Paradise of the Blind

Some of the most significant recurrent symbols in Paradise of the Blind are blindness, sickness, water and river. Another is sky; it is tied closely to the river symbol. Being fluid symbols, like...

The setting for a nonfiction or fictional narrative is the specific time and geographical location where the story takes place. The setting is crucial for the mood and overall backdrop of the...

In Paradise of the Blind, the dominant religious beliefs of the Vietnamese culture presented involve Confucianism and center upon the character of Hang in the text. There are many ways these...

Authors Duong Thu Huong and Nina McPherson use the first chapters of their novel Paradise of the Blind to show just how unsuccessful the Communist Party's attempts to level society were just after...

As Hang is traveling through the country, she is visited by memories and introspects on her own history in the novel "Paradise of the Blind". As she travels with her friend, she is mentally...

This is a tough question, but you might consider that both of these natural items rely on wind or ripples in the water to move them about. Both fog and duckweed are unable to control themselves or...

In many ways this novel can be seen as a powerful indictment of communism in the way that its hypocrisy and failure is highlighted. There are of course plenty of examples of this in the character...

One of the most important aspects of this novel to focus on is the presentation of communism and how it is used to demonstate a flawed ideology that brings only misery and sadness to those who...

In the novel, Que is Hang's mother, a woman who is deeply committed to the Vietnamese Confucian values of her society. Because Vietnam spent almost 1000 years under its Chinese overlords, Confucian...

In the novel, much of the dialogue and text focuses on food. In Vietnamese and other eastern cultures, food is often an expression of acceptance, benevolence, or love. Alternatively, it can also be...

The title of the book at first rings with irony - this is a dystopian novel that portrays anything but "paradise". The title also alludes to the promised "worker's paradise" that was disseminated...