Reference no: EM133296821
Questions
1. How does the graphic memoir start and why do you think the author's first chapter is titled "Labor"?
2. According to the memoir, how did World War II and the post-World War II period impact Bui's family? Her father? Her mother? Include commentary on why Bo leaves North Vietnam in 1954.
3. Examine the four panels on pages 128 and 129, and the quote "I had no idea that the terror I felt was only the long shadow of his own" (p.129). Compare Bo's upbringing in Viet Nam to Thi's upbringing in San Diego. How are they similar? Different? What is meant by Thi's quote? How is trauma passed down between generations?
4. What is the portrayal of Communists and the Viet Minh? The Viet Minh is the political party dominated by Ho Chi Minh and communists.
5. On page 55, after Quyen dies, the doctor states, "We did the best that we could do" Why do you think the quote became the title of the book?
6. How does American escalation and involvement in Vietnam impact Vietnamese society?
7. Select ONE of the following historical events and describe how Bui portrays the event:
a. Geneva Accords
b. Tet Offensive
c. "Saigon Execution" photo (page 206)
d. April 30, 1975
8. How and why does the family escape Vietnam?
9. What happens to Bui and her family in the last chapter, titled "Ebb and Flow"