“Parody” in Nguyen Huy Thiep’s short stories

JOURNAL OF SCIENCE OF HNUE Vol. 57, No. 1, pp. 61-68 “PARODY” IN NGUYEN HUY THIEP’S SHORT STORIES Le Huy Bac Hanoi Nationnal University of Education E-mail: lehuybac@gmail.com Abstract. Parody in Nguyen Huy Thiep’s short stories is quite diverse. He has managed to create his own signature style in the field. His parody is only vaguely related to comedy and if it is funny, it is bitter fun. Parody by Thiep is the basis of his philosophical view of life. Parody in literature has contributed positively and uniquely to the ups and downs of human existence. It can partly answer the question of why Nguyen Huy Thiep’s characters so often speak bitterly of life and yet his works ooze sympathy and positivity in life. Keyworld: parody, short stories, philosophical view. 1. Introduction “The sky is blue. In the sky comes a white cloud looking like a sage. Suddenly, blown by the wind, the sage transforms into a giant hairy dog.” [2;316] It is certain that when writing these lines, Nguyen Huy Thiep did not intend to express a talent for parody. However, comparisons have been made and he is recognized for his art of parody. 2. Content Parody in Nguyen Huy Thiep’s short stories is diverse. He has managed in creating his own signature style in the field. His parody is only vaguely related to comedy and if it is funny, it is bitter fun. “You lured Bieng into a game for fun and defeated him for real. Your way of wrestling is the way of an intellectual. It can only fool Quy, not me.” I laughed. “Have you heard the saying, ‘The revolutionary only concentrates on the ultimate goal’?” “Don’t lure me into the politics of ideology, you scoundrel,” Buong said. “You know Buong,” I said. “He is so strong. If he broke my arm, would you feel sorry for me?” 61 Le Huy Bac “You are by nature a politically intellectual roughneck. How disgusting. Get the fuck out of here.” Buong spat in my face” [1;333]. No satiety can be found in the fun due to the direct cruel comments in the dialogue of the two characters. This is Nguyen Huy Thiep’s style of parody. In works by experts of parody like Cervantes and Voltaire, one sees no direct comments on the parodied subject. They focus only on their characters’ use of language and objective actions in their immanent logic. Nguyen Huy Thiep purposefully lets his characters directly discuss and comment on the parodied subject. It takes away the surprise of the parody and minimizes the metaphor of the subject. Nevertheless, thanks to the straightforward description, readers can pick up on the interesting, parodied thinking. Buong, the professional sawyer, is honest while Ngoc, the unwilling sawyer, who fails his university graduation exam, is deceitful, does not obey the code of conduct and cheats to win. Buong despises that action and the victory gained as well. In addition, Nguyen Huy Thiep parodies the ludicrous press. Phong, one of the newspaper’s owners whose caricature with horns was printed by the staff, asked, “Is there any truth to the allusion in the cartoon?” The editor said, “I’ve heard a rumor that when you were in Ke Noi, your son-in-law Dien and your wife Thieu Hoa were very intimate.” Phong laughed hollowly, “Thank you, sir,” He said. “Please carry on with your work. Just remember next time to keep the interest of the owner at heart. If you can’t remember this simple rule, then you shouldn’t be in journalism.” The editor looked confused, “But I thought a jounalist should work in the interest of freedom, equality and fraternity,” he said. “I see that you have a good sense of humour,” said Phong, “Now get out of my sight before I get angry or you’ll soon be eating shit” [1;175]. This detail not only expresses the nature of the press professional (always with orientation), it also causes the reader to pity both the owner and the reporter. They are both victims of what is bad in society. It is easy to see that Nguyen Huy Thiep parodied details are drawn from both his previous works and from life. Therefore, his parodied works not only use prior images or ideas in literature, but also those in contemporary life. However, in order to be the parodied subject, they should be acknowledged by readers as a particular cultural expression. In this principle, Nguyen Huy Thiep’s short stories also parody the actions of the lovebird knight Don Quixote created by Cervantes. When Ngoc, the narrator “I” in The Woodcutters, prevents Buong from raping Quy, Buong challenges Ngoc to a fight: “How about that? Move forward! Offer your victory at the feet of Miss Dulcinea in the village of Toledo” [1;341]. The challenge of the unethical person 62 “Parody” in Nguyen Huy Thiep’s short stories ironically turns the future bachelor, the symbol of morality, into a dull-head who fights with the windmill because perhaps Quy herself wants to be raped. This way of thinking is expressed by the author in the dialogue of the two