Nhân vật trẻ em trong văn xuôi thiếu nhi việt nam (TT)

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HANOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

NGUYEN THI THANH HUONG

CHILDREN CHARACTER IN VIETNAMESE
CHILDREN PROSE
Major: Vietnamese Literature
Code : 62.22.01.21

SUMMARY DOCTORATE DISSERTATION ON PHILOLOGY

hA nOi – 2016


The dissertation has been completed in
Hanoi National University of Education

Supervisor: 1. Associate Professor.Doctor. La Thi Bac Ly
2. Associate Professor. Nguyen Van Long

Examiner 1: Associate Professor.Doctor.Bien Minh Dien
Vinh University
Examiner 2: Associate Professor.Doctor. Luu Khanh Tho
Institute of Literature
Examiner 3: Associate Professor.Doctor. Hoa Dieu Thuy
Hong Duc University

The thesis will be defended against the Board of examiners at the University
level
Venue: Hanoi National University of Education

On...........................................................2016

The thesis can be found at:
- National Library of Vietnam
- Hanoi National University of Education Library


LIST OF THE THESIS-RELATED DISCLOSED AUTHOR’S WORKS
1. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2012), “Personnality education for children
through the character Pippi in Astrid Lindgren‟s Pippi Longstocking”,
Proceedings 17, Ochanomizu University, pp.125-128.
2. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2012-2013), Type the characters in the Fairy
tale, Scientific topics of University , Code: SPHN-12-193.
3. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2013), “Folk riddles with children
preschools education”, Journal of science, Hanoi National University
of Education, No58, pp.82-88.
4. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2013), “The narrator in the Give me a ticket
back to Childhood of Nguyen Nhat Anh”, The Journal of Literature
and Art Critique theory, No10, pp.64-68.
5. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2015), “Children‟s character in the VietNam
story before 1945”, Journal of science, Hanoi National University of
Education, No60, pp.63-67.
6. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2015), “The attraction of the character Pippi
in story “Pippi Longstocking” of Astrid Lindgren”, Culture and
art magazine, No370, pp.104-107.
7. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2015), “Some characteristics of children‟s
autobiography in the twentieth century VietNam”, The Journal of
Literature and Art Critique theory, No33, pp. 64-69.
8. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2015), “Children‟s character in the VietNam
story 1945 - 1975”, The Journal of Literature and Art Critique theory,

No40, pp.38-48
9. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (2016), “Children's Literature Definition”,
Culture and art magazine, No385, pp.91-93.


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INTRODUCTION
1. Reasons for Thesis’ Theme
1.1. Children Literature is an important part of a literature. Many studies
showed that Children Literature have noticeable effects on children
personality development and is important with children in early childhood
and childhood periods.
1.2. Vietnamese Children Prose, from its beginning, reflected basic
features in children lives throughout historical periods. In addition, along
with innovations of Vietnamese Prose, Vietnamese Children Prose
provides remarkable innovations in development periods. These
innovations show in world characters.
1.3. In modern life there are numberless barriers of human
intercommunications, especially, between younger and older generations.
Children in modern period are different with their parents in changes in
psychology and physiology. Moreover, there is private changeable world
in each child. Children is not minimized adults. Studying children
character in Vietnamese Children Prose is way to young children world to
understand and have suitable behaviors with future citizens of the country.
2. Objects and study’s scope
2.1. Objects
Children character in Vietnamese children prose, from 1945 to 1975
and after 1975, periods is object of the thesis
2.2. Study’s scope

The scope of study includes writing prose for children. Because
Children Notes subtype is not appreciated and have not many achievements,
we focused on children characters in Vietnamese Children story.
Because of many writings, we only chose novels, short stories and
autobiography for children from 1945 to 1975, especially some typical and
innovative works.
3. General goals and detail goals
3.1 General goals
To determine, analyse image of children character and artistic modes
expressing characters thought development periods of children literature,
structuring total picture of children literature with various opinions about
children, affirming specific aesthetic values of children literature.
3.2. Detail goals
3.2.1. To develop theoretical bases of the thesis, determining
concepts such as children literature, children, children character, children
character systematics in literature.


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3.2.2. To study the development of Vietnamese Children Literature
and development periods of children character in that development..
3.2.3. To analyse some types of children characters in story for
children from 1945 to 1975.
3.2.4. To analyse some types of children characters in story for
children from 1945 to 1975.
4. Methodology
- Typological Method
- Comparative Method
- Work Analysis by Genre Specific Method

- History Literature Method
- Interdisciplinary Method
5. New contributions of the thesis
Theoretically, the thesis provides overview picture about children
character in Vietnamese Children Prose, clarifying theoretical issues which
have effects on literature along periods.
In terms of history literature, the thesis studies, summarizes a look of
children character in Vietnamese Literature process, reflecting movements
and basic rules in Vietnamese Literature.
Practically, by determining structural system of children character in
Vietnamese Children Literature development, the thesis provides typical
children character which creates character images associated with real life,
orienting children personality in innovation period.
Also, the thesis produces an useful reference for studying, teaching
children literature in universities and junior colleges in Vietnam.
6. The thesis’s outline
Along with Introduction and Conclusions parts, the thesis includes 3
chapters: Chapter 1 gives Overview of Studying Issue, Chapter 2 named
Children Character in Vietnamese Children Story from 1945 to 1975, and
Chapter 3 entitled Children Character in Vietnamese Children Story from
1975 to the Present.


