Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Paradise of the Blind, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Traditional Values and Sacrifice
Communism, Hypocrisy, and Corruption
Love and Wealth
Beauty, Disillusionment, and Coming of Age
Summary
Analysis
Hang and Que arrive home early that afternoon, and hear the familiar cripple’s song. For lunch, Que makes Hang’s favorite dish with the food that Aunt Tam gave them. Later in the day, Hang thinks about Ton, wishing that she could have known him. She wanders around the streets, ending up at the mouth of a sewer. She picks through the trash, trying to guess the origin of each item, until Uncle Chinh arrives and interrupts her, telling her not to play in the filth.
Here Duong demonstrates how Hang still has a sense of the childhood enchantment that she will lose upon coming of age. Rather than recognizing the street filled with trash for what it is and the poverty that it represents, she uses it as a game. Duong contrasts this childhood innocence with Uncle Chinh’s acknowledgement of the filth.
Themes
Hang returns home with Uncle Chinh, Uncle Chinh asks Que for his share of the money, which she gives him. He then tells her that he’s found her a post as an apprentice clerk in a food factory. Que asks how she could provide for Hang on an apprentice salary, and Chinh tells her that Hang would have more opportunities in the future if Que took the post. Hang asks Uncle Chinh to stop torturing her mother, but he responds that he is simply thinking of Hang’s future, and then he leaves.
Duong begins to hint at the changing dynamic between Hang and her mother. Her mother begins to seek approval from Uncle Chinh now that he is back in her life, while Hang is trying to protect her mother from Uncle Chinh’s cruelty. Additionally, Duong reinforces the irony in the fact that following an ideology meant to uplift the working class actually leads to them being poorer.
Themes
Que cries after Uncle Chinh departs. She says that she should have raised him and paid for his studies—that she neglected her duties as his older sister. A few weeks later, Hang overhears Que telling Neighbor Vi that her work reflects badly on him in the Party. She says that she has to be there for him as the sole male heir of their family. Vi assures her that it’s hard to have higher virtues when you’re struggling to make ends meet.
Duong continues to track Que’s belief that she has not fulfilled her family duties, which contributes to her subsequent sacrifices for his happiness. Additionally, Vi’s observation that it’s difficult to maintain a moral high ground when a person is poor provides a degree of explanation for why so many people in the Communist Party in Vietnam—Uncle Chinh included—end up resorting to corruption, because they don’t have enough to support themselves.
Themes
Tet falls soon after this visit. Neighbor Vi makes a huge pot of che (sweet pudding) for Que and Hang. As they carry the plates back to their house they notice Aunt Tam is waiting for them. Aunt Tam asks if they’re begging now and sets out huge quantities of pâtés, green tea, spicy cakes, cookies, and juice. Que is shocked and embarrassed, saying that they can’t accept it all. Aunt Tam says that the food is an offering to Ton’s memory, and that it’s for Hang to give to whomever she wants. Aunt Tam also gives Hang a generous amount of cash—far too much for a child.
Aunt Tam’s gift of food and money is another extravagant gesture of affection. While Hang appreciates the food, she recognizes that this is not borne of love for her alone. Aunt Tam makes it rather explicit that she is only providing the food because of her love for her brother and Hang’s connection to Ton. Additionally, this exchange hints at the fact that these gestures will create a degree of competition and resentment between Aunt Tam and Que.
Themes
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Aunt Tam then instructs Que to clean her family altar and places a portrait of Ton on the altar as well. She then spreads out candles and firecrackers as offerings. Hang goes outside and thinks that with the money Aunt Tam had given her, she could buy anything she wanted, but this thought does not bring her joy. She feels that she can’t go back into the house, because the feast and the candles are simply “an extravagant, postponed form of regret, a yearning for their lost paradise.”
Hang confirms her recognition that Aunt Tam is simply giving her the money and food because of her connection to Ton and not actually providing her with the emotional support that she craves. The fact that Hang is starting to mature and become more disillusioned is also revealed in this passage, where she recognizes that each of these women has lost the “paradise” of their former lives. Later in the book, Hang, too, will recognize how she has lost the “paradise” of her own childhood.
Themes
Spring and summer pass quickly. Hang gives Aunt Tam a progress report on her studies each month, and Aunt Tam writes her long letters back. Hang thinks that she is submitting to “the glory of the Tan family.” That autumn, Que repairs the wall in the kitchen. Hang suggests selling the earrings that Aunt Tam gave her to replace the roof, but Que refuses. Que says that she is embarrassed that she can’t provide a decent roof. Hang notes that since Aunt Tam came into their lives, Que has become more distant and reserved toward Hang.
Duong illustrates the irony and the tragedy in Aunt Tam’s gifts. They do not make Hang feel as though she is loved, and Hang recognizes that the money is in some ways a means of buying her back into the family. In addition, these gestures start to drive a wedge between Que and Hang, as Que worries that Aunt Tam’s gifts signify a greater love for Hang. Thus, Duong illustrates how rather than making Hang feel more loved, Tam’s gifts are instead causing friction between Hang and the person whom she values the most.
