Land Reform Analysis in Paradise of the Blind

Land reform refers to a policy that the Communist Party of Vietnam carried out between 1954 and 1956. This program, which involved redistributing land owned by landlords or farmers to peasants, resulted in the execution of many people within the landowning class. Because the redistribution was largely seen as a failure, the Party attempted to remedy the policy with the Rectification of Errors. In Paradise of the Blind, Uncle Chinh is a fierce advocate for the land reform movement in his village. The campaign also results in Ton’s family losing their farm, Ton fleeing the village due to persecution, and his mother Nhieu’s death.

Land Reform Quotes in Paradise of the Blind

The Paradise of the Blind quotes below are all either spoken by Land Reform or refer to Land Reform. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Traditional Values and Sacrifice Theme Icon

).

“Ton’s family has always lived in peace with everyone,” my mother stammered. “They’ve never laid a finger on anyone here. You know that. Here in the village, everyone knows who’s bad and who’s good.”

Uncle Chinh interrupted, correcting her sternly: “You must not let yourself be influenced by others, or betray your class. We must crush the landowning classes, these cruel oppressors, and return the land to the peasants. If you don’t listen to me, you’ll be forced out of the community and punished according to revolutionary sanctions.”

Related Characters: Hang (speaker), Que (speaker), Uncle Chinh (speaker), Aunt Tam, Ton, Nan, Bich, Nhieu

Page Number and Citation: 23

Explanation and Analysis:

Someday I’ll be even richer. This ancestral house will be renovated. It’s going to be even more opulent than before. I’ll show people. Even if I have to tear this body of mine apart. […]

People say I’m extravagant. I tell them, “Yes, that’s right, and I’m offering this to myself in memory of all my suffering.”

Related Characters: Aunt Tam (speaker), Hang, Que, Uncle Chinh, Ton, Nhieu

Page Number and Citation: 79

Explanation and Analysis:

Land Reform Term Timeline in Paradise of the Blind

The timeline below shows where the term Land Reform appears in Paradise of the Blind. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Communism, Hypocrisy, and Corruption Theme Icon

...bitter enemies of the peasant class. He says that the Party is about to begin land reform , and that Ton’s family are the people whom they must condemn and punish. When... (full context)

Two peasants who had been made “pillars of the land reform ” lead the accusations against Nhieu and Tam. One, named Bich, was expelled from the... (full context)

...bitch Tam.” He tells Que that he has been promoted to chief of the village Land Reform Section, and that if she continues to meet with Tam, the Party will denounce him.... (full context)

Beauty, Disillusionment, and Coming of Age Theme Icon

...one can find her. Six months later, Uncle Chinh leaves the village to join the Land Reform Section—then one day, Que returns. She is emaciated, her face covered in lines. (full context)

...the village, the “Rectification of Errors” begins. The campaign is an effort to rectify the land reform , which had wrought immense chaos and suffering. People talk about the injustices they suffered,... (full context)

...Aunt Tam began rebuilding the house five years ago. Aunt Tam speaks about how during land reform , they cut the house in half for Bich and Nan. They gave her a... (full context)

Aunt Tam confesses that before the land reform , she never wanted to make a fortune—she only loved working. But from then on,... (full context)

...first time in nine years the previous month. Aunt Tam criticizes him for leading the land reform , but Que tries to defend him by saying that he was obeying orders. (full context)

Paradise of the Blind

Duong Thu Huong

Land Reform Term Analysis

Land Reform Quotes in Paradise of the Blind

Land Reform Term Timeline in Paradise of the Blind

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Land Reform Term Analysis

Land Reform Quotes in Paradise of the Blind

Land Reform Term Timeline in Paradise of the Blind

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