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CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW OF STUDYING ISSUE
1.1 CHILDREN LITERATURE AND CHILDREN CHARACTER
1.1.1 Children Literature
Children Literature includes works about children and for children,

written by adults or children with children eye, having educational
contents for sake of children soul and personality.
1.1.2. Basic characteristics of Children Literature
Children Literature is phenomenon appears later in literature history.
Educational value is consider to be important in Children Literature.
Children, special individuals with many different with adults, are
subject which reflect as well as receive of Children Literature. Therefore,
works for children are special about and for special subjects.
Relationship between readers and writers is not balanced.
Children Literature always break adult norms to get in children
world.
1.1.3. Development and movements of Vietnamese story for children
Before 1945, although there are writings for children of Tu Luc
Literature Association and Nam Cao, Nguyen Hong, Nguyen Cong Hoan,
To Hoai, these writings could not create children – writing movement.
From 1945 to 1975, after August Revolution, children literature was
developed with much of stories, making important part in children
literature.
After 1975, there were many approaching innovations in children
literature with many authors such as Pham Ho, Vo Quang, To Hoai,
Nguyen Quynh, Phung Quan, Nguyen Nhat Anh and valuable works.
At present, there is only Nguyen Nhat Anh regarded an author with
regular writings for children.
1.1.4. Concept about “Children”
In many aspects, children is not minimized adult. In terms of age, in
Vietnam, children are people aged from 0 to 16 years old. Children have
individual psychological and physiological characteristics, and they are a
specific historical social category, a complex category.
1.1.5. Children character
1.1.5.1.Character definition: Children characters are children created in

works for children. Children reflect writers‟ view about children, the
writers generalize nature, destiny of children in history, society and culture
life. Also, children characters show life rules and children in life.


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1.1.5.2. Children systematics
M.Nikolajeva gave 5 types of children characters on basis of
representation, of character types of Northrop Frye, literature reviewer and
theorist in 20th century, including: 1. The Mythic Hero, 2. The Romantic
Hero, 3. High Mimetic Characters, such as Allegorical and Emblematic
Characters as well as Character as Ideological Vehicles, 4. Low Mimetic
Characters, 5. Ironic Characters, includes Detachment and Alienation as
well as Metafictive Characters.
When applying the M.Nikolajeva‟s systematics in Vietnamese story
for children, we see the systematics is suitable in Vietnam. However, in
terms of history, culture, society, there are specific enviromnents of each
people, there are differences in systematics of Vietnam. Therefore, we do
not apply inflexibly the M.Nikolajeva‟s systematics in Vietnamese story for
children, this systematics plays fulcrum for our systematics in each period
of Vietnamese Children Literature.
1.2. OVERVIEW OF RELATING STUDIES
1.2.1. Studies about children character in international stories for
children
A book of Maria Nicolajeva, The Rhetoric of Character in Children's
Literature, with two sections and 13 chapters, studies ontological and
epistemological aspects of characters in stories for children, the book
showed basic differences beetween character development in story for
children and in general stories.

Theoretically, the above book provided an overview about characters
in children literature. This study defined that characters in children
literature, in many aspects, were designed differently with in general
literature.
1.2.2. Studies about children character in Vietnamese story for children
Van Thanh is first author in studying children literature. Van Thanh‟s
studies gave an overview about Vietnamese Children Literature as well as
movements of stories for children after August Revolution to 1975.
La Thi Bac Ly with doctoral thesis named Stories for Children after
1975, clarified children literature picture in period after 1975.
The two above authors showed successes and innovations in terms of
contents as well as forms of stories for children from its beginnings.
There were also some books such as Vietnamese Children Literature
of Tran Duc Ngon and Duong Thu Huong (1998), Children Literature of
La Thi Bac Ly (2007), Children Literature Prosody of Bui Thanh Truyen
et al (2007). However, there were not so much studies like above.


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CHAPTER 2. CHILDREN CHARACTER IN VIETNAMESE
CHILDREN STORY FROM 1945 TO 1975
2.1. ELEMENTS AFFECTING CHILDREN CHARACTER DESIGN
2.1.1. Social context
Two wars in Vietnam, during 30 years, from 1945 to 1975, have
strong and comprehensive effects on material and spirit life of the people
in general, of literature children in particular, creating specific
characteristics of literature in war. This condition affected development of
children types in children literature from 1945 to 1975.
2.1.2. Children Literature context

Along with social historical changes, children literature developed
with turning points.
2.1.3. Children character in stories before August Revolution – premise
for creating children character in stories for children from 1945 to 1975
2.1.3.1. Children character – humble conditions
2.1.3.2. Children character – brightly and dreamy souls
2.1.4. Opinions of writers about children from 1945 to 1975
Children were showed in children literature pages as hope of the
country, “help children love motherland, compatriots, labor as well as
follow the rules, keep hygiene, go to school, etc.” (Uncle Ho)
2.2. FACE OF CHILDREN CHARACTER FROM 1945 TO 1975
2.2.1. Younger soldiers in the war
Younger solider is specific character only in literature during the war
like Vietnamese literature. The development of this kind of character
derived from demands of history when the war happened. This model was
ideological orientation of children literature at that period, it also reflected
a fact, a spiritual reality – heroes, a typical example for children at that
time. As children, younger solider was different from children in
peacetime, they are solider or minimized adult.
In writings after 1954, image of younger solider had changes in way
of express, in which while continuing to describe brave actions, writers
brought children approach children, such as character Lam in Keeping
Borrowed Gun of Van An, Toan character in A Childe by Riverside of Lai
Vu – Vu Cao, Bay character in Sinking Boat of Bui Duc Ai.
Because writers have concentrated on revolutionary, heroic actions
of children character, they have not paid attentions to emotional and
psychological aspects in designing characters. There were only some
attentions in one-way psychological status without conflicts. Psychological
features of children were only expressed in some single sentences.

