By Michael J.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
To Temper the Flame
I believe that the eponymous story Birds of Paradise Lost answers
the age old question of how one should react to trauma by presenting and
challenging the ethics behind an extreme response to it; martyrdom. The
narrator, Thang, initially views his friend Bac’s self-immolation as a brave
and patriotic act, worthy of praise and imitation. However, after Thang’s son
logically argues that Bac’s suicide more likely stemmed from defeatism or
depression as opposed to righteous indignation, Thang begins to wonder how he
should honor his past in a foreign setting where it no longer directly relates
to his daily life. The answer to his question, however, emerges through a
comparison between fire and one’s memories that illuminates the duality of
deferring to one’s past. If one acknowledges and learns from her past, it can
inspire her to do great things in the present and future. But, if one ignores
his history and lets the past sway his logical reason, then he will inevitably
be consumed by his uncontrolled passion. Essentially then, the juxtaposition of
Bac’s death and Thang’s concluding resolution to continue living exemplifies
both the destructive and constructive potential of trauma.
By Michael J.
By Michael J.
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The eponymous "Birds of Paradise Lost" is certainly a powerful one to think about in terms of ethics. I definitely agree with your classification of the "extreme response" to trauma, and your assessment of the dual nature of responses to it is rather insightful. Considering Thang's removal from his physical past is integral to understanding his struggle to accept the present. It is interesting that you trace Thang's change from his initial view of Bac's self-immolation to his "concluding resolution," as I had not grasped that when I first read the story. Though I believe the overwhelming reaction to trauma is of a destructive nature, I think you have a point in describing its "constructive potential." I wonder how else the comparison between fire and memories manifests itself throughout Lam's stories.
ReplyDelete--Sandra H.
I think that your post is very smart and makes good arguments. I had to look up eponymous to understand what it meant; I think that this is the title story because it deals with the values of the old country inside the refugees' new country. This demonstrates the cultural shift which affects each refugee: they have to find a way to voice their opinions and feel they can be heard even in a "foreign" country. I really like your point about being consumed by passion. It shows exactly how stuck the Vietnamese refugees were at that time as to defending the Vietnamese still in the home country.
ReplyDelete- Paige M.