Insights on pursuit for meaningful life in selected works of toni morrison

ABSTRACT Title: Insights for a Meaningful Life in Selected Works of Toni Morrison Author: Va Thi Quynh Dung Course: Doctor of Philosophy Vietnamese students... The study found out that m

IN SELECTED WORKS OF TONI MORRISON

A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Batangas State University Batangas City, Philippines

IN SELECTED WORKS OF TONI MORRISON” prepared and submitted by

VU THI QUYNH DUNG in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy major in English has been examined and is recommended for Oral Examination

tld

MARIA LUISA Ad VALDEZ, Ph.D

Adviser

PANEL OF EXAMINERS Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of ake

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy major in English

Comprehensive Examination: PASSED

ƒ /Date Dean, Graduate Studies

ollege of Arts and Sciences

ABSTRACT Title: Insights for a Meaningful Life in Selected Works of Toni Morrison

Author: Va Thi Quynh Dung

Course: Doctor of Philosophy

Vietnamese students.

In dealing with the works, the qualitative method with content analysis based on the Sociological and Philosophical Approaches and the theory of Viktor Frankl’s Meaningfulness of Life were employed

The study found out that mostly, the black female characters experienced humiliation and suffered an acute isolation in a white racist society that has marginalized them; Black women always resisted every sort

of oppression with different sources of strength and motives; Oppressed women resisted and revolted in various ways, such as verbal, physical, and armed resistance with different manners such as violence, non-violence or acquiescence; and the themes pursued in the novels will change the way Vietnamese students think and act, and foster students to hold campaigns and propaganda focusing on promoting the values of a meaningful family life,

a life of prosperity, equality, happiness, progress, a life without prejudice and

violence

The dissertation can be used as reference for students of Literature in the Contemporary American Literature course Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training, the educational institutions may integrate the insights on the pursuit of meaningful family life in the academe that will also inspire them to spawn activities in the curricula This paper will also make members of the community understand that life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This dissertation appears in its current form due to the assistance and guidance of several people The researcher would like to offer her sincere thanks to them for their assistance and guidance has helped her during the whole period of study

First and foremost, she offers her sincerest gratitude to her supervisor, Dr Maria Luisa A Valdez, the Dean of Colleges and Head of the Graduate School of the Batangas State University ARASOF Nasugbu Campus, the researchers dissertation adviser and editor, who has supported her though out the conduct of her dissertation with her patience and knowledge Without her this research, too, would not have been completed or written One simply could not wish for a more accommodating and admirable supervisor

The researcher also owes her gratitude to Dr Matilda H Dimaano for her highly intellectual abilities to give excellent advise and detailed review during the preparation of this study

She would also like to express her gratitude to Dr Amada G Banaag,

Dr Felix M Panopio, and Dr Myrna G Sulit, the Members of the Panel of Examiners, for their thorough dissection and candid remarks that drew up the essential and relevant dimensions in this research

Her gratitude is also for Dr Remedios P Magnaye, the Graduate School Secretary, for her words of encouragement and kind gestures

She would like to give expressions to her gratitude to all the teachers

of the Graduate School of Batangas State University of the Philippines for their valuable lectures that inspire her to carry out the research

She would like to seize this opportunity to thank the Philippines Government which sends each time with the utmost willingness skilful and qualified teachers to Thai Nguyen University The cooperation between the two countries should be a lesson for other Asian countries to improve education and achieve integration

She is indebted to Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry

of International Training and Development Center (ITC) for accepting her as

a Doctor of Philosophy Student and for its guidance and supports during the course

She greatly appreciates the financial assistance and spiritual supports

of Hung Vuong University, of Foreign Language Department, of her dear colleagues and students for her and her family during her PhD study

She is grateful to To Loan Nguyen and her family to help her in the search of documents while they were in Germany

She cannot finish without thanking her family She warmly thanks and appreciates her parents for their encouragement and looking after her children in the process of study

She wants to express her gratitude and deepest appreciation to her loving husband and two sweet daughters Without their supports and encouragements, she could not have finished this work

DEDICATION

To my dear husband, Mr Pham Dinh Hung,

my loving children Pham Que Chi and Pham Khanh Nguyen,

and my respected parents without whom this dissertation would not have been completed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL SHEET - - - - - -QQ ng Hi nà L n0 li ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .cccescceceeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeaneeeseeeeeasneeeseeeaaeeeeeees Iv

