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Jot down what you've learned about the perspectives of the following:

Ho Chi Minh and North Vietnam
South Vietnam
Ha
Mother
Brother Quang
Brother Vu
Brother Khoi

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Coming soon...

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Context:
The Vietnam War led to a decline in the working population, uncertainty in the economy and a rise in debt due to government spending being focused on the war and not society's infrastructures (ex. schools, food production, etc).

Connection to IOBA;
We see Ha's family experience inflation when they see the cost of food rise dramatically and they are hardly able to afford basic food staples such as potatoes and rice.

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- The impact of French Colonialization on Vietnamese culture
- French-Vietnamese post-colonial relations

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- The influence of Chinese and Russian communism on North Vietnam
- Comparing the arrival of communism in Korea vs Vietnam

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Relevant Poems:
Papaya Tree
Two More Papayas
Promises

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HERO'S JOURNEY: Explain how Ha’s experience illustrates the Hero's Journey. 

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HERO'S JOURNEY: Explain how Ha’s experience illustrates the Hero's Journey. 

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Poem: Promises

Point:
The papaya represents Ha while the trunk represents her old life.

Evidence:
"cling to the trunk" (cling = to hold on tightly)

Explanation:
Ha and her family cling to their old life as a way to cope while the war changes everything around them.

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THEME: Select a prominent theme from IOBA. Describe how the theme develops throughout the story. 

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THEME: Select a prominent theme from IOBA. Describe how the theme develops throughout the story. 

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*Examples of Themes:
Culture and Tradition
War
Resilience
Family Relationships/Friendship
Language
Etc (your choice - must be pre-approved by teacher)

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SYMBOLISM: How does symbolism enhance the reader's connection to the characters? Explain how symbols represent the characters and their experiences.

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SYMBOLISM: How does symbolism enhance the reader's connection to the characters? Explain how symbols represent the characters and their experiences.

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*Examples of Symbols:
Papaya Tree
Doll
Chick
Amethyst Ring

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This is a traditional event in Vietnamese. Citizens of Vietnamese  will wear red and yellow to represent luck. On this day, they will cook traditional food and eat with their family members. It is a tradition to wrap Banh Chung and Banh tet on this day. You will also pray to your separated loved ones to fulfill them. This is called an alter. This can bring you luck. Têt is like a new year to celebrate with your family. Papaya is mostly grown in the southern part of Vietnam. It is grown all year round, but the most delicious and sweet papaya is on the market around Tet hoilday.

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Tran Hung Dao district in Saigon is where the war is growing. This district will soon be rolled over with Viet Cong tanks from the north. There are many reasons why the Vietnam war had started. The war started because of communism differences. In 1954 Vietnam was divided. The 17 Parallel separated the two parts. North Vietnam liked communism, South Vietnam was non-communism. The North wanted to be like China and Russian with communism, they liked to be independent. The south liked western cultures, they wanted democracy. The north was influenced by China and Russia, the south was influenced by France and America. The chaos is what started the war. There was also a Cold War, the domino theory. In the 1950’s, there was the Korean War, communist north, democratic south. The U.S. was afraid that communism will spread though the world (the domino theory). So they were involved too.

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In the poems Watch Over Us and Crisscrossed Paths, this is the parts when Ha’s family finally decides to leave Saigon. This is as known as the “Call to Adventure” in the hero’s journey. Before these poems, like Should We?, they were debating if they should leave Saigon to flee the war. But at last, they decided to leave.

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A important theme is War. This is what the book it mostly about, the Vietnam war. Some poems are selected for it’s example of showing war. For instance, Birthday and Saigon is Gone, these poems describe the war strongly. The Vietnam war is one of the biggest wars known, this book focuses the first part mostly on the concept and aspect of how Ha’s normal life changed because of war. At the last part of Saigon is gone, a soldier reports to the Navy ship that the North had planted their flag on the presidential palace, this means they have lost.

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Direct quotes of symbolism and what it means and represents.

