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Transcript

Kissing in... America?

By Luke McCarthy

Kissing in Vietnamese

Context of the poem

  • Ocean Vuong, the author, was born in Saigon, Vietnam and later immigrated to the United States
  • Throughout the poem, Vuong is describing the feeling(s) he gets when his Grandmother kisses him goodbye
  • When his Grandmother kisses him goodbye, it carries weight related to the memories of her past
  • Considering she had grown up in the time period of the Vietnam War, she was accustomed to giving goodbye kisses, not knowing if she'd ever get to see that person again

Power of Each Kiss

Power

  • As described prior, each kiss had hope and emotion behind it, in desparation she would see her Grandson in the near future
  • Vuong discusses the nature of the kiss, how they aren't flashy or excessive but meaningful and final as if she is attempting to make a definite memory of you
  • She didn't want the extracurriculars like cheek grabbing and tightly gripped hugs, she simply wanted to create a concrete memory of that person
  • As he describes each kiss he first tells us the feelings of safety and joy, but then compares it to the idea that his grandmother is thinking about the terrors of war she had grown up with

Example Quotations

Quotes

  • “When my grandmother kisses, there would be no flashy smooching, no western music of pursed lips, she kisses as if to breathe you inside her...”
  • This quote showed that the “language” in which Vietnamese people kissed in was different from those in America. Vuong’s diction and explanation made it seem as if Americans were kissing with happiness, pride, and exhilaration contrasting from Vietnamese people's tragedy and hopelessness
  • This contrast is what I will mainly be focused on

Continued

  • “My grandmother kisses as if history never ended, as if somewhere a body is still falling apart.”
  • Introduces the idea that the effects of this war last forever, demonstrating the idea that the trauma attached to this war remains through countless generations
  • Each kiss relates to the value of life and the time we have with our loved ones
  • She kisses as if history never ended because the war changed her perception on life, instilling a fear in her that there won't be a next time

Context

The Vietnam War

  • The Vietnam war was an undeclared war in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from November 1st, 1955 to April 30th, 1975
  • This was known as the second of the Indochina wars and was officially between North Vietnam and South Vietnam
  • In Vietnam, the war was known as the "Resistance War Against America"
  • North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union, China and other communist allies while South Vietnam was supported by the United States, South Korea, Philippines, Australia and other anti-communist countries

United States Involvement

U.S. Involvement

  • U.S. involvement mainly stemmed from the incentive of ending the increasing communism in South Vietnam
  • In 1950, U.S. involvement provided growing amounts of financial and military assistance to French forces fighting in Vietnam
  • As of 1951, U.S. involvement increased from just helping French troops to providing direct military assistance
  • By about 1966, there were 184,000 U.S. troops in Vietnam. This number of troops increased each year with very little progress in the war
  • U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on overwhelming firepower to perform search and destroy missions, involving heavy artillery and airstrikes. The U.S. conducted a massive strategic bombing campaign against North Vietnam as well.
  • Estimates of the number of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed were as many as 2.5 million people

U.S. Marines in Operation Allen Brook

"I'm Going Home" on tank of American soldiers

Vietnamese children and soldiers seeking to escape attack

Vietnam vs. America

Comparison

  • “My grandmother kisses as if bombs are bursting in the backyard”
  • This use of imagery challenges the reader, me as an American, to recognize the privilege associated with being unaffected by such trauma and hardship
  • “as if bombs are bursting in the backyard, where mint and jasmine lace their perfumes through the kitchen window...”
  • This use of imagery constructs the idea of a familiar home and how a loving, comforting place has been disrupted by the smell of napalm and the constant agony of the war
  • Looking out the kitchen window is now distorted by smoke and fire rather than a garden or beautiful plants

Vietnamese Point of View

Viewpoint One

  • As portrayed throughout the poem, the Vietnamese citizens had no choice but to believe they may never see the person infront of them again
  • Each moment with family or friends was treated as if it could potentially be the last
  • Therefore, Vuong uses strong diction, imagery, and syntax to describe how his Grandmother kissed him with the intentions of savoring his presence not till next time, but forever
  • Although the poem is phrased as a compulsion in one particular family, the title declares "her" kisses were a cultural thing, a language that her whole generation spoke
  • From her generation and on, people struggle to forget about what happened during that war and live with the uncertainty and doubt of a lack of safety or when they may see someone next

American Point of View

  • In major contrast, this was a war far away from home for Americans
  • Yes, they worried for their soldiers and loved ones, yet, were not nearly as worried about their livelihood or sense of safety as the Vietnamese people
  • Americans were not living with constant anxiety and fear of when the next bomb would come or when the next group of troops would invade
  • It was a whole different language of kissing
  • A language of "see you soon" or "come back later"
  • A language of optimism and certainty
  • Americans kissed thier loved ones with a smile, taking their time with family for granted and unbothered or worried about when they might see each other next

Viewpoint Two

Vuong's Perception

Language Change

  • In multiple interviews and articles, Vuong describes the idea that through his Grandmother, he learned the importance of cherishing time with loved ones and respecting those who have paved the way for you
  • Vuong now writes novels and poems, many times involving family and how they overcame hardships to allow him to succeed
  • I recognize this as someone who is trying to change the language in America and sculpt a culture that people recognize that life is short and that you should let the people you love know daily how special they are

Vuong on the Rose

Example

  • "So the rose is also my favorite flower. And I love that it’s such a time-worn symbol, because she taught me how to look at it anew, how to reclaim a cliché for oneself so that it is no longer part of the mainstream romantic fallacies, but an idiosyncratic piece of one’s identity. When I see a rose, it is my mother at her most powerful" (Marginalia Interview).
  • As an immigrant, Vuong's mother recognizes roses as a symbol of pride and respect for her home country
  • Therefore, Vuong now uses this symbol to honor his mother, his culture, and his home country. The symbol of this rose is a language in itself and allows Vuong to reflect on the roots of his family and the place in which he came from
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