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Father Homeland and Dawn of Vo Quang are works marked clear
changes in way of expressing younger solider character from oneway,
monotone to complex, lively.
Finally, in this period, developing younger soldiers as heroic statue is
suitable with demands of reality and children psychological characteristics.
2.2.2. Younger Citizen in Daily Life
The younger citizen in daily life was born as natural character in
terms of history. When the North was free, orienting to Socialist, one of
important of children letter and art is to educate children in learning and
active working.
Oriented works for children focused on “focus of idea and feeling
education for children is loving labor, loving learning for sake of socialist
and unified motherland”.
In laboring, children would do “small plan”, developing innovative
countryside, such as three characters named Thieu, Tu and Lia characters,
in Close Relation Group of Tran Thanh Dich author, created laboring
group, supporting adults in agriculture, in trapping mice, in catching birds;
characters Mau, Hoi, Man, Sung in New Member of Cooperative of To
Hoai author, have done together in trapping birds, making puppet in field,
catching mice for sake of crop in holiday.
In learning, there were many writings such as Lessons about Life and
Friendship, Lovely School of Le Khac Hoan author, The First Sunbeam of
Le Phuong Lien, The First Year of Minh Giang, The Boy Hating
Mathematics of Hai Ho.
To educate children thought ideal models about moral qualities,
responsibilities of citizen in Socialist. However, because of too much
importance on educational goals, children character in these writings

become model of minimized adult citizen without foolishness, playfulness
and spontaneousness.
2.2.3. Character as mirror
In the war and building the country, the most important of children
literature is to educate children love with their country, people pride,
striving in labor, learning, so the writers created type of imaginary children
characters such as country-saving heroes, examplary citizen, also they
made children character as mirror rooted from real children in history and
life.
There were two expressing forms of character as mirror in this
period, children character as historical mirror (for example, Tran Quoc
Toan in The Flag with Six Golden Script of Nguyen Huy Tuong, Ban A


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Ton in Da River story, etc.) and children character as life mirror (for
example, Kim Dong in Kim Dong of To Hoai, Nguyen Ngoc Ky in I Go to
the School of Nguyen Ngoc Ky, Hoa Xuan Tu in Hoa Xuan Tu of Quang
Huy, etc.)
The children character as historical mirror was not described in real
view, he/she was created in some historical gap. Therefore, despite of
being children, he/she was described as hero different from normal
children. This feature is the same with type of younger hero character,
however, this kind of character is usually fictitious, but character as
historical mirror is usually real people in history. This type of character is
notable feature in character description of historical story after 1975. Like
“adult” literature, children literature, in this period, was controlled by
historical inspiration and romantic style of writing, therefore, children
characters in these writing also had historical and heroic features. This is

reason for that in period from 1945 to 1975, historical story for children
strongly develops and this kind of character became typical type in
children literature in the period.
Children character as life mirror appeared in period from 1960 to
1975, children character is mirror in life, playing important role in
encouraging spirit of Vietnamese children in anti-American movement and
building Socialist. He/she is real character in the life, the writer only
reflects his/her success, for example, Hoa Xuan Tu, Nguyen Ngoc Ky, Bui
Thi Tu, Nguyen Thi Hong, Hoang Van Hai, etc.
2.2.4. Abandoned children character
In situation for continuing war, children in the South have lived a life
without orientations. The war broke many families, making children be
orphan, his/her life like dust. Abandoned by family, society, these children
live without purposes, without ideal. In this status, there were two reaction
ways of children, 1) Displease, becoming vagrants and 2) Resigned,
becoming victim of life. Children of the two ways have been abandoned
by their society and family. This made two expressing types of children
characters in the South Children Literature, Vagrant Children Character –
Life Like Dust and Unhappy Children Character.
2.2.4.1. Vagrant Children Character – Life Like Dust
The model was expressed in writing of Duyen Anh with stories The
Dream of a Grasses, Following Looking, Tear Deluding Melody, Chau
Kool, etc. In Duyen Anh‟s stories, these characters were expressed as
children were thrown out their families, living without home, living by


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jungle law. Duyen Anh explained about exists of these characters that
because they disappointed with injustice of the society or dissatisfied with

their families, schools, or they despised life disregarding them, they,
without choices, rebelled, violated, exacted, fought as the way to revenge
the society.
In society full of violence, revenge, vagrant children still know love,
protect one another. Their love without any interest, conditions is as
natural as it is, “Bright and beautiful mark of vagrant society – hypocrisy
society is in that society they love and protect one another” (Tear Deluding
Melody, page 107).
However, lives of vagrant children in Duyen Anh‟s writing had sad
outcomes – being at a standstill in the way find ideal of the young. This
reflect unsafe reality of the South of Vietnam in 1960s.
2.2.4.2. Unhappy Children Character
Unstableness of the society made family base shaky, violence,
inequalities, sham, unreliabilities etc. created unhappy children.
Children characters were represented by Nhat Tien in writings such
as Lost Stars, Pearl Hand, Phuong‟s Story, Birds Singing in Cage, etc.
These images were unhappy children in their lives which also were
expressed in Duyen Anh‟s writitngs such as My Yonger Sister‟s Myna,
Ocean within Small Snail, The Kite, Cobble Foodprints, Tear Deluding
Melody, OK Invader, etc.
This type of character were also expressed in writings of Nguyen
Hong, Nam Cao, Nguyen Cong Hoan in period before 1945. Once again,
lonely, disadvantaged, bitter, childhoodless children came back in works
of Duyen Anh, Nhat Tien. In writings of the later, they were not only lives
in the margin of adult lives, but also their stories were main contents which
the writers wanted to say to readers. Duyen Anh, Nhat Tien told about
unhappy children conditions, sending their dreams of bloom of youth. The
author brightened children lives full of blood and tears by human trust and
love, providing them rights to believe in good things for sake of their
future dreams.

