Vietgone

Throughout Vietgone, many characters struggle with forced separation from their families and loved ones due to the war. As the Viet Cong closes in on Saigon, Tong and Quang contend with how to save as many of their loved ones as possible despite their limited resources and connections. Tong obtains two tickets of escape from the embassy and begs her brother to join her, though Khue ultimately refuses: “No, Khue, I’m not going to leave you here. I’m not I’m not I’m not! You’re going to go, do you hear me? You’re going to come with me to America and we’re going to become American and eat greasy foods and listen to Elvis!” (31). As the older sibling, Tong feels a strong duty to protect her brother and urges him to join her in building a new life in the US. She understands that the journey toward assimilation will be difficult and wants Khue with her. After he refuses, she struggles in the US because she worries for him and uses their separation to harden herself against becoming emotionally attached to Quang.

Although Khue is Tong’s first choice to come with her to the US, her mother, Huong, joins her instead. For much of the play, Huong and Tong argue and annoy each other: Tong wishes to begin a new life, while Huong hopes to return to Vietnam. As Tong begins to assimilate more and even begins dating Bobby, however, Huong realizes that her daughter needs her support and guidance to avoid entering into a lackluster love life with Bobby: “one amazing daughter who’s a survivor, a warrior, and a woman who saved me from a war…but that doesn’t mean she has to keep fighting on her own alone. Love doesn’t make you weak, it’s what gives us strength during the fight” (89-90).

Huong’s uncharacteristic support for Tong takes her off guard. However, Huong’s guidance leads Tong to a life in which love, whether through family or romance, is a strengthening force. For so long after leaving her beloved brother behind in Vietnam, Tong views love as a weakness, and this holds her back, making it easy for her to commit to Bobby. Once her mother points this out, Tong chooses Quang over Bobby, prioritizing a life of passion and love over one of convenience. Thus, Huong helps her daughter face and overcome her sadness that Khue isn’t with them, as well as build a new family with a man who prioritizes Tong’s well-being rather than his own. In helping her daughter, Huong comes to embrace their new life as a family in the US. Ultimately, her love for her daughter enables Huong to overcome her own resistance to leaving her life in Vietnam behind.