The Sacred Willow

Book Review

Main Argument

A story is told of four generations of a Vietnamese family. Elliott’s The Sacred Willow: Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family begins with how her great grandfather rose from a state of poverty to a mandarin. In her book, the author narrates to us her family history. Her intention is to tell us how her country suffered under the French, the negative effects of Communism, and how the free market system brought positive change to the country. Through her story, we get an insight of the lives of the Vietnamese, back in time when the French colonized the country. She tells of the pleasant times she spent at her grandmother’s shop, a sign of the closeness that existed in her family.

She also describes how the French authorities torched down Vietnamese villages. The Vietnamese had to make difficult choices that usually led to disintegration of the family. The colonialists forced the Vietnamese to choose “between heroic resistance and pragmatic collaboration”.[1] Ultimately, the choice was whether to fight for their identity and risk their lives, or co-operate for peace at the expense of their autonomy. The result was that most Vietnamese nationals opted to co-operate with the colonialists. For instance, her father served the colonial power faithfully. In the same stride, her sister became part of the Communist group, the Viet Minh, fighting guerilla wars and living in the bush with her infant child.[2]

The fall of Saigon is another event that is discussed by the author. She tells us how Saigon, the capital city of Vietnam, was captured, ending the Vietnam War. She then follows it up with the exodus of the boat people.[3] Because of the fall of Saigon, there was a mass migration of people, and the ones left behind were sent to re-education camps[4] by the communist government. One of those taken to these camps was her own brother, a radical anti-communist. The purpose was to do way with the old system perpetuated by the former government, and instill the ideals of communism in the people.

The story compares well with what is known about the country’s time under colonial rule. It is known that the French caused breaking of families in Vietnam, but this can only be narrated clearly by one who experienced it first-hand. Rather than narrating from a national point of view, Elliot tells the story of her family, and through it, we get the full implications of the French presence in Vietnam. This was from burning down villages to instilling fear among the Vietnamese nationals. Giving a personal account of the events as they transpired brings out the ills of colonialism.

The author gives accounts of what happened during that period. She shares with us her moments in the classroom, and how she missed her sister.[5] Having gone through the experience, she tells the story with empathy, causing the reader to relate easily with her. For example, she describes how the flowers fell from trees “like hundreds of butterflies” while the French burnt down their villages.[6] A history that would otherwise be too complex to comprehend is made simpler for the reader. It is a story of pain, suffering and victory. Not only is it a family story, but a recount of what the Vietnamese have had to endure.

Subject of the Book

            The author clearly describes the subject of the book, Communism. The French promoted Communism as a way of life in Vietnam; and the writer narrates this concept through her father and sister’s experience. Her great-grandfather had risen to the ranks of mandarin, a Vietnamese national allied to the French colonialists. This tradition remained in the family to her father’s generation. Her father saw it fit to collaborate with the colonialists rather than lead a resistance movement. She also mentions her sister, who went to fight in support of the communist regime. By talking of her own flesh and blood this way, the author can be termed as objective, subsequently giving a balanced point of view.

She tells the events as they happen, without any bias towards her family. She particularly uses her sister’s actions to bring to our attention the cause of disagreements in the family. Her family was strongly anti-communist, but her sister turned around to support the communists, and even fight for them. By giving a neutral account of her family, she shows us the extent of the negative influence the French had on Vietnam. However, the experiences she narrates are limited to what her family members went through. She does not talk about what goes on in the rest of the country. For instance, when she is in the north, she tells us what is going on there, without reference to events in the south.

It has also been argued that Elliott tells the story based on her social class. She narrates her experiences as a member of the middle class, leaving out those in living in the poor areas. Though the experiences she had were not pleasant, those living in poverty might have been undergoing even harder times. Furthermore, her father was a supporter of the French colonialists, implying that her family got better treatment than other Vietnamese families. Therefore, her personal description of the events is limited to those in the same class and geographic area as her.

Effectiveness of Author’s Argument

            The central theme of the book is Communism. Elliott portrays this system as negative, and a part of the reason for the Vietnam War. She also attributes division of the family to this system. Her own sister went to live in the jungle to fight for the principles of Communism, risking her life and that of her child in the process. After the war, her brother was sent to re-education camps, where people were taught to embrace Communism. The other result of the war was displacement. The author’s family had to migrate to another region for their safety. By giving accounts of these two incidences, the author brings out her strong feelings against Communism, a system that caused her once united family to fall apart.

She also examines colonialism. The French authorities were keen on controlling every aspect of Vietnamese life, and in this respect, they used the tactic of divide-and rule. They made the Vietnamese turn against each other; there were those who believed in autonomy as a nation, while some, like the author’s father, thought it better to comply with colonial authority. They appointed mandarins, whom they paid well to oppress the people. Because of this division and greed, the Vietnamese were unable to form a string force against the French. Even after the war, Vietnam continued to be under colonial authority.

Understanding of the Subject and Recommendation

            The book enhances the understanding of the Asian way of life. It is clear that this community values their heritage and history. The narrator tells how her parents narrated to her stories of her great-grandfather and other relatives. In addition, the narrator used to spend hours in her grandmother’s shop, which had been most likely handed down to her by past generations. The Asian culture values togetherness, with the younger generation spending time with the older generation. The fact that the author can tell the story of her family from four generations back with impeccable clarity is further proof of passing down family history and culture.

The mandarin culture started by the author’s great-grandfather is seen in the life of the author. Her father stayed loyal to this tradition by collaborating with the French officials. Though it was against the general interests of the people of Vietnam, Elliott’s father kept this tradition for the sake of his family. The title of mandarin is what raised her great-grandfather from poverty, and to stay in the middle class, it was necessary for her father to maintain friendly ties with the French.[7] This caused the country to go through a great period of destruction. The Vietnam War saw many lose their lives, and even more become refugees in their own land.

The story highlights the importance of unity among a people. The French were able to conquer the land because of the ease with which they could divide the people. Such differences as social class were used as the basis for this division. The result was loss of lives and displacement, causing a great deal of pain among the Vietnamese. The story suggests that the free market system is better than Communism. As soon as the country did away with total Communism to incorporate some aspects of the free market, it started to do well economically, contributing to its status today.[8]

This book is highly recommended for those who wish to learn about the history of Vietnam, before and after the war. Most books about the war are filled with what would be termed as “boring” details, telling the story from an impersonal point of view. It would be similar to reading a documentary. However, Elliot’s experience enables her to tell the story in an interesting way. Reference to her family gives a personal feel to the story, urging the reader to read on. The description of her father, brother and sister are just a few of the ways she uses to get the reader to empathize with her. As a result, the book is educative, informative and entertaining, all at the same time. Therefore, it is highly recommended.

Bibliography

Elliott, Duong Van Mai. The Sacred Willow: Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family. New York, NY: OxfordUniversity Press, 2000.

Vo. Nghia. The Vietnamese Boat people, 1954 and 1975-1992. North Carolina: McFarland, 2006.

Wiest, Andrew. Vietnam’s Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN. New York, NY: NYU Press, 2008.

Womack, Brantly. China and Vietnam: The Politics of Asymmetry.Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press, 2006.

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