LIST OF MATRICES .- - Son nen Ix

"cà mo n c5 eesseeeaaaaeessaeeeaeeseasee X 3®, a8 1

Introducfion - c2 22 1211111 1111111111 xxx re 1 Statement of the Problem - - 7 scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study 8 Significance of the Study 11

II REVIEW OF LITERATURE -. -SSSSẰcằ«Ằ 13

Conceptual Literafure -ss: 13 esearch Literafure . -cccccŸccŸcSẰ: 40 Theoretical Framework cà cs+2 50 Paradigm of the Study cc eeeeeeeeeeeees 52 Definition Of TEMS .c ccc cece cece cece eeeeeeeee ee eeeeeeees 54

II RESEARCH METHODOLOGY - << 57

Eesearch Design -

Treatment of Materials - -

IV PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE NOVELS Error!

Bookmark not defined

V SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 175

Summạry . - 2-2222 cà: 149 Findings - c2 S2 S2 ssẰ: 150 Conclusions -cccc 2+2 152 Eecommendations 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY

HH „x.: ?'°e- APPENDIX A: Summary of Song of Solomon

APPENDIX B Summary of Tar Baby

CURRICULUM VITAE

LIST OF MATRICES Matrix 1: Summary Matrix of the Themes in the Selected Novels p.149

Philosophers, psychologists, spiritual leaders, as well as researchers have all pondered on the thought of what makes life worth living The responses are diverse based on one’s ideological, cultural, social, or religious, and professional backgrounds Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl once wrote that life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by the absence of meaning and purpose For most individuals, feeling happy and finding life meaningful are both essential and mutually connected goals But people also pondered if happiness and meaning always harmonize It seems unconvincing, given that many of the things that people regularly choose to do are unlikely to upsurge their daily happiness.

intentions can help people to move with greater focus and clarity every day

of their lives In these challenging times, setting clear intentions and developing and refining life’s purpose can make it much easier for every individual to surpass difficult situations There are countless ways to find and develop life’s purpose and intentions There are also a number of useful resources to help men on this path of discovery and to inspire them to be all that they can be and to lead them to an ever richer and fuller life

A substantial way to start exploring one’s life purpose and intentions

is to pause fora moment and ask oneself about the most important to men’s lifeand what are their deeply-held values and beliefs Though both can be valuable, there is a difference between life purpose and life intentions One’s life purpose is generally a single statement related to the overall reason that man feels a person is here This could be the greater purpose behind their being alive and their existence in the world Both life purpose and life intentions can be rich and valuable in helping to move through the challenges life brings men, though some will prefer focusing on one over the other If people find this process somewhat challenging, they might do best

to focus on one first

Different people hold different viewpoints about meaningful life Generally, if they possess these five things namely: a faith in God, a meaningful family life, a meaningful career, bosom friendship, and the

important components foster one another to strengthen the lives of men

For women, a part of a meaningful life is derived from the liberation of their own lives Throughout the world, governments have committed to achieve the equality between men and women Women now take part more

in the workforce, have more legal rights and more opportunities of education However, their status in many countries still remains considerably inferior of men in many aspects of life In developed countries, women are still suffering from unequal wage in the workplace, from sexual harassment; the prevalence of men in political, economic, and other fields

Likewise, in developing countries, women’s traditional roles are still family-focused with domestic chore, bearing and rearing children, taking care of her household In addition to those obstacles, they are also oppressed with race discrimination, sexual violence and domestic violence

As a result, many of them struggle to fight against those so as to pursue a better life

Similarly, there is a great improvement as regards status of Vietnamese women since the foundation of the country in 1945 Women attended schools and universities increases considerably They take part in almost all fields of employment which include politic, economic and cultural sectors In recent decades, gender relations and attitudes also shift rapidly

In terms of families, women are more respected as well as in society In

terms of housework, men now are more willing to share with their mothers, sisters and wives

Since Vietnamese people are influenced by Confucian philosophy that embraces the patriarchal values, women lead the life of three obedience and four virtues which emphasized the male domination and stresses female subordination Consequently, discriminations, violence, obstacles and gender disparities were experienced by women Their work at home and at work were not recognized and appreciated They are expected to perform noble job of a mother and a wife in the families as well as of a citizen in the society Their efforts and contributions to family and society were not recognized and they were not accorded with sympathy from the population Hence, the reason for the search for a meaningful family life of Vietnamese women about human beings is motivated

