In the memoir, First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung. The theme is when it comes to life and death people will do anything to survive. Loung and her family faced many challenges when the Khmer Rouge takes over. They fought and killed to survive and did anything to make sure of it. This means the theme is no matter life or death people will do anything in their power to survive.
To start off, Loung had heard some stories about a woman from a nearby village who had turned out to be a cannibal. Most said she was a good woman but the Khmer rouge caused her to be like this monster. Evidence from the memoir Loung explains, “She was so hungry that when her husband died from eating poisonous food, she ate his flesh and fed it to her children. She did not know that the poison in his body would kill her and her children as well.” This evidence shows the theme that people will do anything to survive during the Khmer rouge. This woman was so hungry due to the Khmer Rouge making everyone's food ration smaller causing them to lack malnutrition. Due to the fighting with the Vietnamese, she ate her husband and fed it to her kids as well because they
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Loungs daily ” medication” ration was emaciated and she was always hungry. Evidence to prove this Loung says, “On my way back to the infirmary one afternoon, I see a rice ball left unguarded beside an old woman. My hand quickly grabs it and put it in my pocket. My heart pounds rapidly, and I walk away as fast I can before anyone notices.” This quote shows the theme that no matter life or death people will do anything to survive. Loung was sick in the hospital and the meals at the hospital were very small. She was still hungry so when she was walking she saw a grandma that was basically already dead so she decided to take her grandma's rice ball. Even though she felt bad she needed it to survive since an old lady was probably on her