In 1975 the Khmer Rouge came to power in Cambodia, with the promise of a equal and classless society. The book First They Killed My Father, tells the story of a little girl and her family. The little girl, Loung, and her family are from the city of Phnom Penh. She lives a privileged life looking up to her father, until it is all striped away to rice and hard labor. In the memoir, First They Killed my Father by Loung Ung, Ung explores how relationships are important in her journey in order to demonstrate how her relationship with her Pa makes her committed to survive.
Pa is the thread that held the family together in the beginning of the Khmer Rouges reign. During and after Keav's death, Pa reminds the family that everything will be okay and to not think about it. Loung says, "Pa tries hard to encourage us." Pa says, "We have to go about our ways as if nothing has happened. We do not want the chief to think that we can no longer contribute to their society. We have to save our strength to go on" (Ung 100). The Ung family is shaken by Keavs death, but Pa knows that they can not show weakness. He fakes in strength at times to be a role model for the rest of his family. He verbally encourages the family and sets a strong example for them. Loung followed the example her father set for her, knowing that he knows what is best for her.
…show more content…
Pa is not back home yet and the family does not know if he will return. "Pa was our strength and we all need him to survive, especially Ma. He was good at survive and knew what to do for us" (Ung 108). Pa showed the family how to live and how to survive in there situation. Without Pa there during the Khmer Rouge, Ma and the children would have not survived. Loung needs Pa for the example to follow. Pa taught Loung how to keep focused and not show weakness even when she wants to give up. Without him she would never learn to survive to the Khmer