With reference to the foregoing, literature may be used as a writer’s channel is sharing their philosophical thoughts on meaningful existence It is about human beings and the reflections of their various experiences, ideas, and their daily passions Through literature, readers look back on their memories, writers share their experiences, and the readers learn life’s lessons through other people’s experiences People find stories designed to portray human life and action through some characters who, by their words, action and reaction, convey certain messages for the purpose of education, information and entertainment in literature It is impossible to find a work of literature that excludes the attitudes, moral and values of the society This

fashion than any other form of arts

As regards American literature, Toni Morrison is one among the contemporary black women writers who emerged as an African American star in the twentieth century and who had transformed the American literary landscape in the African American literary tradition She was an author, editor and critic and was considered as the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993

Song of Solomon is a novel written by Toni Morrison in 1977 The novel centers on the life of Macon "Milkman" Dead Ill, an African-American man living in Michigan, from birth to adulthood The said book won the National Books Critics Award, was chosen for Oprah Winfrey's popular book club, and was cited by the Swedish Academy in awarding Morrison the 1993 Nobel Prize in literature In 1998, the Radcliffe Publishing Course named it the 25th best English-language novel of the 20th century

Stunningly beautiful and emotionally provocative, Tar Baby is Toni Morrison’s reinvention of a love story The novel centers on the life of Jadine Childs who is a black fashion model with a white patron, a white boyfriend, and a coat made out of ninety perfect sealskins Son, on the other hand, is a black fugitive who embodies everything she despises and desires As Morrison follows their affair, which plays out from the Caribbean to Manhattan and the deep South, she charts all the nuances of obligation and

women (Morrison, 2004)

Many writers have been attracted to the theme about women, their lives, their work, and their dreams but few authors wrote about the diverse and complex lives of black women Toni Morrison took the task of writing about them within the black community as well as holding that community responsible for its own actions

Black culture and heritage were embraced in Toni Morrison’s writings

as well as her creative contributions to her black fellows As black woman writer, she was able to reach out into the hearts of black women as well as exposed their psychological misery, emotions, feelings, thoughts and desires In her writings, Toni Morrison engaged herself in making the stereotypes of black female characters depicted in most of literary canon, molds a range of vivid new images of black women, and exhibits the conflict

in their minds with the stress of racism and sexism and actively established black women’s subjectivity (Li-juan, 2012)

In addition, the black women in Toni Morrison’s novels are portrayed

as breeding women, maids and domestic workers and treated as commodities to be handled by the white masters They did not have any human rights whatsoever, but their white masters had all rights over them Their living condition is full of racism and sexism that resulted in alienation

Exploring human relations was considered the passion of Toni Morrison as her novels tackled racism in the twentieth-century United States

racial issues

Toni Morrison’s wisdom embodied in her selected works serves as a motivating factor that could help the Vietnamese students re-examine their lives and values Her writings could provide them views in relation to their attitude towards life in general and towards specific actions in particular Further, these could also serve as an inspiration and transformation of human acts as Toni Morrison’s work delve on philosophy and unique experience Moreover, this contributes to the social development of the Vietnamese students as members of society, supporting nation building

With these thoughts in mind, the researcher who is an English lecturer

at the Hung Vuong University, was deeply motivated to explore and undertake an analysis of how black females pursuing a meaningful life is reflected in the selected works of Toni Morrison and gain honest implications on the study of the meaningful family life among Vietnamese students

Statement of the Problem

This study analysed the insights on pursuit for meaningful life in the selected works of Toni Morrison and gain honest implications of the themes

to the study of meaningful life

Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions:

1 How do the selected works of Toni Morrison manifest the sufferings of

Black women in terms otf:

2.1 love between mother and children;

2.2 husband and wife relationship;

2.3 freedom and equality; and

Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study

This study analysed the insights on pursuit for meaningful life in selected works of Toni Morrison pointing out the events and situations which show honest implications of the themes pursued in the novels to the study of meaningful family life among Vietnamese students Likewise, this paper tried to present how the selected works manifest the sufferings of black women in terms of racial oppression, gender inequality, emotional abandonment, and women’s sufferings; the sources of strengths and motive

of women’s resistance as shown in the love between mother and children,

the manner how the women in the world portrayed in the novels express resistance to the different forms of violence

