of pursued hope to the readers via constructing the correlation between the constantly changing natural environment and Hang. This correlation gives in turn a microscopic view of the family ties and its impact on the entire Vietnamese generation. As the imagery of hope prevails, Hang ultimately gains capability to escape her past in favour of the future thus being able to reject prominently dominant family obligations. This bildungsroman novel, written from Hang’s perspective gives further insights into her growth throughout her life as the constantly changing natural environment is utilised as a sophisticated stylistic device where its changes parallels the emotional development of Hang.

The author’s use of first person narration gives further and deeper insights into Hang whom the role of changing natural environment is emphasised on, from one memory leading on to another. Such memories illustrate the discrimination Hang experienced throughout her lonely childhood. As a result, the imagery of hope is very subtle and minimal. Consequently the very first reminiscence introduced is Hang’s recall of her younger years where she was frequently referred as a “bitch without roots.” (Huong 46). Without a firm father figure to support and protect her, she remains as a suppressed child and lacks in an ability to express her emotions. Many years later, Hang still remains detached and the author employs the n...

... middle of paper ...

...eaders by employing the constantly changing natural environment as a sophisticated stylistic device to construct close correlations between its changes and Hang, the protagonist. The various changes in nature parallels her emotional development and consequently reflects her journey throughout her life. Along with the cycle of the moon, Hang ultimately achieves capability to let go of the past, including her lonely childhood. Like the full moon, she matures after overcoming the difficulties and rejecting family ties that limited her. These parallels are utilised to serve Hang as a microscopic view of the entire Vietnamese generation. Eventually she develops the capacity to savour the beauty of life and conveys the underlying message that the hope, however many time it is crushed, must always be reinvented for life must go on, in Duong Thu Huong’s Paradise of the Blind.