July 10, 2024

Were you surprised that Tuyet chooses to stay in Vietnam rather than join Takeshi in Japan at the end of the novel? Why, in your opinion, does she make this choice? What does this mean for her future?

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Fiona

A little surprised because she had daid she would go one day and she had been shown with a strong moral character so thought she would fulfill her word.

However she suffered a lot due to her connection with Takeshi and I feel that relationship tested her love and at the end d of it all her love was greater for her homeland and birth family.

I think it was also important to stay close to the Shrine where they could honour Hoang.

Camille

I was surprised she stayed. I had to listen to that part again. I had hoped she would go to Japan, with Coi. They both endured much sorrow and hardship. And now especially since her Daughter had joined the convent. There would be no guarantee that they wouldn’t throw her back in prison and face that brutally again.

Hannah

This made me sooo sad! While I knew she wouldn’t go I was praying she would! Or at least write a reply! The tragic part is he went injuried and not of his own free will exactly. I don’t believe he would have left without her, which makes this even more heartbreaking. I know she valued their time together however, and must do what she views as honorable.

Anthony C

I was somewhat surprised for Tuyet to stay after all the loss, pain, strife, grief, and with no peace in sight. Yet that shows how much she loves Vietnam, and what the people there mean to hear.

It reminded me of her last discussion with Takashi, when she accuses him of not having made as many sacrifices. Perhaps her sacrifice is staying in the country she grew up in, despite all that happened to her or may happen to her. She wants to see a Vietnam free from the French.

Miranda Parson

I was surprised she didn’t go to Japan to have an easier life for her daughter and herself. Maybe she knew, although it was never said, that the Japanese would be racist against them and so life would still be hard. Maybe she was still mad at her husband because she blamed him for the death of their son and looking at him was still painful. However, if it were me, I would have gone to Japan to start a new life.

Kassandra

I wasn’t surprised. Vietnam is her home and it’s also where her son is buried. She is someone who puts others first and she wouldn’t leave them to suffer.

Luke

I was very surprised that Tuyet stays. in my opinion he should join Takeshi

dconnolly

Like other commenters, I was not surprised by this as there had been foreshadowing. Still, I was hopeful that I had misread the foreshadowing.

Charlotte

For me, too.

Jan

I was not surprised but I had been hopeful that the love and dedication of two people to one another could have been shattered by thei war time experiences. If Takeshita truly loved Tuyet he would have gone back to Vietnam instead of just writing a letter.

Nicole St Germaine

I was not at all surprised. There was a lot of foreshadowing throughout the book, such as Tuyet’s premonition that they would not like in their dream house for long. In the end, they were the love of each other’s lives but duty supersedes love. Their son was dead and that ended their obligation to one another.

Yolanda Jones

I was surprised but understood that she would not want to leave her sons. I did think she might go to give her daughter a better life.

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