This study employed the qualitative method of research in analysing Toni Morrison’s insights on the pursuit of meaningful life in the representative literary works chosen Likewise, this analysis made use of the sociological and philosophical approaches as the bases for analysis In particular, the sociological and historical approaches were supported by Victor Frankl’s Theory about the Meaningfulness of Life

This paper also involved content analysis, which is a systematic technique in analyzing message content and message handling The data analysis in this research centered on pattern seeking and the extraction of meaning from Toni Morrison’s selected literary narrative or image data Much effort was focused on the task of recording texts or making notes through concepts and categories; linking and combining abstract concepts; extracting the essence; organizing meaning; writing an understanding; and drawing conclusions

The essential features in the treatment of materials were considered

by the researcher in the conduct of this study To adopt a more systematic identification of selected works, several norms were adhered Alkiere (2014) put forth the following criteria: linguistic accessibility, literary accessibility, cultural accessibility and story-telling quality With reference to linguistic accessibility or the criterion which is dependent on how free the novels are

from errors in syntax, vocabulary and punctuation, the selected novels were assured to be free from the aforecited “lexical and grammatical traps.” As regards literary accessibility or the criterion which requires novel not to be overtly descriptive or lengthy and should be accessible to the reader, the selected works are classified as full-length novels written in English by an African American writer

In relation to cultural accessibility or the criterion which involves taking into consideration how bounded the novel is to culture, the selected literary pieces clearly expressed insights on the pursuit for meaningful family life in the context of the Vietnamese students’ lives Relative to story-telling quality

or the criterion which points out that the novels should be a page turner, relevant and appealing to the readers; the selections must be published from the year 2000 onward to ensure contemporariness and relevancy Novels must focus on insights on pursuit for meaningful life

The representative literary works analyzed were the two literary works

of Toni Morrison entitled Song of Solomon and Tar Baby From these literatures, readers will be able to realize in them the writer’s most important teachings The said selections were chosen because of their correlation with the cited theme and subthemes; specifically how the selected works manifest the sufferings of black women in terms of racial oppression, gender inequality, emotional abandonment, and women’s sufferings; the sources of strengths and motive of women’s resistance as shown in the love between mother and children, husband and wife relationship, freedom and equality,

and self-identity; and the manner how the women in the world portrayed in the novels express resistance to the different forms of violence These novels constituted the primary and twining sources of the study

Other literary pieces of Morrison which have undertones of pursuit for

a meaningful life were not included in the study Likewise, other approaches

in literary criticism such as Formalist Criticism, Biographical Criticism,

Historical Criticism, Gender Criticism, and Psychological Criticism are not part of this study Moreover, other works of Toni Morrison such as Beloved, The Bluest Eyes, Sula, A Mercy, Peeny Butter Fudge and many more are not included in the analysis

Significance of the Study

The applicability of this research study is highlighted in terms of its implication to a number of individuals It is beneficial to academic managers, media practitioners, college instructors of literature, students of literature, the researcher and future researchers

The Academic Administrators The study will be used as a basis of academic administrators in planning and implementing the curricula that will educate the academic community about the meaningful family life regardless of gender, race, nationality and religious backgrounds

Media Practitioners Media practitioners may incorporate motivational messages relative to the theme and sub-themes of this paper into various forms of mass media to change the audience’s attitudes and

behavior and to inspire them to act towards the attainment of a more meaningful family life

College Instructors of Literature This study will be beneficial in their methodology specifically in teaching literature using the appropriate literary theories and approaches in literary analysis

Students of Literature This analysis may give students of literature

an extensive and profound outlook in life with reference to a person’s pursuit

of meaningful family life through the lives and experiences of the writers and the characters in the selected literary pieces

The Researcher This paper will be beneficial to her in the sense that this will provide her with opportunities to discuss the concept of meaningful family life in her literature classes and open her students’ minds and hearts

to the essence of meaningful life as a philosophical and spiritual inquiry

Future Researchers This paper may stimulate them to conduct more studies on ways that are most effective in integrating meaningful family life into the people’s consciousness to substantiate the present investigation.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter presents the conceptual and research literatures, with the view of identifying constructs of the study Likewise, it includes the synthesis of the literature reviewed, theoretical and conceptual frameworks

as well as the operational definition of terms of the study

Conceptual Literature

The review of the conceptual literature yields four types of constructs, which were used in the analysis and interpretation of the novels dissected These constructs include literature and philosophy, meaningful family life in Vietnam, sociological and philosophical approaches in literary criticism, and Toni Morrison and her significant works

Literature and Philosophy Literature and philosophy develop intellectual curiosity, appreciation of world cultures, analytical thinking, creativity, and strong oral and written communication - knowledge and skills that can be applied to almost any domains These are considered central discipline of humanities Hake (2001) stated that literature as well as philosophy ask and answer the questions about human being’s origin and about the meaning of their existence They not only ask these questions in

an inquiring and eloquent way, but also provide them with a wide variety of possible answers.

