tóm tắt luận án tiến sĩ tiếng anh khảo sát đặc điểm truyện ngắn đồng bằng sông cửu long từ 1975 đến nay

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INTRODUCTION
1. The reason for selecting the topic
1.1. The short stories in the Mekong Delta are associated
with many writers such as: Son Nam, Trang The Hy, Nguyen Quang
Sang, Anh Duc, etc… and recently Nguyen Ngoc Tu, who are
admired by readers.
1.2. Compared to other genres, the short stories in the
Mekong Delta from 1975 until now have grown in number and have
had the unique contribution of content as well as arts, especially the
representation of life, soul and personality of the Mekong Delta
people during this period.
However, so far there is no systematic and comprehensive
study of the short stories in the Mekong Delta from 1975 until now.
For the above reasons, we went into the research on the
survey of the features of the short stories in the Mekong River
Delta from 1975 to present.
2. The history of the research problem
Through our research, we have found the studies of the short
stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975 as follows:
The short stories in the Mekong Delta from 1975 until now –
Achievements and concerns (Hoai Phuong) ; Looking for ‘‘the
portrait’’of the short stories in the Mekong Delta (Vo Tan Cuong),
The prose in the Mekong Delta: a prose area with a lot of
originalities (Chiem Thanh) ; The character and bravery of the South
prose (Ho Tinh Tam) ; The prose in the Mekong Delta – a way of
development (Nguyen Thanh) ; A separate taste of delta stories
(Tuong Vi) ; The outstanding contribution of short stories in the
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Mekong Delta after 1975 (Through the Collection of short stories in
the Mekong Delta 1975 – 1995 and the Collections of 18 writers in

the Mekong Delta) (Tran Manh Hung) ; The world of characters in
Đong Thap short stories (Nguyen Anh Dan); An Giang short stories
1975-2000, Major achievements (Nguyen Kim Nuong) ; The
outstanding features Nguyen Ngoc Tu’s short stories (Nguyen Thi
Thu Thuy) ; The South culture and people in the composition of Phi
Van (Đang Van Khuong) ; The artistic style of Trang The Hy
(Nguyen Thi Mai Thao) ; Writer Nguyen Thanh – a literature addict
(Nguyen Ngoc Tu) ; The world of short stories by Bich Ngan (Huynh
Phan Anh) ; A literature lesson from endless fields (Bui Viet Thang) ;
The cultural mark of the Mekong Delta land in the short stories by
Nguyen Ngoc Tu (Nguyen Lam Đien - Huynh Hai Dang) ; Nature
and people of the South in the short stories by Nguyen Ngoc Tu (Tien
Van Trieu) ; Sense of the South identity (Huynh Cong Tin) ; A point
of view and artistic text in the short stories by Ong Thiem Thu - Tran
Kim Trac (Đo Thi Hien) ; Tone factors in the short stories by Son
Nam (Tran Phong Dieu) Writer Nguyen Quang Sang with a real
South style (Tran Ve Giang) ; Son Nam – a South hyacinth (Tran
Manh Hao) ; Aesthetics tastes in the short stories by Nguyen Ngoc Tu
(Tran Phong Dieu) ; Prose round-table of the Mekong Delta (Nguyen
Ngoc Tu)…
Overall, the studies of short stories after 1975 in the Mekong Delta
have had the noble, honorable explorations and discoveries in content
and arts as well as pointing out limitations of this genre.
On that basis, we have opportunity to go deeper, discovering new
things about the short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975.
3. The purpose of the study
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With the survey of the features of the short stories in the
Mekong Delta from 1975 up to now, the dissertation clarifies the
concept of the short stories in the Mekong Delta as well as the