Themes
Winter passes, and Que says that she can buy a new roof after Tet comes. But one evening, Que returns home and says that Uncle Chinh is very sick. They rush to the hospital but are denied entry to visit Uncle Chinh. After a few days, they are able to get into the hospital, but Uncle Chinh is not there. The man who had been his roommate says that he was discharged the previous evening, and that he’s fine.
Just as Aunt Tam is putting Hang’s happiness above her own, Que begins to do the same with Uncle Chinh, even to the detriment of her and Hang’s relationship. Even though she promises to fix the leaky roof, when Que discovers that Uncle Chinh and his family lack money, Que prioritizes them over all else.
Themes
Confused, Hang and Que go to Communal Residence K, where Uncle Chinh lives. When they arrive, Uncle Chinh, his wife Thanh, and his two sons Tuan and Tu are eating dinner. Uncle Chinh looks sallow, but Que is glad to see him. Uncle Chinh introduces Que, but Thanh (whom they call Aunt Chinh) barely acknowledges them. Aunt Chinh, who is a teacher at the Communist Youth League School, immediately notices Que’s Western-style clothing (which indicates that Que is a small businesswoman). Que fawns over the two boys, who only speak when spoken to.
Duong illustrates here the double standard between Uncle Chinh and Que. Que wants to support her brother in whatever way possible, putting her brother over all else. Duong also foreshadows Que’s obsession with Tuan and Tu as the male heirs to their family. Uncle Chinh and his wife, on the other hand, put their ideology over all else, and they’re cruel to Que simply because of her position as a businesswoman.
Themes
Uncle Chinh is dismissive of Que’s concern for his health, saying that he had just been overworked. With nothing more to say or do, Que and Hang leave. Que starts to cry, feeling dejected by Uncle Chinh and his family’s treatment. Hang suggests that they never come back, but Que insists that she can’t abandon her brother.
This exchange between Que and Hang demonstrates how an adherence to family values can actually cause misery within families, as Que’s loyalty to Uncle Chinh over Hang begins to cause tension in their relationship.
Themes
Que and Hang return to their street and buy pho (noodle soup) from a vendor. Afterward, Que feels ill and starts to vomit. Hang calls Neighbor Vi, who massages Que. Meanwhile, Hang goes out into the street, where the cripple starts to sing. Hang notes that some days, he says he wants to get married or work, while other days he wants to drown himself. Hang returns to the house as Neighbor Vi leaves, and Vi tells her that her mother is feeling better. Hang finds her mother asleep. Seeing Que’s bleary eyes, Hang worries that she might be looking into her own future.
Here Duong starts to hint at the deeper meaning behind the cripple’s song. Even though it is beautiful, the fact that all he does every day is sing the same song illustrates an inescapably stagnant life. Even though Hang doesn’t fully acknowledge this fact yet, she implicitly recognizes the potential for her own life to be stagnant as well when she returns to the house and worries that she might follow the same path of sadness and suffering as her mother.
Themes
The next morning, Que is still not feeling well, and Hang prepares rice for her. Que asks her to go back to Uncle Chinh’s house with some food because Tuan and Tu look too skinny. Hang thinks that Que is acting just like Aunt Tam, but she agrees to go. Que then asks Hang to promise never to stop loving her, and Hang nods. Que then gives Hang money to buy two pounds of pork and cinnamon pâté and two pounds of pork filet. She tells her not to tell Uncle Chinh that she is sick.
Hang points out the many similarities between the two primary women in her life. They both sacrifice their own happiness for that of their family members—particularly the family members whom they consider to be their families’ heirs. And both Que and Tam attempt to show their love through gestures of food and wealth.
Themes
Hang buys the food and returns to Uncle Chinh’s home on her bike. Aunt Chinh is amazed at the food Hang has brought, but she locks the door and watches the window as she unpacks. When Uncle Chinh returns from work, he asks why Hang had come back. When Hang says that Que thought Tuan and Tu looked thin, he gets angry and says that they have the that not all skinny people are starving. Aunt Chinh thanks her and Hang returns home.
Once again, Duong subtly implies the hypocrisy and corruption of the Communist Party and its followers. Even though Uncle Chinh and his wife are both leaders in the Party, they do not make enough money to properly feed their families. And though they could be criticized for accepting these gifts from Hang, they still accept them and simply hide them—hinting at the idea that they will gladly take the advantages that Que gives them while still trying to maintain the appearance that they live like everyone else.
Themes
When Hang arrives, Que asks her many questions about how Uncle Chinh’s family is doing. Que realizes that she forgot she wanted Hang to buy sticky-rice cakes for Tuan and Tu. Hang is frustrated that Que would do so much for Uncle Chinh’s family yet doesn’t want to tell them about her own illness. Soon after, Que starts to work more so that she can buy more food for Tuan and Tu.
It is here that Que truly starts to sacrifice her own happiness for that of Uncle Chinh and his family, particularly demonstrated by the fact that she does not want them to worry about her, whereas she frets constantly over making sure that they have enough food and money. Again, Duong illustrates how this adherence to traditional values starts to strain Hang and Que’s relationship.
