Oppression

One of the main narrative concerns of the novel is the illustration and condemnation of the Khmer Rouge, as its brutality centered solely around the violent expansion of its own power. The Khmer Rouge was the military and political force of the Angkar, Cambodia’s communist party. The organizations were led by the dictator Pol Pot, who rose to power in Cambodia in the 1970s. The reader’s first direct introduction to the Khmer Rouge serves to highlight its brutality and inherent evil. Janie remembers her father had initially believed the Khmer Rouge would bring peace and harmony to Cambodia. Soon before the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh, he said, “Once the guns go quiet, the Khmer Rouge will put everything right” (65). However, this idea directly contrasts with the immediate after-effects of the Khmer Rouge taking power. They forcibly remove people from the city, separate...