2.2.5. Spontaneous and Dreamy Children Character
After 1963, especially after the American government gave their
army to the South of Vietnam, political as well as literature life had many
changes. Cao Huy Khanh said “After 1963, literature of the South of
Vietnam changed with regular and violent obsession – obsession of war
and things related to the war”. The writers tried to express characters with


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defiant attitude, upside down with moral criteria or they parried the present
to come back the past with childhood dreams. Intentionally, pages for
childhood stage in this period were abundant with authors such as Duyen
Anh, Tu Ke Tuong, Dinh Tien Luyen, Nhat Tien, etc. Being the way
resisting to the present, these writers came back to children, with
childhood idle dreams. Childhood became shelter for the souls full of hearbreaking, sadness with the present. In sunny school yard with flamboyant
tree‟s shadows, young ladies‟ coat covered their souls, bringing them back
to beginning touching with purity and keen. Childhood playfulness,
spontaneousness helped them come back to the childhood full of dreams.
2.2.5.1. Spontaneous Children Character
In attempts to shorten the author‟s soul with marvellous world of
children, Duyen Anh, Nhat Tien, Tu Ke Tuong etc. created spontaneous
children character with lively, truthful and emotional features. Stunning
Chuong, Elephant-eared Hue, Curly Ngan, Đakao Dung, Khoa, Vu, Con,
Thuy, etc. in Duyen Anh‟s writings, each child with each personality, face,
however, they had the same feature – spontaneous, pure and impartial
characteristic.
2.2.5.2. Dreamy Children Character
Before 1975, in the South of Vietnam, people was always frighten,
worried, in a divided mind when they saw their youth decaying with a

standstill of society. “The youth was abandoned out life, and enclosed in
the school” (in story The youth, page 72). The writers found the way come
back heaven without the youth to naming boy and girl students with
beginning emotions in their pages. Pearl Magazine leaded by Duyen Anh
was place stored writings of writers for children. Duyen Anh with stories
Thirteen Years Old, Vu, Thuy, Flamboyant, The Youth, Miss Coat, About
Loving Daisy, etc. Tu Ke Tuong with The Road with Flying Flamboyant,
Old Huyen, etc. Dinh Tien Luyen with Beloved Brother Chi, A Flock
White Birds in School Yard, etc. Nha Ca with Sixteen Moon, Hoang Ngoc
Tuan with Letter to Son Cuc Road, Seem to be Loved, etc.
The differences between character patterns in the children's stories in
the South – the North
Cultural factors
Society: In the North, the Revolution Literature highlighted the
cheerleading resistance war duties, towards the child character patterns
such as: young soldiers, exemplary citizens,... In the South, since it was
affected by political goals, the children characters reflected the realistic


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vision of writers to the society and on the other hand, towards human
values and sustainability. Therefore, children characters were shown more
in detail about their innocence, mischievousness and naivety in the
literature of the South. This was also the general trend of Southern
literature in this period seen in the writings of some authors such as: Son
Nam, Binh Nguyen Loc. They were focused on culture, customs, people
and nature to exploit the pristine beauty, the essence of nature and human.
After 1954, there was a special history period in the Southern
Vietnam. The influence from history and the fluctuation in the political

arena had made Southern artists fall into a psychological instability state
with anxiety, doubt and confusion. At this time in the North, from 1945 to
1954, there was the war resistance and the revolution atmosphere
appearing in all aspects of life, even: "Every boy dreams to iron horse/
Every river wants to be Bach Dang " (Che Lan Vien). This difference had
led to the distinctions in children character patterns in children stories
between the South and the North.
2.3. ART FEATURES OF BUILDING CHARACTERS
2.3.1. Description of characters dominantly in action but seldom in
appearance and psychology
2.3.1.1. Simple portrait
2.3.1.2. Focus on revolutionary actions description
As mentioned in the first Chapter, one of the features belonging to
children characters was mostly depicted in action but seldom focused on
psychology. This feature easily lead to misunderstand about the
similarities in the children character building in general and the way to
build characters in epic historical fictions in Vietnam in the 1945-1975
period.
Revolution Literature built human images similar to the ones in the
classical epic. It is human with action, words together with action, and
every inner thought expressed through action.
Children characters were described more about their action and it
was not due to the psychological forgetting, and inner torment was not the
main problem in life. At the age of children, the concerns about life, about
the world,... just begin. When describing the characters, the writers often
show children in a state of "active" status rather than "static" one. That is
the obvious "dynamic" status, the essence of childhood.
Writers in the 1945-1975 period had made a portrait of the active
children, but it was not the real action of children.