characters after a fierce fight. “You are so mean and cruel,” I said. Buong sneered, “My litle boy, isn’t Jesus Christ mean and cruel? Isn’t Buddha mean and cruel?” “The nobility of human beings seem to lie in ther limits,” I said. “That’s right,” Buong said. “Didn’t you see what happened when Quy had her clothes stripped off?” he asked. “The way she closed her thighs – she was absolutely noble in her spirit” [1,342]. In this story, Buong is built on the model of Vautrin by Balzac, an experienced person who struggles to earn a living and deeply understands society, and who is ready to fight against the wrong side of life in his own way. This type of character has both good and bad sides. For example, Buong detests deception and considers it to be unethical. And yet Buong is not reluctant to rape women as he expresses his true self. This is Nguyen Huy Thiep’s uniqueness in expressing self-parodied characters whose multi-dimensional portraits can only be depicted by masterly writers. Ngoc is also fully aware of this: “I knew Buong. Whenever he talked about life in a general way, he was always wise and dignified. But his real-life self was like dog shit: too stinky to sniff” [1;343]. Nguyen Huy Thiep’s strength and weakness both show when he lets his char- acters swear (the word “shit” is used eleven times in Truong Chi) and philosophize (there are at least some sentences in each story). While a great deal of philosophy reveals clearly the thought, it also discourages readers to draw their own meanings from the story. Too many swearing can fill the works with cynical, angry feelings. However, Nguyen Huy Thiep’s undeniable talent is that behind the swearing lies a heart which desires a better and more dignified life. Moreover, he usually reverses the flow of a story or deliberately leaves the characters in an artistic way, making the philosophy or swearing excite deeper thought on life. As a result, Nguyen Huy Thiep’s philosophy and swearing are basically aesthetic signals for readers to deepen their thought. When Quy is almost raped, the author says not a word about her mentality or facial expression. The readers have to do it themselves. He only creates the scene as an excuse for other characters to talk about ethics and reasons for living. In many cases, one can question whether Nguyen Huy Thiep’s ethical person becomes foolish in front of a weirdly unethical one: “One day Thieu Hoa told Phong, “I’ve met a poet who has a collection of poems for sale. I find them quite good and 63 Le Huy Bac would like to buy them and have them published under your name.” Phong shot her a look of contempt. “What nonsense!” he said. “Trust a woman to think up a scheme like that. The title ‘poet’ is for unlucky people. Good poetry is melancholy but I’m potent. Yet happier sentiment makes for bad poetry.” “Well then, what if I edited it and printed it under my name?” “Woman can’t write poetry! Poetry is the expression of the most profound feelings, but woman have no depth of feeling. Poetry must be sublime, but how could you possibly be sublime when you bleed every month?” [1;175]. Thieu Hoa is a parodied image of numerous people who plagiarize others’ works. Phong, a disreputable person, who stole another person’s wife (Thieu Hoa) and got rich by whatever means is good enough when opposing plagiarism but he immediately looks down on women. It is groundless, based on the above sentence, to conclude that the writer belittles women because right in The Little Sight of Xuan Huong, Nguyen Huy Thiep’s narrator shows his true admiration to her. He is certainly aware that it is not very easy to be a poet in the true sense of the word. Nguyen Huy Thiep often sets up pairs of contrary characters to talk to each other about contemporary social issues and the nature of human beings. His dia- logues carry a lot of thought and philosophy but they are always verbalized by an ‘uneducated’ person who is not the norm in contemporary thinking. It creates a unique permutation or a double meaning in the symbol: the person who says uneth- ical thing turns out to be ethical whereas those who preach goodness are unethical. It is an intelligent parody which uses self-parodied characters in one work or in a collection of works. Parody can also express the idea that the nature of life and literature is some- thing of a game. And, only by parody, is this nature revealed. This can result in a human who has become more aware of his true self and has a foundation to better regulate his purpose in life. With his characteristic glacial narration and incoherent flow of thoughts which is used when needed, Nguyen Huy Thiep lets Tong Coc expose the wantonness of a princess through keen speech after giving her money to gamble and she is willing to sleep with him in return: “That night, Tong Coc is honoured to sleep with such a noble madam for the first time. The noble is no different to the civilian. When the two