A very popular saying goes, “home is where the heart is.” Usually meant to speak about being with family no matter where you are or who you are. In Escape from Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an American by Andrea Warren is about a little boy named Long or Matthew, as he now goes by who had grown up during the hard times of the Vietnamese war must find a home in America. He has trouble understanding exactly what home is to him after moving so many times due to the tragedies of war. However, Matt learns that home is where not only family is but where he feels loved and accepted.
Through recounting his memories of Saigon, Matt lets Warren recreate his very lively child self. Matt had revealed that he was very shy when he was young. As stated in the text, “The children tried to get him to join their games, but he stayed apart.” (22). Matt’s grandmother, Ba could no longer take care of him due to the increasingly low wages she receives from her long hours to feed, clothe, and house the both herself and Matt. She decides to place him at the Holts orphanage, which can take care of him and also protect him from the hate centered around Amerasian children like him, something she could not do. However, even though being placed somewhere with children like him, he still kept to himself and spoke to nobody. He didn’t join any games
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He decides that home is where the heat is and finds both home being with Ba but also with the Steiners, his adoptive family since they both love him dearly. He shares a familiarity with both places, however realizes home is a choice for him to decide. Home is place where he feels safe and welcomed always deciding home is his family. In Escape from Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an American Boy a boy grows up to learn why home is so important and what it is to