"Ru" by Thúy: A Human Side of Conflict

Honestly, I am a big fan of books situated within major geopolitical conflicts. I think this stems from my background as a Political Science major. I am always intrigued to develop an understanding of not only significant global events, but also of the human consequences that follow. In this context, reading Ru provided me with insight into the life of someone whose entire world was turned upside down by the Vietnam War, a conflict shaped by the ideological Cold War power struggle. Through the narrator’s experiences, the author shows how the consequences of armed conflict have the power to strongly reshape the lives of those unwillingly caught up in it.

In the narrator's words, she “first saw the light of day in Saigon, where firecrackers, fragmented into a thousand shreds, coloured the ground red like the petals of cherry blossoms or like the blood of the two million soldiers deployed and scattered throughout the villages and cities of a Vietnam that had been ripped in two” (1). Following the conflict in her homeland, the narrator transitions from a privileged, wealthy life in Saigon, to a muddy refugee camp in Malaysia, and finally to a new life in Quebec marked by uncertainty and hardship. Her journey demonstrates how quickly life can change and how the effects of political conflict can follow civilians long after they leave their home country.

I think the the title, Ru, is also meaningful, as it reflects both the trajectory of the narrator’s life and the author's particular writing style. As explained in the prelude, Ru means “lullaby” in Vietnamese, and a small stream that signifies a flow of tears, blood, and money in French. I feel like this dual meaning can be applied to represent the narrator’s journey, which flows between different cities, memories, and eras of life. Additionally, this flow also reflects the novel’s narrative structure. Rather than following a clear-cut and chronological sequence, the author moves between telling fragmented experiences.

The image I chose to represent this narrative is of a woman sitting on a train. She is reflecting, and watching the world go by. To me, this serves to illustrate how the protagonist is telling the story of her life, almost as a blur of memories.

My question for the class: What was your favourite aspect of this week's book, and why? Depending on your answer, what do you think this says about yourself?