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In two types of characters: abandoned children characters and
children characters with spontaneous and dreamy features in some urban
children stories in the South, the description of the character portraits was
usually shown in a different way. Writers such as Duyen Anh, Nhat Tien,
Tu Ke Tuong Dinh Tien Luyen,... have created special and lively portraits.
The different ways in describing the children portraits in the South
and the North started from differences from the tasks of the writers based
on historical situation. As mentioned in the previous section, the children's
literature writers in the North were affected by the special atmosphere then
they has created the children portraits with idealization and many features
resembling adults. Meanwhile, in the South, the complex context of the
war led writers freely choose characters: reappearing children with
realistic trends or reflecting good values of human. Based on these points,
the Southern urban writers built portraits of innocent, mischievous
children, children with real childish features. Of course, these differences
were only ways to portray children characters between the South and the
North. It originated from the issues of history. This does not imply that it
was negative or affirmable for any sides. The existence of each art method
has its own meanings.
2.3.2. Language of characters influenced by the era language
The language of children characters inclines towards the dialogue. Selftalking in the complex problems of life is not suitable for children features.
This became more reasonable in children literature during period from 1945
to 1975 in Vietnam when the general model for the children characters was
action, less complex inner thinking and less personal conflicts.
Children talked in adults‟ accent. Note that this was different from
the needs of children that they want to be become an adult.
Children literature in the period of 45-75, children characters joined

in play but not in the children‟s way. It was followed the wishes of authors
- adults. Characters said with the adults‟ language and with some
characters they sometimes forgot that they were still children.
The ignorance of children‟s language showed the power of
discoursing characters in the children's stories. Obviously, this problem
was one of the specific and highlighted features of children‟s literature in
Vietnam in the 1945-1975 period.
2.3.3. Individuality of the child characters in children's literature in the South
Two types of comic characters children children in the South:
Abandoned children character and Spontaneous and Dreamy Children
Character, language evoking characters personality.


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It can be said that in both the South and the North of Vietnam in
this period, the children characters were not separated from the era
environment and history. In the North, child characters were placed in an
ideal environment and atmosphere, therefore, language of children should
be selected following the modern trends and the specific feature of the era.
In the South, children characters were placed in complex and crisis
environments, therefore, the language of children showed the lost
confidence in society. In the spontaneous, dreamlike characters, the
language of the characters showed the close link to children. This would
also be suggestion for illustrating character patterns in children's stories in
the later stages.
Part conclusion: Three types of characters: Young soldiers in
combat, exemplary citizens in life, and the presenting model characters in
the children‟s stories at this stage were the typical images of children
against the vicissitudes of history and to the brutality of war. They

appeared with beautiful, exceptional, strong and virile images. They were
representative for the young generation with the aspirations and lofty ideal
life and with courage and self-strengthening of our country. They were a
glorious continuation of precious traditions of the nation with the heroic,
faithful children images for nation protection and construction. However,
the readers has not really recognized children characteristics with these
characters in this period.
In two types of characters: abandoned children characters and
children characters with spontaneous and dreamy features in some urban
children stories in the South showed inherited traits and differences in
describing and expressing characters. Moreover, it would also be a
prerequisite for the appearance of spontaneous children in literature in the
South later.


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CHAPTER 3. CHILDREN CHARACTERS IN AFTER 75
3.1. FACTORS AFFECTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS
CHARACTER PATTERNS
3.1.1. Change in culture and society
- The innovated spirit
- The explosion of media era
- The change in family structure
- The modern life
- The change in the using way of Vietnamese language
3.1.2. Increase in number of writers and influence of the oversea
literature
The writing team after the year of 86 has developed rapidly: To
Hoai, Pham Ho, Nguyen Quynh, Tran Thien Huong, Hoang Da Thi, Le

Canh Nhac, Nguyen Nhat Anh, Nguyen Chau Giang, Nguyen Ngoc
Thuan, Tran Duc Tien,...
The influence of oversea literature: Harry Potter, Doremon, comic
manganese, ...
3.1.3. Achievements of psychology
Achievements in psychology for children: Children in the centre,
considering children as an independent, distinct entity, not as a copy of an
adult, not as a miniature adult.
3.1.4. Change in the writer concepts about children
In modern time, children are placed in the context of daily life with
their own troubles and complexity and are recognized as a personality to
the relationship with the surrounding environment.
3. 2. FACE OF CHILDREN CHARACTER AFTER 1975
3.2.1. Victim character: War victims and Life victims
3.2.1.1. War victims
Before 1975, when writing about children in the war, writers created
younger solider characters as representative of the youth with aspiration,
will to compete for independence. This was character with image of heroes
in idea, action, quality. The writers did not pay attentions to personality
development of the character, they only focused on reflecting beauty in
war context. After 1975, there were suitable changes, expression of
children character in war. Children characters, therefore, still attached their
lives with war years of their people with heroic quality, shap, however,
other characteristics were bad outcomes and hear-breaking by the war.