Literature, according to Garcia (1988),is the most notable among humanities of those instrumentalities by which man becomes more complete human As a mirror and an expression of life, literature initiates the readers into looking at the people and the world around them and into their inner selves

As a term used to describe written or spoken material, literature is used to describe anything from creative writing to more technical or scientific works However, the term is most commonly used to refer to works of the creative imagination, including works of poetry, drama, fiction and non-fiction (Lombardi E Website, 2014) and tradition as literature represents the language or a people’s culture New world of experiences is also introduced because literature is more essential than historical or culture artifacts

Literature as a written work of a specific culture, sub-culture, religion, philosophy or the study of such written work which may appear in poetry or

in prose, according to Mark (2009) Certain qualities are portrayed in literature which include impact on the audience, a good use of the resource

of language and the author's style which should be appealing to the readers

Conveying particular opinions of authors is regarded as well as literature Readers were driven to look and gain insights into the topics They were challenged to think and deepened their understanding about life

In other words, readers of literature tend to comprehend situations from different perspectives, giving them wisdom and prompting them to reflect

upon their own life and inspire them to fight for a more meaningful existence

Messages of culture, belief, spirit and ideal are conveyed through literature from generations to generations Human civilizations are likewise reflected and preserved in literature Without literature, the ancient life would not be Known by the readers Readers would gain knowledge from literature through moral lessons Life experiences of readers are also enriched by literature which leads to readers’ love of a better life

As regards philosophy, being the root of all knowledge, it helps people

to understand the significance of all human experiences According Aristotle, philosophy as it explores the basic source and aims of life, also asks and tries to answer the deepest questions of life Basic values of life and life itself are clarified in philosophy It is very important to have this clarification because it provides people with the wisdom to face the challenges in their lives In the struggle of men’s existence, wisdom is their supreme instrument

Philosophy which means love of wisdom is the study of general and fundamental problems people undertake when they seek to understand issues connected with reality, existence, knowledge, values, reasons, mind and language (Academia.edu Website, 2014) As an art of thinking all things logically, systematically, and persistently, philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about

themselves, the world in which they live and their relationships to the world and to each other (Philosophy.fsu.edu Website, 2014)

All kinds of philosophy bear relationship with ideology, which is a set of ideas that constitute one’s goals, expectations, and actions and can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things, as_ in several philosophical tendencies, or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to all members of this society (Sigh, 2012) To offer either change in society, or adherence toa set of ideals where conformity already exists, through a _ normative thought process is the main purpose of ideology

According to Russell (2009) philosophy is aimed at Knowledge where

it is studied to for the sake of questions, not for the answers because there

is no definite answer Through questions, the people’s conception of what is possible is broadened, their intellectual imagination and diminish dogmatic assurance which closes the mind against speculation is enriched

The literary treatment utilized by philosophers includes literature and philosophy It is also considered as the philosophical themes as well as treatment of issues raised by literature Literature and philosophy is closely connected or related to each other It is asserted by Ross (2007) that most great writers have in them an element of philosophy since philosophical problem is possibly learn through the medium of literature Moreover, many riches are offered to readers by artists in a literary piece as he appeals to their senses and their emotions The readers were given opportunities to be

acquainted with varieties of human character as well as vicarious experience in living They were also provided by the artists view toward life

Literary issues concerning interpretation, Knowledge, authorship, fiction, imagination and narrative, among others are deeply understood with the aid of philosophy The specific concerns found within the people’s literary works which philosophy fosters inquiry include questions about selfhood and identity, their relation to others, the sources of value in modernity, the conditions for ethical life, and the social and political relevance of artistic practices Likewise, the potential to call familiar modes and paradigms of philosophical thinking into question, thereby putting pressure on philosophy in turn is covered in literature There is a reciprocal relationship between literature and philosophy

