Rhapsody In The Rain Chapter Summaries

In chapter 9 of the book, it begins by introducing and describing the narrator’s, Tun and Ti’s faces, as being all bruised up and swollen. They had all been beaten by Hai’s dad, since they trashed his garden (dug holes), believing that they would find some treasure. There is a sense of childhood innocence in the text, as none of the children fully understand the problems to their action, but are only concerned with finding the “hidden treasure.” Nguyen Nhat Anh creates this division between the adults and children as she states how “kids are punished for any little infraction” and “are also punished unjustly” (120). It is evident that the adults do not discipline based on fairness, but simply to let out their anger and frustration. The children in this case are being …show more content…
Anh explores the role of the Vietnamese mother as being very traditional, believing that girls need to marry a man and learn to do all the house chores. Children quickly learn their place in society (roles as a girl or boy), as they mimic their parents behaviour and based on their gender, get taught different things (e.g Girls learn to cook, clean and do laundry). The narrator comments on this idea by saying how “most men still want an old-fashioned wife i.e. a great cook and house keeper” (Anh 59). Thus, it is evident that gender roles still play a huge role in the household and community, as children are raised into believing that they must make their parents proud by following the expectations that they set out for them. How can family/parental beliefs on gender impact the way a child is raised and views themselves? In what ways, might developmental changes in stereotypic beliefs play out in a child’s choices and behavior? What happens if the child does not share the same views as their parents (gender roles)? How can this affect the parent-child