movement and main characteristics of this category.
4. The object and delimitation of the study
The survey object of the dissertation is the short stories in the
Mekong Delta after 1975 in the following collection and book of
short stories:
- The collection of the short stories in the Mekong Delta from
1975 to 1995, the Publishing House of Writer Association,1996
-Collection 18 of the writers in the Mekong Delta, Mũi Cà
Mau Publishing House.
-The short stories of three female authors in the Mekong
Delta, Literature Publishing House.
-The Western short stories, Tre Publishing House - Ho Chi
Minh City.
- The short stories in Tien Giang, Dong Thap, An Giang and
The short stories by Nguyen Ngoc Tu.
-Besides, the dissertation also extends the scope of the
survey of a number of short stories in the Mekong Delta before 1975
and short stories in other regions to have a basis for contrasting,
comparing and helping clarify the characteristics of the short stories
in the Mekong Delta from 1975 to present.
-Selecting the survey of the short stories in the Mekong Delta
from 1975 to now, we have access to a wide and not quite stable
object. Thus, the dissertation only examines the issues that have been
shaped mainly in terms of content and arts of the short stories in the
Mekong Delta from 1975 to present.
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5. The methods of the study
The dissertation applies the main following methods:
- Method of system
- Method of type

- Method of comparison research
- Method of interdisciplinary research
6. New contribution of the dissertation
- About scientific meaning:
The dissertation help clarify the concept of the short stories in
the Mekong Delta, movement and the main characteristics of this
category.
- About practical meaning:
We hope that the dissertation will be a useful reference for
researchers and those who are interested in the short stories in the
Mekong Delta from 1975 to present.
On the other hand, the achieved results of the dissertation may
be the basis for the compilers to select the typical short stories in the
Mekong Delta for textbooks or reference materials for teaching and
research on literature in secondary schools and universities…etc….
7. The structure of the dissertation
Besides the introduction, conclusion and appendix, the
dissertation has 3 chapters:
Chapter 1: Generalisation of the short stories in the Mekong
Delta from 1975 until now (From page 16 to page 37).
Chapter 2: The inspirations in the short stories in the Mekong
Delta from 1975 until now (From page 38 to page 98).
Chapter 3: Some artistic aspects in the short stories in the
Mekong Delta from 1975 until now (From page 99 to page 188).
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Chapter 1
GENERALISATION OF THE SHORT STORIES IN THE
MEKONG DELTA FROM 1975 UNTIL NOW
1.1. The outline on history, society and culture in the Mekong
Delta

The Mekong Delta has an area of over 39,568 km2, including 13
provinces: An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Dong Thap, Hau
Giang, Kien Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, and
Can Tho city, with the population of 21 million people.
Mentioning the Mekong Delta, we can talk about a real
interesting and fascinating history – changing waste land into
cultivated areas in South Vietnam in general and in the Mekong
Delta in particular. Before the seventeenth century, this area seemed
to sleep in a wild and quiet area with indigenous scattered population.
In the XVII century, the Vietnamese came here to explore this land.
The most typical features in the Mekong Delta are easily
associated with the waters with a interlaced network of rivers,
streams, and canals. The production activities and daily activities of
the local people are always attached to any fluctuation of the water
stream and tide. The rivers and canals here also provide freshwater
sediment accretion and cooling water for the gardens full of fruit
trees, lush paddy fields and innumerous fishes and shrimps. Many
families settle in the boat which is treated as their home. Many boats
come together to create floating residential areas.
During the course of history the Mekong Delta has always
undergone the events concerning the destiny of the whole nation.
This is where co-reside many ethnic communities such as the
Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer and Cham, so it is the place where the
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process of cultural exchange between peoples occurs. That process
has cultivated humanistic values and formed the cultural values of
particular identity to this land.
The notable feature of the culture in the Mekong Delta is the
one of the waters. This is expressed through the customs, practices,
rituals in daily life and productive labor, especially geographical