Philosophy and literature as pointed out by Teoxon (1990) are dynamically connected to each and that it makes sense to look into the shape of philosophy brought forth imaginatively into the work of fiction if only

to know the cast of thought, the climate of ideas, or the human values at work Man’s thinking in a day is reflected in every literary piece including his everyday world shaped according to his mental constructs

Theme is one way where the philosophical dimension of literature can

be gleaned Philosophic ideas is embodied in every piece of literature for it

is man’s nature to weave out intelligible patterns of thought even if his psyche does not permit him to live by those ideas alone Thus, the intellectual values embodied in philosophy can give added power to prose and poetry

Meaningful Family Life in Vietnam Family as a fundamental unit, function as the backbone of the society It is considered as the basic cell to the existence of the mankind Raising healthy individuals is its greatest potentials

In both personal life and community, family has an impact A solid foundation for a vigorous social environment is provided with a strong family life It is therefore important for government and individuals to be conscious regarding the role of family in the development of each nation

Family, as defined by United Nations (1948), refers to the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State Biologically, emotionally and legally tied together, the family as a group of people consists of two or more people where one is the householder who is related by birth, marriage or adoption and living in the same housing unit

All people who occupied a housing unit in spite of relationship comprised the household which in turn consist of a person living alone or multiple unrelated individuals or families living together A group of people who shared a bond and were socially, economically dependent to one another and shared their love to each other unconditionally were the features of a family

Moreover, the life within one’s household; how one lives with his

siblings and parents is called family life It covers the activities family members involved as well as their general way of life outside their home The quality of marriage relationship and parents-child relationships is determined by the quality of a family life

According to Rupured, et al., (1989) there are ways to achieve a meaningful life This includes committing oneself to promote the others’ happiness through understanding and respect A true family relationship requires sacrifice for each member, which means not living for oneself but also for others Everyone must have self-esteem With care and love, each should accept, appreciate and support one another

The three L’s which contribute to strong family relationships include learning where strong families manage and control their learning experiences; loyalty where strong families have a sense of loyalty and devotion to family members as they stick together; love which is the heart of the family; laughter is considered to be good medicines, humor serve as an escape value for family tension and leadership which is essential as family

members must assume responsibility for leading the family (Advocates on Youth.org Website, 2014)

Another way of achieving a meaningful family life is to share responsibilities and experiences, knowledge of the day to day obligations of members of family as well as open communication with each other A family

is considered to be happy if male members of the family shared the work with the wife in educating children and doing housework Comfortable atmosphere in the family contributes to achieving meaningful life in terms of willingness to listen to one another and expressing their thoughts openly with respect and love Likewise, the female member of the family should share the burden of finance with her spouse by earning their own living, understand and sympathize with their husband’s pressure inside and outside their home

In addition to that, forgiveness should be practiced for others and for themselves Wilner (2011) considers forgiveness as one of the most important components of a positive relationship This relationship will be difficult to attain if one member bears a grudge or anger on the other Suspicion will surface if there is resentment and cynicism, animosity and conflict in each member of the family Misunderstandings will vanish if one learns to forgive or let go of shortcomings and mistakes There will be changes in the way one behaves the others There will be peace and harmony in the family as it will enable one to live in a fresh way and experience peace in mind.

Spending time together is another way to attain a meaningful family life Since people are so busy with work, it is important that members of the family spend time to play, eat together for them to be closer and have more fun A strong family relationships ensure family economic success and family health focusing on strengthening the formation of families, the interaction of parents and children, the connection of families to social networks and the adequacy and quality of necessary family resources (Cssp.org Website,2014)

According to Parker (2014) life is a road worth travelling Meaningful life and happiness though overlap with each other, differ distinctly Paker stated that happiness was limited to being a taker rather than a giver, while meaningfulness went with being a giver rather than a taker

Meaningfulness and happiness have the following differences which include getting what a person wants and needs Happiness is about the present while the past, the present and the future are all linked to a meaningful social life

Meaningful life has many important roles Reproduction and education are the most important ones Hong (2014) asserts that family is the first and best school, the cradle to form and develop one’s personality During childhood, the child’s character is built within the family Practices of people within the said family were imitated and practiced by the child The fate of the family is dependent on attitudes and deeds of its members Children should be taught by parents with proper words, actions and attitudes Each

members of the family has the responsibility of molding the characters of the siblings Good examples must be set by grandparents and parents as these have positive effects on the outlook of children as well as their morality Thus, in society, family has the key role to the civilization

