First They Killed My Father is a memoir written by Loung Ung and her account of the Cambodian government overthrow by the Khemer Rouge. The account begins when Loung is five years old, as she recalls living in Phnom Penh with her six siblings, Meng, Khouy, Keav, Kim, Chou, and Geak, her mother, and her father. While living in the city, the Khemer Rouge storm the city and overthrow the government, while forcing all people in Phnom Penh to evacuate. After evacuating their home, Loung and her family are sent to labor camps where they are punished and starved for four years. In her memoir, Loung reflects on the people she lost and the hardships she endured, while at the same time showing her family’s unbreakable love and courage. Loung implements distinct chapter titles, symbolism, and imagery to reflect her pain, hope, and mournful mood to the reader. Loung’s distinct use of chapter titles throughout the memoir helps to convey the suffering she faced while under Khemer Rouge rule. Each of Loung’s chapter titles are short and brief, which creates a sense of curiosity in the reader since they do not understand the underlying meaning of the title. The titles reflect an incident that occurred in the chapter and are used to remind the reader of the hardships and sacrifice her family endured. For example, when first reading the chapter title “The Last Gathering”(Ung 151), the reader is confused and curious, because he does not understand the meaning of the title, and is