names and language of communication related to the rivers and
canals.
The culture of food, clothing, housing, travel, etc. also carries
its own characteristics which are appropriate and in harmony with
natural ecological environment. A floating market is not merely a
marketplace for commodity exchange, but it has become its own
culture of the waters.
The common traits of the South people are: haughty spirit,
justice, rationality, openness, harmony, friendliness, sociability in
new communities, no proud of scholars, no asking for equal
background.
The Mekong Delta is home to many ethnic festivals and
other cultural traditions such as traditional music of amateurs,
reformist opera stage of the Kinh.
In summary, using the approach from the premise of history,
society, culture, the dissertation has fairly solid basis for identifying
the recognition and feature of the short stories in the Mekong Delta
from 1975 to present.
1.2. Concept on the short stories in the Mekong Delta
The short stories in the Mekong Delta can be understood in
two ways:
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For the first broad interpretation, in a broad sense, it is the
short stories by the writers in all regions of the country about the
Mekong Delta.
For the second interpretation, in a narrow sense, it is the
short stories about the Mekong Delta by the writers born and grown
up and working in the Mekong Delta, or by those from other lands to
earn their living in the Mekong Delta. From ''love makes strange land
become homeland'' (by Che Lan Vien), the writers consider this land

good one for bound resettlement and then write about it.
There are also some native writers who have written
extensively on the Mekong Delta, but later moved to Ho Chi Minh
City such as: Son Nam, Anh Duc, Nguyen Quang Sang With short
stories by these writers, we temporarily classify them into the second
interpretation.
In fact, through the collections of short stories in the
Mekong Delta so far, we find that the selected stories are in the
second interpretation.
From two above interpretations, we have the concept that the
short stories in the Mekong Delta in the second interpretation. Maybe
at a certain angle necessary to ponder and think more, but for us it is
the basis to do research and identify the characteristics of the short
stories in the Mekong Delta.
1.3. Team of the authors of the short stories in the Mekong Delta
The classification of the generations of the writers of the
short stories in the Mekong Delta from 1975 until now is only
relative. In our opinion, it is possible to visualize the authors of short
stories in the Mekong Delta in a continuation of three generations
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The first generation includes the writers who became famous
before 1975 such as Doan Gioi, Anh Duc, Nguyen Quang Sang,
Trang The Hy, Tran Kim Trac They wrote the short stories which
were known nationwide to the readers before 1975. After 1975, they
still composed abundantly, energetically, and continued to contribute
to the country's literature.
The second generation includes the famous writers after 1975
and on this stage they are still energetic, such as: Pham Trung Khau,
Trinh Buu Hoai, Ngo Khac Tai And the pennames became mature
after 1975, and are now the major team, such as: Vu Hong, Kim Ba,

Thai Sac, Le Dinh Bich, Phan Trung Nghia, Mai Buu Minh, Tram
Huong, Da Ngan, Bich Ngan, Anh Dao, Nguyen Lap Em, Pham
Ngoc Diep, etc.
And the third generation consists of the pennames appearing
in the early th 21
st
century as Tram Nguyen Y Anh, Nguyen Ngoc
Tu, etc.
1.4. The movement of the short stories in the Mekong Delta from
1975 to present
After 30/04/1975, the country entered a new historical stage.
National literature in general and the Mekong Delta one in particular
have changed in the posture of detecting the best methods able to
promptly reflect diverse social life before the new requirements of
the times. Short stories attract the creation of the generations of
writers in the Mekong Delta. They have devoted readers a pretty
massive amount of short stories, many of which are excellent ones.
Our sense of the explored short stories in the Mekong Delta
from 1975 to now is the wealth of diverse topics and styles.
With the feature of the genre, each short story reflects only
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one or few aspects of life, but if placed side by side with a broad
view, the readers can fully visualize the basic characteristics of life,
people and scenery of this land. The direction of exploiting the
interactions between yesterday and today is always screened and
interpreted from many dimensions.
The short story writers in the Mekong Delta have exploited
the war theme on a new dimension and with a new look.
In the context of the early years after the war and in the renovation
period, the writers of the short stories in the Mekong Delta often go