meet again the next day, the princess seriocomically said: - “It was so scary sleeping with you. It was just like you were raping me. Said Tong Coc: - Your Highness, the transaction has finished!” [2;183]; Nguyen Huy Thiep often mentions sexual ethics in his works. Both men and women are put in front of this basic instinct, from which come many different views. Tong Coc outwardly pretends to respect the princess, but deeply looks down on 64 “Parody” in Nguyen Huy Thiep’s short stories the dignity of high ranking nobles. The princess’s behavior is clearly dirty body selling. Meanwhile, poor women like Dau (in Lights off by Ngo Tat To, 1894–1954) are ready to throw money back to a man of higher ranking to protect their own purity while they are equally willing to sell children and dogs. Dau’s ethics clearly can not match postmodern views on ethics. It is possible to blame Dau for being selfish, keeping only her own purity while selling her child Ti to be a slave. Nguyen Huy Thiep surely comprehends the changes in ethical views when he lets Lam, an eighty-year-old woman, bitterly complain that being “a woman of merit” all her life to “only know about one prick of her”. And here is her story: “A long, long time ago, there was a Mr. Hai Chep, a ferryman who loved playing tam cuc for money. At first he lost his money, then he lost his field, and finally his wife left him. So when night came, he went out to his boat, sat, and cried. Angry at life, but wanting to redeem himself, Mr. Hai Chep took out his knife, cut off his two testicles and threw them into the river. But his wife didn’t go back to him.” Lam’s mother replied, “That’s an unfaithful woman.” Lam’s grandmother said, “Unfaithful? He had only thoses two testicles and now he’s lost those, too” [1;14]. This view on the meaning of life is like chalk and cheese compared to Dau’s. Right or wrong mostly depends on a readers’ opinion. The most notable parody of Nguyen Huy Thiep certainly can be found in his historical parody stories. However, these are not his most successful works because after all he has not been able to escape the shadow of history. He has also not made a clear break with his own idealized views of historical characters. Nguyen Huy Thiep wrote a lot of stories about historical characters, such as King Nguyen Hue, King Nguyen Anh and poet Ho Xuan Huong, in which he is affected more or less by Shiji of Sima Qian. While Sima Qian tends to describe specific historical vestiges, Nguyen Huy Thiep, on the other hand, tries to plant some parody invention in depicting his historical characters. Following Gia Long, Vu Van Toan accomplishes many feats. Relying on his past feats, he brazenly appropriates riches and beautiful women. Toan’s actions are discovered by Gia Long. Nguyen Huy Thiep describes this: “The King smiled ominously: “You think your services are so great? You have been by my side, but you never understood me. Don’t talk of your services to me. You have merely played in my games. And what kind of games are ever just? You broke my law and now you must pay. Don’t say that I am cruel!” “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!” Toan begged again. “What are you saying? In what kind of game do ten of thousands of men die in battle?” “War is the game of Heaven,” replied the king. “I play a different game. I play the games of kings.” 65 Le Huy Bac “Your Majesty,” Toan pleaded, “have pity on me. Take back the gold and silver. Leave me only Ngo Thi Vinh Hoa!” The king became even more furious. “You stupid fool! One foot in the grave and still you’re horny! I’ll slice off your balls and make you eat shit” [1;215]. Gia Long talks in the vulgar manner of a common civilian. His war achieve- ments are just a game of a dictator coveting power. Nevertheless, right when see- ing Vinh Hoa naked, Gia Long suddenly “Swooned, fell on the ground, and lost consciousness” [1;216]. The kings in Nguyen Huy Thiep’s works appear ordinary or commonplace in some cases because they are only human. But history looks at them with absolute admiration, as if they are great men who do not do anything wrong or simple. Nguyen Huy Thiep’s parody is extremely valuable in building complete historical characters. It helps readers acknowledge that they are great men because first of all they are ordinary people with ordinary actions, language and intentions. Nguyen Huy Thiep has certainly de-idolized characters. In front of beauty, Nguyen Hue, Nguyen Anh and mahout Vu Van Toan are all equal. They all love, desire beauty and are conquered by beauty. In Nguyen Huy Thiep’s thinking, it is the absolute beauty. Truong Chi in the corresponding short story sings: My aspiration Towards the absolute... I’m Truong Chi I sing the praise of love Booming from good seeds And the flower of nature Being real cold [1;338]. . Truong Chi is the parody of character in an old-time story. To Nguyen Huy Thiep, Truong Chi’s tragedy is