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Children character in war context was expressed with heart-breaking
as victims. Children character was expressed bad outcomes in children

souls, for example Luong in Sa Ky Once Upon a Tim, Childhood Hard
Luck. The death of character was used as loss, injury rather than feat of
arms, hardship in period before 1975.
In movies and photography, image of children in war was truly
recoded through documentary films. In adult literature, children character
also appeared as poor children with no-way, no-future, loss-fixed destiny,
for example, Bird Trail of Nguyen Ngoc Tu, notes To Be in Loved of
Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Basic Sad of Nguyen Ngoc Thuan. However, in children
literature, tragic level was relatively decreased. Though children character
as victims in stories for children after 1975 was decreased in terms of
mananimousness, they did not “to be stone dead”. Although the character
was born in disadvantaged context or be in tricky situation, he/she always
overcame the context, the destiny, changing their destiny. The character
was not existed as opinion, he/she was lively, active, changeable.
From image of children in war, writings for children in period after
1975 showed that beside brave characteristics, children character was
regarded as war victims, small and weak people against violence of the
war.
3.2.1.2. Life victims
Modern life with market economy has made family base unstable.
When the war ended, people faced with subsistence life. Parents had not so
much time to take care their children, their family. Sometimes, adults also
were felt by bad aspects of open period so that they abandoned their
children or treated unequally with their children. In this situation, children
once again became victims in family and school themselves. This had
strong influences on image of children character in writings after 1975
with two kinds of life victim character, drifting character and resigning
characters.
Drifting character has appeared in world children literature as well as
urban literature of the South of Vietnam such as vagrant children in Duyen

Anh‟s stories. However, this type of drifting character in period after 1975
possesses different features.
Compared with urban story of the South before 1975, drifting
children character in period after 1975 was separated from his/her family
too, drifting, living by himself/herself, however the character was always
protected by kind people, coming back their home. Drifting process was
process of thinking, self-exploring life values.


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Before 1975, children character was in large social context, in
collective space such as solider units, cooperatives, Socialist schools, etc.
After 1975, children character was saw in smaller and smaller space and
relationships, closely with life, suitable with their size such as family,
class, friends. In this context, children were not mirror citizens of life, not
minimized adults. Children were brought back weak, small position in the
society, being without power voice and unrespected. Children were
victims of real life with many disadvantages. In other words, children
character have to be accepted knock of the author. Children characters
have no powers, no protections to do their dreams in being adult who lived
separately with readers in respects.
Before August Revolution, there was resigning character, however,
the writers used to focus on effect of unhappy life on character life. As we
mentioned in chapter 1, destiny of children character use to go with lives of
the poor, the unhappy in society. The writers reasoned humbleness of the
character through social aspects. Children were poor, humble because they
have to live in dull society, in poor situation of the miserable and poor. That
is common destiny of people before August Revolution. Children literature
before 1975 also concentrated on that situation, however, the writers

explored the situation in terms of life attached with children matters such as
family, school, teachers, for example, Thi in Run Away story, Duy and
Tham in Orphaned in Life, Kiem in Kiem – Boy – Human, etc.
Children were victims of adult relationships: the father - mother
relationship.
Dream and hope of children character were beautiful things – the
nature of children or common thinking trend of children. This also
explained why children like fairy tales. This is feature of stories for children
in which the situation was not so pessimistic so that the characters always
have good qualities, for example Pippi Long Stockings and Small Princess
of F.H. Burnett, etc.
In general, by designing image of children character as victims of
war and life, the writers showed changes in their view about children in
period after 1975. Children not only were brave in the war, hard working,
hard learning but also joint in shouldering losses, heart-breaking of the
people in the war. Along with changes in new life, children were victim
too – small destiny in lethal weapon and in the bitter of life.
3.2.2. Experiencing children character
After war, sense of “self” awaked, people interested in find
themselves. From using social point as reference, literature now use


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privacy – world affairs, human fate to estimate reality and look back the
past. Therefore, autobiography became new prospect, attracting many
modern writers‟ interests.
In correlation with adult literature, children autobiography of children
literature is a way in innovating writing style (as common trend of adult
literature) as indispensable truth in looking back childhood memory, forming

children a new world – a different world with reality of the writers.
It is experiencing children character which stand for the self –
children – writer character appeared in childhood autobiography writing.
The writer develops children image – story teller for readers about lives,
human beings in that children image. Those are people, lives with
obsession, generalization which make readers feel their childhood in those
characters.
Experiencing children character have been appeared before August
Revolution in some memoirs pages such as Childhood Days of Nguyen
Hong, Wild Grass of To Hoai, etc. These pages virtually disappeared in
period from 1945 to 1975. The reason may come from revolutionary life
with ranges of events happened, in which writers have to become people
transferring those historical changes, expressing magnanimous war of the
people. Therefore, the writers had no time to look back the past. After
1975, the writers came back this theme on basis of period before 1945.
However, in their writings, there were not only childhood with happiness,
sadness but also acknowledge about war, life, children, adults, childhood,
etc. In recognizing about experiencing children character, we can see
innovations in reality and human being feelings, especially children
opinions of the writers.
As far as we concerned, in terms of serving children, experiencing
children character sometimes was regarded as “older” children because of
their missions in explaining problems which need many life experiences.
Inevitably, when writing story in first person and when an adult writing
about a child, even his/her childhood period, self of writer – adult mixes
children‟s voice who was imagined to express life concerns.
The existence of experiencing children character in children
literature writing brings us explanation about relatively enlargement of
receivers of writings for children. This character is not only for children
but also for adult readers. The character not only tell children story but

also past matters, present matters as well. This explains why there were
works published from Kim Dong Publishing House as well as writing
awards for children, but children are not interested in so much as adults.