into exploitation and justification for the moral dimensions of
everyday life. The human problems in the war and life today are
always reflected in the beliefs, concerns on each page of their text.
Before the numerous changes of the new life, many writers are
interested in affection and gratitude.
Many other problems in the daily lives continue to be
exploited, such as trust and empathy altruism, belief in future life,
respect for happiness, though happiness is very simple.
Many lives, life-like scenes of all social classes have been revived by
short story writers in the Mekong Delta. They are ''farmers major in
fields”, women, children, the war wounded, veterans, artists, etc. and
even the weak and degrading staff, etc.
New life with many challenges that people have never tasted,
especially the issues of recovery, economic development and social
management in the context of innovative economic thinking, moving
to market mechanism, is a quite detailed way through the concerns,
thoughts and human destinies.
The nature of the wetland is peaceful and prosperous, with
the retained landscape of wild features, mysterious, harsh and
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intense, but sticking with people and cultural life, which creates
topics for many writers to be interested in exploiting.
Trying to understand the short stories in the Mekong Delta,
we found that the short story writers have a style of writing which is
quite diverse and unique. It is rich and charismatic style of writing
because there is something new of Son Nam when he thought ''To
integrate into the literature, it is necessary to take risks, to write
something new for people to read instead of repeating old ones that
none wants to read''; Trang The Hy’s style of writing is full of
concerns and elegance; Vu Hong has both liberal and deep tone with

short stories about the harmony and conflict in lifestyle,
intergenerational psychology of people of the South; Le Dinh Bich
has a close and psychological style of writing and loves finding songs
on ancient myths; Da Ngan often exploits emotional conflicts and
human ethics; Nguyen Ngoc Tu has a style of writing spontaneously,
honestly with sharp spatial South, especially, she has used the local
language quite successfully in her creating, etc.
In spite of realistic approach, personality in the style and
different success rates, it is easy to notice agility, sense of exploration
and innovation and rise of the creative writer. This proves that
they've caught up the circuit and development of literature after 1975.
Chapter 2
THE INSPIRATION IN THE SHORT STORIES IN THE
MEKONG DELTA FROM 1975 UNTIL NOW
The inspiration about praising nature and people, criticizing
limitations and negatives in life, perceiving the depth of human
nature and cultural life is the main inspiration in the short stories in
the Mekong Delta from 1975 until now.
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2.1. The inspiration in nature and people
2.1.1. The inspiration in nature
2.1.1.1. Wild, violent and harsh nature
Our country is changing day by day. So the natural landscape has
been changing in the process of industrialization and urbanization of
the country. But fortunately the Mekong Delta region still retains the
natural landscape or it has been changing little.
Through the depicting words in the stories, the readers not only
feel the wild and mysterious beauty but also identify a harsh and
fierce nature in this area, as well as flexible behavior of the people
here with the natural environment to survive and develop sustainably.

This is also the individual traits of the South.
2.1.1.2. Abundant and peaceful nature is associated with
the life of people
Through the short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975, the
readers can imagine the lyrical beauty and rich potential of a country
of interlacing canals, lush gardens and immense rice fields, etc. Here
also gather various specialty species. There are crocodiles in the
river, reef fish, and turtles, snakes, honey, etc. in the forests.
These scenes and products show the pride of beautiful
prosperous new lands in the south of the country. Reading the short
stories in the Mekong Delta, readers also recognize the flexible and
smart behavior of applying natural advantage rather than confronting
the nature by the people in the Mekong Delta.
The nature also contributes to molding human character, and
also is the place where they are sending their emotions in many
angles.
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It can be said that in every human being, nature is always a
spiritual rope tied to the land of the most enduring roots.
2.1.2. The inspiration in human beings
When writing about the South people in every case, the writer
always uphold their dignity.
2.1.2.1. Praising people of kindness and loyalty
Inspiration of praising kind and loyal people is throughout the
short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975. They may lack the
material, but are never poor in love and definition. Despite extreme
poverty, they live devotedly and love violently, and they are even
ready to sacrifice themselves to help each other in utter distress.
2.1.2.2. Praising frank and candid people
Discussing the characteristics of the South, people often refer