Actions from the past, present and future are guided by meaningful actions giving a sense of direction to a person Justifications for acquisitions

as well as valuing good and bad alike are offered by meaningful life There

is a difference from a life of meaningfulness to that of a mere happiness as it focuses on achieving one’s goals regarding oneself in a positive light Living

a purpose-driven life makes human experiences unique

Vietnamese Family Day is celebrated every June 28 annually It aims

to uphold the importance and role of the family at this present time Likewise, it appeals to the whole political system, social organizations, families and individuals to pay more attention to the value of family life

Moreover, the Nation-wide Strategy for the Vietnamese Family from

2006 to 2010 stated that “Family being the cell of society where the human race is maintained, is also an essential environment where human dignity is formed, taught and maintained; where good traditional culture is preserved and promoted; where social evils are warned against; and where human resources are supplied for nation-wide construction and defense.” It is also one of the important factors in determining the solid development of society, success of industrialization and modernization and the building of Socialism The motive power behind the strategy of socio-economic development in

Vietnams ¡ndustrializaton and modernization is the building of a prosperous, progressive, happy and equal Vietnamese family with few children where couple has only one or two children

In Vietnam, there exists the two major structures of family namely; the nuclear and the extended family The nuclear family is composed of two generations of parents and children while the extended family is composed

of three or even four generations which typically consists of grandparents, father and mother, children, and grandchildren, all living under the same roof In contrast to the traditional western nuclear family, basic Vietnamese family unit is much more complicated because the nuclear family does not only comprised of the mother, the father and the children, but also includes the husband’s parents and the son’s wives and children Included in the extended family are those close relatives who share the family’s name as well as their ancestors who live in the same community

Confucian philosophical beliefs especially about the role of the members govern the traditional Vietnamese family Duties and obligations of the family were utilized by Confucianists as a guide for establishing societal norms Trinh (2008) pointed out that the person who has the highest status

in the family is the man or the father as he is the “pillar” of the family As the breadwinner in the family, he had absolute authority in making important decisions and he is not obliged to do housework The duty to exercise restraint and wisdom in the family is attributed to the head of the family or the father for him to deserve his respected position His role in the family is

highly appreciated and it is a ‘must’ to each family to have a son as it is expected that the eldest son would assume the duties of his father when he died A family which had no son to continue the process was superstitiously thought to have disappeared forever

As Vietnamese family is guided by the Confucian philosophy regarding filial piety, it is expected that the young generation respect their parents, elders and ancestors Obedience is taught to Vietnamese children and courtesy in the family When parents grew old, children were expected

to take care of their parents when they grew old to compensate for the gift of birth and upbringing Children were under strict supervision of the elders Parents generally made decision even because they could judge better Vietnamese women took the secondary place in patriarchal family where they embodied the three obedience and four virtues Obedience to parents is expected to women It is expected that they should have morality, modest in manner and appearance, diligence in work and wit proper speech Because of her duties at home, the wife’s relationships with her husband and mother-in-law suffered She had few privileges in life such as less social participation, less education and had no voice in family decision- making A man is allowed to have several wives at the same time, but a woman is not allowed She had to suffer the shared-husband situation even

to the death of the husband, she was not allowed to get married again (Three Obedience and Four Virture Website, 2014)

In addition, nowadays there is a transition among Vietnamese families

from nowadays are on the way to transit from traditional to advanced model due to the vigorous socio-economic changes These give a major impact on the family life Though Vietnamese family remains in its traditional setting, major basic family relationship that is between husband and wife, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren has shifted positively due to the process of change (Vietnamese Embassy USA Org.Website, 2014)

At present in Vietnam family, there is a careful selection of advanced and modern values while preserving and nurturing traditional values Husband and wife now play equal roles in handling the family Important issues in the family were discussed by both of them before making the decisions They share doing house work as well as in matters such as children’s education Children were taught obedience and respect to parents while maintaining their independent ideas and views Though the elders play important roles in the family, out of love and tolerance, they respect their children's independence