Themes
During a school vacation, Hang spends the day with her friends. When she returns in the evening, Hang finds Que dejected on her bed. Que reveals that she had left her vendor stall to buy a bowl of soup (which would be less money than someone bringing her food) and the stall had been robbed. Hang tries to comfort Que: she makes rice soup for her mother and goes out to buy an ear of corn for herself. Coming back, Hang is harassed by a 20-year-old man but manages to escape him and return home.
The robbery of Que’s stall proves how she is risking her own happiness for that of Uncle Chinh. She is trying to save as much money as possible so that she can spend it on his family, but in doing so, she has lost money and goods. Additionally, the harassment that Hang experiences becomes a recurring theme, illustrating how the deference expected of young women toward men and their elders reinforces a dynamic in which older men are able to assault women without fear (as with Hang’s friend’s uncle in Chapter 2).
Themes
At home, Que laments that she hasn’t yet honored the household gods for Tet. Hang tries to console her, telling her that their Tet will be fine and they can just have a few New Year’s cakes. The next morning, Hang wakes up late and finds that Que has sold some spare iron bars. Que goes to the market while Hang prepares a simple dinner. But when Que comes back, she has bought everything needed for a wonderful Tet banquet. They finish Hang’s dinner early and then go over to Uncle Chinh’s house with the Tet feast.
Que’s sacrifice of her and Hang’s happiness is even more pronounced here. She assured Hang that she would repair their roof by Tet, but instead she uses what little money she can scrounge in order to support Uncle Chinh. Her sacrifice is made even more literal when she and Hang themselves have a very small and rushed Tet dinner so that they can deliver the food for Uncle Chinh.
Themes
Uncle Chinh and Aunt Chinh are both shocked by the food that Que brings; Tuan and Tu are overjoyed, having never seen so much food before. Aunt Chinh serves dinner to the boys, and Que and Hang simply watch. Hang wants to leave, but Que simply gazes adoringly at the boys, the Do family heirs, as they eat appreciatively.
Just as Duong emphasizes how Hang represents the heir to the Tran family for Aunt Tam, she also emphasizes how Uncle Chinh’s sons are the heirs to the Do family in Que’s eyes. Thus, their gestures of sacrifice are motivated by the traditional values of putting their families (particularly their heirs) above all else.
Themes
Just then, a young man enters their home, requesting to speak to Uncle Chinh. He says that a workers’ delegation is visiting for Tet, and in their honor they are celebrating the poet Do Chieu. Uncle Chinh disagrees, believing that Do Chieu’s poetry is not revolutionary and too critical of the Party. Uncle Chinh states that they have to be protectors of the revolution. However, when Uncle Chinh learns that the ceremony invitations are to go out in two days, and that he was written about by a famous communist historian, Uncle Chinh gives his permission to honor the poet. The man thanks him and quickly leaves.
This exchange between Uncle Chinh and the young Communist Party official is emblematic of Uncle Chinh’s beliefs as a whole. While he spouts ideological purity, in reality he is willing to compromise his values for the sake of expediency, as long as he can find a tangible excuse to justify his beliefs. While this is not as extreme as his later incidents of corruption, it indicates the same emptiness in his harsh language and staunch viewpoints.
Themes
After the man leaves, Hang turns to Que and says that she’s going home. They both leave together, and Aunt Chinh walks them to the residence entry. But each time she sees one of her colleagues, she speeds ahead of them or lags behind them, pretending not to be associated with them. Hang thinks that she has no desire to return to see the family again, and from then on, Que visits them alone. Que later asks Neighbor Vi why Aunt Chinh pretends not to know her when they walk. Neighbor Vi explains that no one is allowed to be different or seen as better. She suggests that Que wear the same clothes as Aunt Chinh to fit in. Que starts to do so and becomes much happier after her visits.
Duong again emphasizes the double standard between Que and Uncle Chinh’s family. While she puts family above all else, Uncle Chinh and his family are clear that their communist ideology supersedes any loyalty to Que. This double standard is likely due to the fact that Que and his sons are the heirs to the family line, and so Que feels she must do everything she can to support him—whereas Uncle Chinh does not have the same obligation to a female family member.
Themes
A year passes, and Tet arrives once more. This year, Que once again exhausts her savings for Uncle Chinh’s Tet dinner. A few days before the new year, Aunt Tam visits with a feast of meats, fruits, and cakes—as well as a rooster and six hens. When Aunt Tam leaves, Que immediately starts to decorate the ancestors’ altar. Hang knows that Que had been counting on Aunt Tam for the food, so that she could put her own savings toward Uncle Chinh’s family. Hang is furious. She wonders why Que loves people who “enslaved her.”
Here, the rift between Hang and Que becomes even more pronounced. While Hang appreciates the food and money from Aunt Tam, they are not replacements for genuine love. At the same time, Que has found new recipients for her own affection and is enabled by Aunt Tam’s gifts to spend even more money on Uncle Chinh’s family—thus separating her further from Hang as well. In this way, the money that both women spend leaves Hang feeling isolated and completely unsupported, which is what fuels her frustration.
Themes