to the frankness, speaking candidly ''seeing and saying,'' hardly
talking figuratively and “beating around the bush”. After all, the
frankness and straightness is the succeeding and promoting the
character of the people of Vietnam in the social and natural context in
the new land.
In summary the short stories after 1975 in the Mekong Delta
have spent many pages writing about the South people in a moving
way. They are kind, benevolent, loyal, frank, honest and generous.
This is a good traditional quality of Vietnamese people which is
followed and developed into an outstanding personality in the South
and it is brighter in difficult circumstances.
2.2. Inspiration of criticizing the limitations and negativeness in
life
Mobilizing in a period of social history with big and complex
changes as a dynamic category, the short stories in the Mekong Delta
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from 1975 to now are really a picture of daily life with confidence
thinking and concerns of the writers.
2.2.1. Criticizing puerility, impatience and insensitiveness

Reading the short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975, we
find that the tendency of critics is expressed clearly in many areas:
criticizing in a hasty policy and policy of agricultural reform,
criticizing the bureaucracy and lack of accountability of local
government for the people and criticizing the formality way, the
indifference of the authorities and the youth for their father’s
tradition, etc.
2.2.2. Criticizing the wrong side of the urbanization
The impacts of urbanization make people in rural villages be
at risk to lose the qualities of honesty of theirs. False lifestyle

becomes fearful habits and begins to appear in rural areas. There are
hot problems such as ''surrogacy'' and homosexuality, prostitution
begin penetrating the remote areas to make the lives of rural people
more or less disturbed.
In particular, many stories criticize selfish and irresponsible
lifestyle of the parents, causing serious injuries to the children’s soul.
The writers also criticize harming the natural environment of
the process of urbanization as well as human consciousness.
2.2.3. Criticizing the negative impacts of the market
economy
When the market economy has clearly expressed its
''disabilities'', the critical inspiration in the short stories in the
Mekong Delta develops more strongly. The spiritual values has been
gradually pushed back or even forgotten by the power the money.
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Lifestyle of chasing money and being dominated by money has
ruined personality and ethics of many people in society. Love and
marriage may also become resilient for human advancement.
In general, critical inspiration in the short stories of the
Mekong Delta from 1975 to now is the critical questions that the
writers set out for the readers, but with a gentle and not harsh
attitude. This is consistent with lifestyle and environment of human
activities in the Mekong Delta.
2.3. Aware inspiration of searching for human nature
By using different ways to explore and express uniquely, the
short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975, reflect personal life,
manifestation in daily activities .
2.3.1. People with love and happiness
Reading the short stories in the Mekong Delta since 1975,
readers feel the love and happiness of the people in many different

angles. It is the love beautiful, sad, rustic, honest and informal like
the life of the people in the Mekong Delta. Happiness comes to a
courageous woman who overcomes the narrow preconceptions about
marriage. Real happiness of man is not high, hard to find, but it is
living in warm human love, the nostalgia of smoke and countryside
cuisine, etc.
As modern life is dominated by the practical schemes, spiritual
values are being faded out, the human heart is in the absence of light
vibrations, etc. the voice of praising love, upholding the dreams and
aspirations of human happiness is required to affect, touch and
awaken many people in the present life and future generations.
2.3.2. People’s self-talk
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Self-talk problem in the short stories in the Mekong Delta
from 1975 to now is exploited and explored in many aspects of life
by writers. Sometimes it is the line of nostalgia, memories of the
past, and worry, concern about the issues taking place in life, etc.
However, even though in some ways self-talk steers people to good
things to contribute to improving the personality and ethics. This is
one of the remarkable contributions of the short stories in the
Mekong Delta from 1975 to present.
2.3.3. Man with spirituality
Discovering the spiritual life, the writers of short stories in the
Mekong Delta after 1975 have touched ''underground'' vessel of life
dominating the action, the behavior of people with the community,
society, nature and themselves.
One of the typical characteristics of agricultural culture is
people attaching to nature, therefore in spiritual life people shape the
habit of worshipping nature.
in Worshipping ancestors and grandparents is a fine tradition

