War

War is perhaps the most prevailing theme in the novel, as it influences nearly every story and family. Though there are several different wars throughout the novel, the most affecting one is the Vietnam War, known as the Resistance War Against America in Vietnam. War consistently separates families and citizens; neighbors, fellow citizens, and even family are convinced that they are enemies based on political ideology. The Land Reform illustrates how citizens are used as agents to advance political agendas: though the tribunal official says he is a farmer just like the other villagers, Diệu Lan notices that the “way he looked and acted” told her otherwise (141).

Hương’s Uncle Minh represents how war physically and ideologically separates families. The Land Reform, which started as a civil war that pitted the communist Viet Minh against French colonizers and landowners, is the original reason that...