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3.2.3. The innocent children characters
Segregation of innocent children characters into a separate type
does not negative the previous opinions, heroic children characters, street
children, experienced children characters ... who are not innocent. In these
previous types of children characters, the innocence and impartiality were
still sketched by writers when they drew the appearance of the characters.
However, the dominance of these characters were the scratches with life so
the innocence became minor and rapidly disappeared, or prone to thinking
life so the natural innocence, original innocence were no longer existed. In
some later writings, we realized more clearly that the natural innocent and
unborn features of children were placed on top- ranking, and was used as
the highlights in the building of children images.
After 1975, beside the educational aspects, children's literature has
been paying more attention to aestheticism. Until the 90s, under the
requirements of „the open‟ period and when the society has stronger
records in the way of looking at children or when writers have some
changes in the way of showing more about the images of children
characters for approaching readers, the children's literature starts to focus
more on individual aesthetic requirements. This has brought an
opportunity to create children characters whose key features are innocence,
natural characteristic.
It can be seen that the number of innocent children characters in
Vietnamese children stories was limited. This illustrates a fact that the

writers seem to focused so much on the educational aspects, then they
forgot to let the children characters became more childlike. When a writing
is created from its own aesthetic conceptions of childhood, when a
character has the life of a child, that writing and that character can be
interested to and welcome by children. Currently, in children's literature of
Vietnam there is only one author named Nguyen Nhat Anh could be
qualified these requirements of children.
The innocence, mischievousness of characters in Nguyen Nhat Anh‟s
stories have a continuation from the traditional context flow through the
writings of Duyen Anh.
Returning to a child-like innocence is always a deep aspiration of
the man. The child characters in the writings of Nguyen Huy Thiep and
Pham Thi Hoai (although they did not write for children) were portrayed
as a world salvation. Children, in the creations of Thiep and Hoai, are the
final storage of Kindness and the Beautiful. Thu (The Mother Soul) and
Hon (The Angel) are such characters. The purity, holiness in the souls of


18

children like Thu and Hon are magical light shining in the dark minds and
sprawling of lies, cruelties and injustices of adults. When people fall into
the bottom of the pain and the despair, then the innocence and pristine
holiness of children are the ultimate salvation. If children's literature builds
the image of innocent children as a way of confirming the nature
properties belonging to the children and belonging to children's literature,
the adult literature creates the children patterns with the beauty of holiness
and rusticness as a refuge for all the faults of humanity and as the last
place to save the Beauty and Kindness.
In conclusion, studying deeply about the innocence of children

characters, children stories after 1975 showed that the new conception of
writers about children and about children's literature. The innocent and
pure children characters also contributed to bring the writings closer to
children readers. It also showed the inevitable trend of writing for children,
beside the value of education, and children's literature should be asymptote
of humane values in this particular type of writings.
3.2.4. Children characters with initial emotion
In the period 1945-1975, the emotions of adolescence were virtually
absent in the child characters, except some of the characters in the writings
in the south of Vietnam. In the last period of this literary stage, there was
some good appearance through the images of Thu and Hoan in Dinh Bang
Volunteering Teenager Team – Xuan Sach, Bui and Phuong in When
Spring Coming – Le Phuong Lien. However, the emotional aspect of
adolescence was slightly portrayed slightly or was transformed into same
style–mind emotion.
After 1975, children's literature has dominantly showed the writings for
pupil ages. At the first stage, there were some writings such as: short story
collections Where are you now?, Past Chrysopogon of Tran Thien Huong,
Gift of the Age of Le Thi Thu Thuy, White Pele of Hoang Da Thi, Short
Hair of Nguyen Thi Chau Giang, Little to Remember, Blue Eyes, ThreePeople Room, The Girl Coming from Yesterday, Red Summer, Five-Seat
Table, School Girl, Rose in Different Places ... of Nguyen Nhat Anh.
About 10 years ago, there were some new writers born in 80s and 90s in
Twenty Century such as Phong Ling, Du Quynh Thy, Le Vu Tu Uyen,
Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Y, Do Tu Cuong, Lam Moon, ... Even there was a very
young writer named Minh Nhat who was at 12 Physical specialized grade
of Hanoi – Amsterdam High School and started to write short stories when
he was in grade 10. He has two published writings: A sudden-Nice day and
The choice of Sky.

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The appearance of children characters with adolescent emotions
showed the renewed-interest as well as the respect of the writer to the
romantic stage. The writers have opened the door of soul with daze,
timidness, excitements, … of the adolescence stage. In that stage, the
writers can light up their own passed time in their lives and the readers can
look at their feelings in the innocent and dreaming images.
3.2.5. The romantic-childish hero character
The romantic heroes in children's literature are similar to the heroes
in fairy tales, both have a standard set of personalities such as strength,
bravery, dedication,... The premise for the birth of the romantic childish
hero character is idealization of childhood during the romantic era. It is
believed that the innocence of children is able to conquer devils.
Therefore, only children have full strength and were tasked to against the
dark powers. At a certain aspect, the romantic childish hero character is
quite similar to the legendary hero of the epic at some points, such as
heroic characteristics, super powers, a process of conquering the challenge.
However, the biggest differences between these two types of characters are
that the romantic childish hero character returns to the original space and
be stripped the power of the hero. Even in some cases, this character is
shifted out of the legendary elements and returns to the real life aspects.
This reflects a fact about the correlation between the strength of the
children and adults in the society. When the character returns to the real
life without supporting, the power of adult is reconstructed.
There are a variety of characters like the romantic childish hero
characters in the world. These include Harry Potter, Percy Jackson (Percy
Jackson and Olympiad Gods - Rick Ridordan), Jason (The Heroes of
Olympus - Rick Ridordan ), Pevensie children (The Chronicles of Narnia CS Lewis ) Josh (Joshua Profile - MGHarris ), ... Among these characters,
Harry Potter is the one mostly influencing Vietnamese readers.