of Vietnamese people conserved and developed in the Mekong Delta.
That is the concept of spiritual life reflected in the short stories in the
Mekong Delta after 1975
Besides, the torment and the obsession of human with their
wrongs are also explained from the spiritual perspective of
consciousness by the writers.
In short, spiritual life of people reflected through the short
stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975, is light transmitted from the
inner world of each person, explain the phenomena of spiritual life
and the engine creating the power of faith and of every individual act
convincingly.
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2.4. Inspiration of awarenesss in cultural life
The culture in the Mekong Delta is diverse in uniform and
original and marked by man and land.
Finding out about the short stories in the Mekong Delta after
1975, readers can feel a cultural life that is abundant and vivid.
2.4.1. Reformist art
Talking about the South is mentioning the cradle of opera and
traditional music for amateurs. This art form is consistent with the
topographic characteristics of the waters as well as the lives of the
South people. Therefore, for a long time, traditional music for
amateurs and reformist art have become the lifestyle and needs
indispensable in the cultural life of the South people.
Through the short stories in the Mekong Delta , readers can
feel the passion as well as the love for this kind of art
2.4.2. Folk festivals
Through The short stories in The Mekong Delta, readers easily find
out the festival atmosphere attached to the waters atmosphere. There
are a lot of ethnic festivals in the Mekong Delta, every festival has a

particular meaning with bold beliefs of life and people in this
country.
2.4.3. Food culture
If you want to eat sauce-cooked fish with water lily stems
You should go to Dong Thap to eat as much as you can
(The South folk song)
The folk song makes us remember the sour water lily soup
served with colorful anabas cooked with sauce which is very familiar
in the tray of rice of the poor and miserable rural people. A folk dish
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contains historical and cultural values of the forefathers changing the
waste land to cultivated one before.
Unlike other regions, Southern cuisine are true native dishes
with the taste of the waters. The ways of cooking and eating habits
formed culinary culture of the western people- culture make use of
natural environment.
In summary, in the trends of urbanization, the Mekong Delta is
the place to keep the agricultural culture, and the short stories in the
Mekong Delta are the place which displays, conserves and preserves
cultural beauty of the river lively and attractively.
Chương 3
SOME ARTISTIC ASPECTS IN THE SHORT STORIES IN
THE MEKONG DELTA FROM 1975 UNTIL NOW
3.1. Arts of creating situation, structure, space and time
3.1.1. Arts of creating story situation:
Doing the survey of the short stories in the Mekong Delta since
1975, we find the authors noted the development of mood situations,
situations of action, situation of awareness, etc. Though there may
not be many unique situations.Based on those, the writer praises the
good side, exposing the evils of life, so readers can view multi-

dimensionally the reality of life. In addition, through story cases
writers explain the problems that the works place; therefore, the
readers are orientated to be aware, think and act properly.
3.1.2. Arts structure and end of the story:
The short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975 have freer
structure and happy end; closed end and open end are common ones
in the short stories in the Mekong Delta after the 1975. Many ends
make a deep impression in the heart of readers as well as creating the
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space, leaving readers become co-creative, self-judging to decipher
the issues that the authors set out.
3.1.3. Arts of creating space – time:
The original features of the short stories in the Mekong Delta
from 1975 to now covering the space of the stories are natural space,
living space and private space bearing the mark of the waters.
The time is the one of the past, of the memories associated
with the situation, the scenes where each person is living and
experiencing. A motif of time that the readers frequently spend in the
short stories in the Mekong Delta after the 1975 is a mixture between
the present and the past; time is seasonal, transitional between day
and night, between the old year and new year. Dream time is also
used by the authors to explain the depth of inner feeling of characters.
3.2. Arts depicting characters
3.2.1. Depicting characters through conflicts, clashes
Many stories in the Mekong Delta have successfully
described the conflicts of the characters. Those are conflicts and
clashes of the characters, between characters and circumstances,
conception of life and personal conflicts within each character.
3.2.2. Depicting appearance
The writers also describe the features of the character appearance