not from his inborn ugly appearance and beautiful voice, then meeting with Mi Nuong, but from his ultimate purpose, the absolute beauty and love which can never be reached in this world. From this aspect, Truong Chi’s tragedy is to some extent similar to both Hamlet’s and Don Quixote’s in the Renaissance. Therefore, Mi Nuong is not able to create tragedy for Truong Chi. It is he himself who makes his own tragedy: “All the conditioning of real life passes him by without any trace. He also passes them. Now, meeting Mi Nuong, he surely understands that his life is such shit, dogshit, and he can’t stand it” [2;332]. Mi Nuong is only his reason for awareness, from whom he realizes that she is of no difference from those eunuchs gathering around her, who continuously order him to sing the praises of fame, patience and money. To please them, Truong Chi responds by making “huay do” sounds to get the comment “Singing like shit” from them. Only when Mi Nuong asks him to sing about love, “he knows he has to sing 66 “Parody” in Nguyen Huy Thiep’s short stories for himself otherwise he will lose all, lose his whole life. Only his love, his true and passionate love, can save all, not Mi Nuong, not only Mi Nuong even though she is a proud phoenix or an ugly spider. To him, all are the same at this moment. His love turns towards the absolute. She is the trap of his destiny” [2;337]. The writer hates the happy ending (though the compensation for Truong Chi by Mi Nuong’s tears is bitter enough) in the old story about Truong Chi. He wants “another ending” but does not speak it out because “it is my own secret.” It is a wise narration of Nguyen Huy Thiep since the journey to find true beauty is always ahead. Any endings given at any time in this life are all as illogical as the old story: “I know that in his last moment, Truong Chi will also swear. But it is not his fault. Mi Nuong lives happily ever after. It is both cruel and irrational” [2;342]. Crossing the river, pier, monk, robber, teacher, young woman, a loving couple, a ferrywoman, etc., are metaphorical images of religion in the parodied short story Crossing the River. The journey to the other bank, to Buddhism, is considered to be enlightenment leading to future bliss. On that most problematic ferry boat in literary history, the robber has risked his life breaking the precious vase to save the child at death’s door in front of two inhumane businessmen. Witnessing that action, the teacher, amazed, said, “Heavens! He dares to break the pot! What a hero! A revolutionary! A reformer!” Hearing that “the ferrywoman hid a smile. She knew the misfortune of anyone who happened to meet that man alone at night” [1;10]. A robber becomes a hero, and furthermore, he can possibly be Buddha in the Buddhist concept. On that boat, some other people are likely to become Buddha, for example the man who gives the robbers his ring to save the child. However, in the struggle to save the child’s life, readers can not witness the monk saying anything or taking any action. The story ends with “dusk was gathering. The monk remained motionless on the ferry. The ferrywoman said cautiously, ‘Venerable Master! Please go on up the shore.’ The monk shook his head. ‘No, I’ve thought about it. Take me back.’ Vacillating a moment longer, he hesitantly said, ‘I’ll go later’ ” [1;10]. It is not clear whether the monk does not want to cross the river to become Buddha or whether he realizes that he can not be Buddha while the bad still exists in life. It is also a question of if the monk is good or bad and if he can be Buddha. Nevertheless, there is still parody planted into the story, but at what levels – the robber is Buddha, the monk is worse than the robber, there is no true Buddha in this world, etc., – is all depends on the readers’ point of view. 67 Le Huy Bac 3. Conclution The cloud crosses the sky. The sky is unchanged, cloud is also unchanged. They both have no specific shape and color. People look up and imagine everything to make sky become sky and cloud be cloud. Moreover, cloud sometimes shapes as human beings and any objects that human can associate with. Therefore, the uni- verse and living principles around us all start from one or many particular concepts to provide human life with better hope. Life of human beings is unchanged. The only change is the views on life. The cloud can be “a sage”, but suddenly become “a hairy dog.” Parody, as a result, becomes the basis of the philosophical view on life. Parody literature has positively and uniquely contributed to the ups and downs of human beings. It can partly answer the question why Nguyen Huy Thiep’s characters mainly talk bitterly about life, but after all his works all ooze sympathy and belief in life. It is probable that Nguyen Huy Thiep, above all, thoroughly comprehends the philosophy of a hairy dog – a sage. REFERENCES [1] Nguyen Huy Thiep, 2003. Crossing the river, ed: Nguyen Nguye