In Vietnam, the romantic hero characters are also used to appear in
the folk tales, such as Thanh Giong, So Dua, Thach Sanh, Tam Cam, ...
Although these folk tales were initially created not for children but the
compatibility between traditional thinking and childhood thinking have
made children to become easier to approach folk literature. Before the
August Revolution, there was the appearance of fake-fairy tales created
with the purpose for children such as "The more Greedy, The more
Losable" - Nguyen Van Nghiem, Dream of Prince Consort - Vi Ho, A
Ceramic Pot - Khai Hung, A Small World - Khai Hung, ... However,
similar to fairy tales, children characters in these stories were still weaker


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than supporters and most of them witnessed the magic but did not really
have their own magic. After 1945, the Revolution Literature has appeared
heroic childish characters but children in this period could not go beyond a
reality space. They became heroes because they are products of the heroic
era. The childish hero characters in this period were the mean of though
transmission and play a role in encouragement, support the battles and
present a good example to educate children.
Despite existence of romantic hero characters in folk creation and
their wide influence in the foreign literature, but in Vietnam, this type of
character has not been focused on yet, except two typical writings:
Langbiang Stories and A Battle with Fantom Planet.
In general, Vietnamese children's literature still lacks of fantasy
writings with the images of a romantic-childish hero.
It can be said that the construction of the romantic-childish hero
characters has demonstrated the efforts of writers in bringing children‟s
literature to younger readers. It not only shows the changes in the way of

approaching the reality of composers but also confirms the efforts of
writers to grasp and to understand the specific aesthetic values of
children‟s literature.
3.3. THE FEATURES IN BUILDING CHILDREN CHARACTERS
IN CHILDREN'S STORIES AFTER 1975
3.3.1 . Character description in different aspects linking and close to
children
3.3.1.1. Variety in character portraits
3.3.1.2 .Character personalization
3.3.2. The efforts in building children language system
3.3.2.1. Conversational language system
Salutation: Formal, you - me => Informal, you - me
Vulgar, innocent words
Language with features specific on era and technology
Parody saying
Adults Imitating = > Abolish the complex thinking of adult
Respect the naive and shaky express of children
With childhood language, innovating the language by selecting a
language that is thought to be emptiness and meaningless of children were
considered as a creative trend of literary in some Russian artistic authors.
In a study with the title "Early aesthetics of Russian art", author Sara
Pankenier showed the relationship between children language and strategy


21

of using children vocabulary, tone, outlook in innovating the language of
some Russian artists during 1930-1939 period.
Bringing conversational language system into character‟s words not
only reflects the trend of democratization in the language of literature after

1975, but for children literature, the appearance of daily life language,
speech in children‟s songs also illustrate the children trend in the words of
children characters. This has significance in innovation, forming exactly
images of the children character and also has a suggestion for the art in
general approach the world from a new potential subject: children.
3.3.2.2 The witty and amusing dialogues
Using laughing features to establish the linguistic system of children
characters
In overseas culture, the laughing features are also exploited by
writers to create a linguistic system of children characters such as Mart
Twain with Adventures of Tom Swayer.
There is a relationship between amusing language of children with
folk laughing features. In folklore, there is a satirical feature aside with
main features. It creates a counterweight, a folk power. There, people had
rebuild a different world, "second world", peripheral and direct against to
the real world. The main characteristics of folk laughing feature to
distinguish it from others and that the satiric laughing feature has "twodirections" (Bakhtin): "it's hilarious and rejoicing, ridicules and mock,
both negative and positive and both death and reborn" (Bakhtin 2006 p.
37). At this point, the folk laughing feature has similarities with the
laughing feature of children. In the children one, it is realized to have
innocence, naughtiness, dethronement and ordainment of children. It's
pure, innocent laughing and this creates a good aesthetic pleasure.
3.3.2.3. Educational and language relationship between narrator and
character languages
There have been many attempts in the creation of early childhood
language system in language expression of children characters in children's
stories after 1975. However, there is an undeniable characteristic of these
literary writings that the narrator (dominantly) is an adult. This decides the
particular traits for language type of characters in children writings and
creates "disputes" in the discourse of characters and the discourse of

authors.
The authors of children literature after 1975 have achievements in
expressing children characters through childish words. We should
acknowledge that it is difficult to completely dismantle the author's writing


22

features – adult words in children characters, since most of the children‟s
literature created by adults. Hence, even writers try to "saw the horns as a
calf", they still feel difficult to hide their taught (the default that adults
want to give to children) or hide their own instructions in the language or
in character‟s words. In some modern children stories from overseas, there
has some evidences in trying to get rid of the presence of authors, such as a
combination of personal narration and personal words, an inclusion of the
self-telling and the telling by witnesses or the monologue telling and the
self-telling, ... Although the efforts in the childish language expression still
need to be continued, there is a world with unique features of the
childhood that humanity should respect.
It can be said that children characters in children's stories after 1975
has been shown in variable and colorful features. The diversity of the type
character types with the new conception in expressing children images has
brought new viewpoints to children‟s literature. The efforts in building
close and suitable characters for children as well as trying to achieve
language expressing methods, to build up character portraits showed the
changes in the attitude of the writers about children. It also demonstrates
the position of children's literature in the general literary of Vietnam.
Children's literature is a part of Vietnam's literature and it needs to have its
own characteristics and should be inspired by the private aesthetic vision.