from different angles: face, general appearance, including abnormal
appearance of the character. They have created many characters
leaving deep impression in the heart of the readers.
3.2.3. Depicting action
By portraying vivid action that represents the beauty of the
soul , nature and character of people .
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Through the art of describing action the stories in the
Mekong Delta after 1975 has shown the diversification of
character’s manner .
3.2.4. The emotional state of characters
Emotional state of characters is very diverse, expressed in
specific circumstances. Sometimes it is sadness, but there are also
characters who are desperate and then are joyful and happy.
Specifically, the writers have borrowed scenery village and
waterfront to express character emotions. This is the unique point in
the stories in the Mekong Delta
Overall, in the short stories from the Mekong Delta after
1975 , there aren’t many typical writers, but this can mark the real
portrait of people in this land from appearance, words to attitude ,
behavior …etc….
3.3. Arts of using the South dialects
3.3.1. Arts of using class of sound -variant words
The sound-variant word is used logically in describing
appearance, psychology, action of the character, this contributes to
increase the arts of works . Through that the stories in the Mekong
Delta after 1975 has created a lot of typical characters who are close
to people in real life
The sound-variant word is simple, but it can create a new
number of meanings and show distinctive features in pronouncing of

the South people and make readers feel familiar and close. Reversing
sounds also makes words visual, colorful and much more expressive
than usual wording. It stimulates the imagination and powerful
emotions of readers.
3.3.2. Arts of using words of geographical names
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Using words of geographical names by specific nouns is
stuck to the river image. This is a famous habit of naming of the
South people. They take the names of things and phenomena which
have typical characteristics or geography and the historical value of
that land or the most prominent characteristics of the material, the
phenomenon for the symbol of naming.
Words of geographical names not only emphasize the nuances
associated with the waters but also reflect life and human destiny.
3.3.3. Arts of using words of things and phenomena
Words denoting topography, vegetation, waters such as rivers
and canals, seizures, ditches and floating markets, flooding seasons
boats, canoes, huts, trees and water lily, hyacinth, fields sparkling
alum, ducks running in the fields, medium tide, etc. appear frequently
in the works.
Through the words, the readers recognize the separate
distinctive features, landscapes and geographical features of the
Mekong Delta, not confused with other regions.
3.3.4. Arts of using words of human names
We often see the names of the characters in the stories
associated with a certain profession or of their distinctive features.
The South people also have a habit of naming things in order.
This naming exists only in the South. The habit of calling and
naming things in order is the unique thing in the stories in the
Mekong Delta comparing with the Northern short stories

3.3.5. Arts of using oral word
oral word is used to describe the appearance, psychology,
manner of characters.
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It also used in storytelling, the language for describing, etc.
contributing to recreating human life in the Mekong Delta closer to
normal life
3.4. Tone
3.4.1. Simple and humble tone
Depicting the life and people, the writers have shown a casual,
rustic and natural tone like harsh life itself, like the sweet taste of
happiness, as well as difficult life's challenges.
Many stories include the words of real-life in the stories,
making the process of receiving the literature of the readers seem
shorter. Thus, the gap between writers and readers, readers and works
is shortened.
3.4.2. Lyrical and gentle tone
Through the short stories of the Mekong Delta, readers can
find out a lyrical and sophisticated tone which is simple and honest .
3.4.3. Humorous tone
Southern people live sentimentally, openly and generously so
their way of saying is rich in expression and high comedy. The
humor of the short stories in the Mekong Delta is expressed more
gently. It is not ironic and satire, but a little mischievous and witty.
Therefore, one of the contributions of the short stories in the Mekong
Delta bring humorous quality of normal life to text pages lightly.
3.4.4. Tone of deep contemplation
Tone of deep contemplation with thoughts and experiences of
the writers in the Mekong Delta is created from various sources of
inspiration: inspiration of sympathy and inspiration of criticism. The

