The+Sorrow+of+War+-+Rape,+murder,+revenge,+forgiveness?+-+P26

=Pp 26 - 40=

1. Why does Kien refuse to do what his duty requires and stop the soldiers from visiting the young women? In narrative terms, what is love opposed to in this novel? (It might help to look at Kien's memories of a time when he experienced love, described on page 30.) 2. Compare the descriptions of being in love with the passage detailing what life is like during war (see page 31.) What contrast is being drawn? 3. How is the girls' house described on page 32? How is simple imagery used to create a certain tone or impression? Does this establish another contrast with the world at war? 4. Look at the description of the girl in the photograph on page 38 - what impression are we meant to get of her? Why does Bao Ninh want us to get this impression? 5. At various points throughout the novel, basic states or concepts such as dark / light, waking / sleeping, past / present are confused. On page 38, how is this idea extended? What dilemma faces Kien? What should he do?

=Suggested World Lit topics:=
 * =//Perfume// and //The Sorrow of War// are, among other things, love stories. What role do these stories play in the novel as a whole?=
 * =All three novels seem to subvert traditional ideas about what constitutes 'good' and 'evil'. Compare and contrast how this theme is presented.=

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