- “Brother Khôi spotted the first white blossom. Four years older, he can see higher.
Brother Vu later found a baby papaya the size of a fist clinging to the trunk. At eighteen, he can see that much higher.
Brother Quang is oldest, twenty-one and studying engineering, who knows what he will notice before me?” (Papaya Tree)

This poem symbolizes how his brothers always notices things before her, maybe referring to the war, maybe referring to the family fleeing, or maybe referring how they are older than Ha, having more choices and opportunities.

- “ I choose my doll, once lent to a neighbor who left it outside, where mice bit her left cheek and right thumb.
I love how more for her scars.” (Choices)

This symbolizes the doll as herself. She appreciates how the doll experiences the hardships with her. The hardship Ha is going through is the war.

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In part 2, at sea, Ha is like crossing threshold. This is because she starts to cross a place she does not know. On the journey to a new place. In the poem Last Respects, it shows that South Vietnam is gone. This means Saigon is now Ho Chi Min’s territory. This part is like the end for the start. The official start of the hard journey. In the poem A Kiss, this shows that the people above the Navy Ship is safe. This means that the journey is over, the destination is almost here.

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The most important theme in part 2 is perseverance. Ha is determined to stay positive on the Navy ship. One of her traits is perseverance. This is because in the poem One Engine and The Moon, Ha is determined that things are fine. She believes that everything will be fine. She wants it, she believes it. Later on, everything did turn out okay.

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A symbol in the story is the Amethyst ring. The ring represents the love between Ha’s mother and father. The origin of this ring is when father brought it back from America in the navy. This was before Ha was born. This is the last proof of love mother has to father. This is why Quang was upset when mother wanted to sell it for needles, thread, fabric and sandals.

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Wants

They want to have a democratic country

They want to win the war

A unified Vietnam

Close to economic and cultural ties to the west

Think

They think that democracy is the best type of government

Feel

They feel like they could win the war because America was helping them

Later on, they felt that they lost because Russia and China was helping North Vietnam.

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Talking about the origin of the Vietnam war. Also, go through how the war spreads.

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Talk about the popular snacks that you can find in South Vietnam.

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Want

All the refugees to be safe and resettled into a new life.

Think

They think that refugees don’t deserve this life so they make sure to treat them well

Feel

They feel how the refugees feels so they have empathy to give South lots of their military weapons

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Always considering family during making desisons

Accepting reality

She doesn’t like and accept kids that do nothing (on the boat)

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Wants to stay because he feels guilty for scattering away when he was suppose to fight back.

Engineer and English translator.

Goes to College

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After getting off the ship, Ha and her family moves further into the hero’s Journey chart. She was crossing a threshold when she traveled on the ship. Now, she arrived at Alabama. During part 3, she had many problems learning the new English language, meeting friends, struggling at school and facing bullies. These are proof of trials and failure for Ha. Later on, she meet Miss Washington, who helps or tutors her with English, using her own way of learning. Because of the help Miss Washington offered, she grows a new skill. The skill is understanding simple English rules and words. The death and rebirth is preferably how she got bullied by pink boy, then when brothers helps her “defeat” him. The Revelation and “finally changes” part is how Ha is finally accepted at her school. Students welcome her and include her. Perhaps the gift she accepts is feeling yet being smart again at school, this may be the reason of Miss Washington’s help. Part 3 is a long yet important part of how Ha faces her hardships and resolves it. It is and may be one of the most important climax in this story. During this journey to Alabama, she has gained confidence and maturity.

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During part 3, Ha has experienced through a lot of hardships. Even before the arrival of Alabama, she has experienced being a refugee, experiencing war, stranded on a ship and the action of searching for her long lost father. But in part 3, there are more hardships than she can handle, for instance, resettling in a brand new environment, learning a new language, going through school, making new friends and dealing with bullies. Ha is resilient. She has been through a lot. Even though the problems are hard to fix, but at last, she resettled into this environment step by step. Each being a small step, but meaningful steps. The first step was being familiar with the language, this was really hard for Ha. But then, Miss Washington helped her, slowly, she became familiar with this language. The other steps were making friends and earning her trusts. Pem and Steven helped Ha go through school. Pink boy was mean, but her brothers helped her solve this. You can see that after this wild experience, she has became resilient. For example, the night gown. When a girl explains her dress is a night gown because of a flower, she doesn’t really care and just rips it off. You can see that she also became more mature, being of this new taste of life.