authors of the short stories in the Mekong Delta did not analyze and
talked about the great scale but thoughts and contemplation of
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everyday activities associated with life and the fate of every human
being. This is also what makes a human value in the short stories of
the Mekong Delta after 1975.
In summary, the unique creation of arts in the short stories in
the Mekong Delta after 1975 is not much, but enough for the readers
to identify specific characteristics of this region compared to the
short stories in other regions.
CONCLUSION
Looking back to the 35 year journey, the short stories in the
Mekong Delta have achieved some admirable achievements in the
arts as well as content, contributing significantly to the achievement
of the national stories. This is a process of hard labor of many
generations of the writers in the Mekong Delta.
The continuous flow of the short stories in the Mekong Delta
bases on continuation of three generations of writers , the generation
before 1975 still has contribution for national literature, the
generation grown up after 1975 , the main staff at present appeared
in the early of the 21
st
century , they are young and energetic.
The desire for emotional resolution about nature, about man
and the changes in life inspire writers to explore, discover cultural
life as well as the psychological depth of the internal world of people.
On that basis, in every possible aspect at each level of themes and
different discoveries, they have devoted to the readers a massive
volume of short stories, including many good short stories.
The topics, themes and reflecting content of the short stories

in the Mekong Delta after 1975 are abundant and more diverse. The
reality in the work is the reality of daily life with complex
relationships, intricate interlocked together. Personal lives are more
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attractive with aspiration and dreams of very simple life of man.
Colorful and diverse life is discovered and exposed for thoughts and
experiences.
About artistic expression, the short stories in the Mekong
Delta after 1975 also makes significant contribution. The most
prominent is the art of using the Southern dialect. Through story
language, the readers capture the thoughts, emotions, the writer's
attitude to life's problems. The language of characters is deeply
personalized.
The writers have always paid attention to the tone, as well
as creating the space and time bearing the stamp of the wetland.
The story structure is free and more flexible. Some story
ends deeply impress readers; some story ends are ''open'' for the
readers “to decode” problems.
Locating in the process of national literature in general and
the Mekong Delta literature in particular, the achievements of the
short stories in the Mekong Delta has its own unique beauty
contributing to confirming the new development of this literature
area, and also opening up direction to explore new creative diversity
for short stories.
However, literature in the Mekong Delta in general, short
stories in particular, still lack of masterpieces that require the need to
look for arts and harassing concerns bearing philosophy about life
and people, in reality theses sources of material are abundant for
writers.
Among the writers in the Mekong Delta, not many are

professional, but many are amateurs. For them writing is part-time,
and they are not trained officially. They can’t live on their career.
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The absence of the critic is also the limitation of the literature
of the Mekong Delta. In fact, this area is in urgent need of arguments
and literary criticism.
Therefore, the training of the team of composition as well as
arguments and literary criticism is urgent needs for managers of
cultural arts in the Mekong Delta.
From school year 2007 - 2008, the local language and
literature program have been included in the official course taught in
high school. We hope good stories such as The aunt named Doi by
Nguyen Quang Sang, endless fields by Nguyen Ngoc Tu, etc. can be
put into an array of teaching literature to illustrate the literature of the
Mekong Delta.
Because the dissertation only identifies the research on the
key issues of content and art, it can affirm the contributions of the
short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975 in the movement of
Vietnam short stories. So many questions about the short stories in
the Mekong Delta after 1975 such as : the world of characters,
narrative view have not been mentioned by us.
We hope that there will be more comprehensive and deeper
studies on the short stories in the Mekong Delta after 1975.
In the limited capacity and scope of the survey data in
certain degree, the dissertation’s result does certainly have some
restrictions.
We look forward to receiving the comments and exchanges
from teachers and researchers so that the dissertation may improve
more. /.