| Booktalk
#1
For many centuries, emperors
ruled the country of Vietnam. In the late 1800s, France conquered
Vietnam and the emperors lost their power. In 1945, the last emperor
gave up his throne in the hope that Vietnam would be able to gain back
its independence. This was not to be. This book tells the tale
of a woman who grew up in Vietnam and finally was forced to flee the fighting
and began a new life in the United States. During it all, the one
thing that kept her spirits up was a single lotus seed. Why would
this be so important?
Booktalk #2
For Ba the lotus seed is symbolic
of the life changing events she has endured. She acquired the lotus seed
at the time when the emperor of Vietnam lost his throne; as a young girl
she witnessed him weep. Ba has carried this seed through her life’s
journeys. She had the seed the day she wed, and when she had children.
When Ba was forced to flee her home during a time of war her beloved seed
joined her plight to America.
Now Ba is an old woman and
her beloved seed has been misplaced by a curious grandson. Her heart is
broken. Her grandchildren try to help Ba locate the seed unsuccessfully.
As the seasons pass Ba stumbles across her beloved lotus seed in the a
most unexpected place.
This story is historical fiction.
It takes place during a time in which Vietnam experienced changes in govenorship,
from that of Emperorship to French Rule. During that time the French governed
Vietnam; a war ensued in efforts to gain freedom from the French. Unfortunately
this was not the only turmoil in the country’s history. After
gaining freedom from France a civil war erupted between Northern and Southern
Vietnam. During these many outbreaks of war many people fled Vietnam in
seek of refuge. America became the home for many of these refugees including
the character Ba. (Tamara Hernandez, tamaralcastro@aol.com, college
student) |
