Paradise Of The Blind Duong Thu Huong Analysis

Duong Thu Huong’s thematic use of the Cripple to reflect physical and emotion unfulfillment in Paradise of the Blind

Huong’s description of the cripple portrays the concept of living a life unfulfilled. The character’s disabilities result in not only a physical handicap but they also ‘cripple’ his ability to attain the type of fulfillment that he desires, due to this he is one of the most evident characters with unreached potential. As the cripple embodies unfulfilment both physically and emotionally, Duong uses his presence to play a pronounced role in reinforcing this thematic idea. From the description Duong provides, the reader is able to gain understanding of the regret and failure of this broken man. He lives ‘year and year out, stretched out on a bed of coarse linen,’ suggests that he has fallen into an unchanging pattern. ‘Year in and year out’ presents the idea of predictability, constantly moving in the same routine, creating a sense that the life he lives is mundane and boring. Furthermore, the description of his bed linen as ‘coarse’ further provides the constant feeling of discomfort, reiterating the despondency associated with the cripple’s life that much like the coarse linen he continually suffers with.

The introduction of contradicting desires is also present in the description of

As the song recurs multiple times throughout Hang’s life it aids to reveal her character development throughout the course of the novel. The song is further used to portray the mood in Vietnam especially significant to Hang and her childhood. The lyrics of the song describing autumn use specific words such as ‘dead’, ‘barren’ and ‘silent’ in order to impart a sense of lifelessness and eeriness, this furthermore establishes a similar tone in Hanoi. The darker and depressing tone caused by this stillness contributes to the underlying sadness present in Hang’s