First They Killed My Father

by

Loung Ung

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Laine Character Analysis

A teenage girl from a neighboring village of Ro Leap who is forced by her parents, as well as Ma and Pa, to marry Khouy. Laine’s parents arrange the marriage in an effort to prevent their daughter from being abducted and raped by Khmer Rouge soldiers. After the ceremony, Laine is sent to a labor camp with Khouy. When Vietnamese soldiers topple the Khmer Rouge, Laine runs away in search of her own family and the Ungs do not see her again.
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Laine Character Timeline in First They Killed My Father

The timeline below shows where the character Laine appears in First They Killed My Father. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 10: Ro Labor Camps, January 1976
Genocide, Racism, and Propaganda Theme Icon
Women’s Treatment in Times of War Theme Icon
Ma and Pa force Khouy to marry a girl from a nearby village, Laine, to decrease the likelihood of his being recruited to the Khmer Rouge army; with a... (full context)
The Price of Survival  Theme Icon
The Unbreakable Bonds of Family Theme Icon
Laine and Khouy are married and sent to a labor camp. The soldiers also force Meng... (full context)
Chapter 18: The Last Gathering, May 1978
Genocide, Racism, and Propaganda Theme Icon
The Unbreakable Bonds of Family Theme Icon
...and Chou’s, and also has propaganda meetings. Meng still lives with Khouy and his wife Laine, though no one asks about her, having learned that under the Khmer Rouge some things... (full context)