Meaningful family life in Vietnam as declared in a Resolution of the Communist Party has many criteria such as prosperity, equality, happiness, progress, and stability Phuong (2013) asserts that the declarations in the resolutions serve as the basic condition to guarantee a healthy family In economic condition, the family must have the capacity to provide the necessities of food, shelter, clothes to each member of the family Discussions and making decisions about the important issues of the family

is a right of every member, be it in education, relaxation and taking part in

community activities as well as having medical care

In terms of helping each other who is in need, parents and children must have mutual understandings and respects They must be aware of their individual responsibilities and perform their and duties as well No discrimination of whatsoever between son and daughter must exist as well

as on the role of father or mother The family must strictly obey the laws Stipulated Social evils should be avoided Strong adherence to these resolutions will ensure significant family life

In Vietnam, many changes as to the concepts of family are brought about by globalization and industrialization Bon (2012) stated that one comprehensive change is in the form of educational function, lifestyles, role

of women in the family and the family size

As regards the form of the family, the nuclear family has now consists

of a decreasing in the number of its member Based on the Vietnamese population policies, there should only be one or two children for each family There should be separate rooms for each member These kinds of set up affect family relationships where members of the family have fewer chances

to share experiences with each other Since children are now more growing more independent and liberated in views, new forms of family appear such

as single father-family or single mother-family Marriages become an option The change brought about by the form of the family resulted also in the change of the functions of each member of the family

In the education function of the family, on the other hand, it is also

transformed The society at present demands skilled workers as it is in the process of industrialization and modernization The role of education in the family is vital Parents pay more attention to their children education due to severe competitiveness among qualified workers Many parents send their children to school as they believed that good life is attributed to education

In school, children were taught more of academic subjects thereby neglecting traditional value education Parents see to it that their offspring attended classes all day and still send them to extra class after school At home, children do homework, assignments to the little time left Passing the examinations and getting a good job are the motivations of parents for sending their children to school

Relative to lifestyle of each family, high living standard is maintained

by engaging their own business Being busy to earn for living, interaction among family members is affected Most Vietnamese families are becoming materialistic where the value of material is higher than that of spiritual In relationships, money plays a fundamental role Likewise, convenient, selfish lifestyles and high-tech facilities destroyed family relations Individual freedom when abused by an individual destroys family values Relationships

in family are destroyed whenever social evils such as drugs, prostitutions, gambling and alcohol are present The ill manner, immoral and unethical conduct, divorce, separation, trial marriage, pre-marital sex and abortion which were rampant among teenagers cause problems and affect family relationships

In mass media on the other hand, due to its accessibility, it opens doors to new cultures as well as to some disadvantages like teenagers forgetting their role in the family as they become selfish, practical and hypocritical As their family emotion and traditional values deteriorate, their own personal values are affected

In production, reproduction, making decision, community activities and family welfare, Viethamese women play an important role Members

of the family and social services create opportunities for women to promote their potential abilities Truc (2008) emphasized that society now has different opinions regarding the head of the family, the ownership of property, and the division of labor between husband and wife Women may now replace the position of the men in those positions

With regard to the transformation of the Vietnamese families in the modern times, it has brought positive impact to the society The traditional family values such as true love, loyalty, conjugal sentiment, an immensely kind and generous heart of parents, filial love of children for parents, compliance, love among brothers and sisters in a home are still preserved and are carried over in the modern families Other values such as respecting individual freedom, democracy in all relations, equality between men and women are also practiced Both traditional and modern characteristics of family such as democracy, equality, freedom, progress which are important in the progress of humanity were inculcated in a Vietnamese family

An emerging problem at present among Vietnamese families is domestic violence The common victims of this violence are the wife, female partner, children, and the elder The different forms of domestic violence include physical, sexual, emotional, economical violence or abuse

In the assessment of the situation of women in the criminal justice system in Vietnam, it was found out that 58 percent of their women experience in their lifetime emotional, physical and sexual domestic violence These affect women’s physical and mental health as well as their children’s health and development since every family member is subjected

to constant stress and worry This scenario prompted the Vietnamese government to re-examine and look for effective remedy to problems regarding women’s problem and protects their rights as well as ensuring a good life in their home

Approaches in Literary Criticism Readers are helped to analyzed, deconstruct, interpret, and evaluate literary works of art such as novels or poems through general guidelines provided by literary criticism Criticism shows how work of art is evaluated and interpreted and helps reader goes inside the text and understand the written work from many different viewpoints (Casano, A Website, 2014)

A piece of literary works could only be fully understood if it is put in a larger context and interpreted and evaluated by means of literary criticism The poet is provided with the tools for self-evaluation and self-improvement

as well as work of periods and cultures with varied themes and treatment