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Symbolism is a big part of this story, the most important symbol is the papaya. This represents her old life in the previous parts. In part 3, Alabama, some symbols are the ring and the doll. The ring represents the last proof of love between mother and father. Later in the poem gone, the ring was lost. This can be presented as that father is gone, even the proof was lost. Also, later on, mother explained that father was really gone. This is true from the unanswered letters to the symbol of the ring. Also, he was gone a long time ago. Maybe one of the soldiers told mother that the mission father was on failed, maybe the place he was was reported that it was bombed? We might never know the exact reason, but we can see that he is, really gone.

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- The influence of Chinese and Russian communism on North Vietnam
- Comparing the arrival of communism in Korea vs Vietnam

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Because Korea was already influenced by communism from China and Russia, it spreads to Vietnam. America was worried it might also influence other countries and take over the world. This is the reason why that the US decided to support the South by providing money and military weapons, US also sent their soldiers to the South to help.

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After the Korean War, Which China and Russia both influenced, the North became Communism government. Then, this influenced Vietnam. Then, during the war, China and Russia backed the North up, making sure they won.

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Ho Chi Minh was a North Vietnam guy who was strongly influenced by communism and wanted Vietnamese to become it. But the south did not agree, this involves in war between the sides. (BTW, I noticed every time it’s the north who has a change of opinion)

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When the Korean War was fought, it was also influenced China and Russia. The North’s opinion changed, they fought. As the Vietnam War occurred, China and Russia backed the North up, making sure that they don’t lose.

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IOBA shows many examples of how America and Vietnamese cultural food differ. Vietnam food varies from French culture to Chinese culture, this is because Vietnam was once colonized by China and French, thus, this is how their culture spreads. American food is mostly soul food.

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In IOBA, it displays many traditional food eaten in Tet, for instance, rice cakes and Banh Chung. Also it shows food cultures from France, like banh cuon, a French crepe. There is also snacks that origin from Vietnamese itself.

Perspectives of traditional food can origin from history, Vietnamese was colonized by both China and France, this results in a multi - culture within a culture. Their food is a mix of different flavors which makes it special.

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Who: North (Ho Chi Minh)/South side of Vietnam, China, Russia (Soviet Union), North/South Korea, US, France, Cambodia, Laos, Australia, Philippines, Taiwan, Spain, Cuba, Japan.

What: The Domino Theory made by the National Security Council. This theory states that if Vietnam also gets influenced by communism, after Korea, then this will spread to Cambodia and Laos because they are vulnerable under the huge military of North Vietnam.

When: November 1, 1955 – April 30, 1975 was the Vietnam War time, The National Security Council included the theory in a 1952 report on Indochina, and in April 1954, during the decisive battle between Viet Minh and French forces at Dien Bien Phu, President Dwight D. Eisenhower articulated it as the “falling domino” principle.

Where: The Vietnam War takes place at the Ho Chi Minh trail, which is between and along Laos and Vietnam.

Why/How: After Korea got influenced by China and Russia’s change in government, which is Communism, North, under the lead of Ho Chi Minh, wanted Vietnam to become a Communist country, however, South disagreed. When the US saw the pattern of China, Russia, Korea and then Vietnam, the US was worries Communism would become a worldwide government, this is why the US decided to help the South.

Sources form History and Britannica

https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-timeline

https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War#:~:text=Vietnam%20War%2C%20%281954–75%29%2C%20a%20protracted%20conflict%20that%20pitted,Vietnam%20and%20its%20principal%20ally%2C%20the%20United%20States

https://www.history.com/news/vietnam-war-combatants

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Talking how the domino theory effects on the Vietnam War, also adding on about how the war started and how they moved from political chaos to war

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Showing how the political chaos effected in people’s lives and how the political chaos was. Can include political chaos evidence form back then.