Hao

Hoa’s relationship with Kien

Kien is forced to rely on Hoa for directions in a desperate and deadly situation. Kien uses force and treats Hoa harshly at first. Yet Hoa still tries to earn his forgiveness.

Kien's attitude towards Hoa changes after she safely takes him to the right location and they are able share a peaceful moment together

Later Hoa sacrifices herself for Kien and the others by shooting the tracking dog and diverting the Americans

This becomes Kien’s most memorable escapes

- The borders of morality shifts in battle

When Kien brutally says: "you ought to be shot, but bullets wouldn't be good enough." it seems unnecessarily harsh. However, in the mist of battle, when the stakes are high, morality shifts. In some ways his words are justifiable because due to her mistake, Hoa placed the lives of many in danger.

Later when they are back on the right track and are clear of danger, Kien's mood softens and he realizes how close he had come to shooting "a teenage girl because she'd lost her way in unfamiliar jungle."

Now that the pressure has been lifted, he is able to treat her as a human being. And his morality shifts back.

- War can bring out the best of people and the worst

From the pressures of war, a darker side of Kien is brought to light from his harsh threats towards Hoa. Soldiers become so accustomed to killing, they become barbaric and seem to find violence is the only way to solve disputes.

However by killing the tracking dog and diverting the Americans, Hoa's noble act of self sacrifice shows us that war can also bring out the best in people.

- War brings out the "spiritual beauty" of war through the acts of courage by "nameless ordinary soldiers"

Hoa had been like the many other “nameless ordinary soldiers.” She had not even reached 20 when she gave her life for the safety of others. Before this noble act Kien saw her as “little Hoa.” The Americans were well armed and very powerful. To stand strong in face of certain death takes much bravery. This is a quality Kien did not expect Hoa to posses, Hoa herself probably did not think she possessed such bravery herself which is what makes her sacrifice so beautiful.

When Hoa emerges from the ant-hill, ready to give her life, the writer uses a semantic field of fire related words to describe her. In this paragraph words such as: “final rays of the setting sun silhouetted her... tingeing her skin copper... bronze statue” are used to reflect her fiery fierceness and help highlight her bravery and honours the “spiritual beauty” of her heroic actions.

- However, most of these noble acts go unrecognised

Hoa “was a magnificent portrait of courage." She saved Kien’s life and many others. Even though she had vanished, “not one of them asked about Hoa”. Hoa’s self sacrifice affected Kein heavily, yet she only drifts back into Kien’s mind when he returns to the area where it all happened. Acts of self sacrifice were common during war, it became “expected” and an “everyday occurrence.” This sadly means that such brave actions go unrecognised and forgotten over time.

- This is adds to the "immense sorrow of war"

Because Hoa’s brave act went unrecognised, this adds to the sadness Kien carries. Kien feels a heavy burden that it is his fault Hoa’s bravery was not acknowledged. It is also because others have sacrificed lives so he could live which meant he could not kill himself to “escape the psychological burden of killing others.” All these factors add to the “immense sorrow of war” Kien suffers.