Immigration
Thi Bui's graphic memoir, The Best We Could Do, represents the Vietnamese immigrant experience after the Vietnam War. Her family's story is something like a mirror of what so many went through when they fled their country, seeking safety and a better life. Like an entryway to understanding these imigrations, why they happened and just how much strength it takes to survive and do well in a new place.
The War in Vietnam (1955–1975) destroyed the country and displaced millions. The fall of Saigon in 1975 was the end of the war but the beginning of a huge migration. Many of those who fled the country encountered terrible conditions. Many became "boat people" escaping on overcrowded boats. I find this particularly interesting as we’ve seen boats frequently illustrated in the background in the first couple of chapters of the novel, Bui is likely paying homage to what real Vietnamese immigrants had to experience. Braving pirates, storms, and starvation, refugee camps in countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines were overcrowded with very poor living conditions and a lack of basic resources.
However Vietnamese immigrants in the United States faced challenges beyond survival. Cultural and language barriers were gigantic. Many came with little or nothing at all, and dropped into strange communities where economic and racial discrimination were rampant. Besides the difficulty in adjusting to a new culture, the trauma of war often caused deep emotional strain.
Despite such hardships, Vietnamese immigrants have contributed a lot to their new communities, building up neighborhoods like Little Saigon in California, focusing on education, being resilient, and working hard.
Bui's memoir brings those daily struggles to the reader intimately, presenting her family's experience as both very personal and universal. It invites readers to reflect on the always strong Vietnamese immigrants who forged new lives out of unimaginable loss. The book does not just preserve history; it creates empathy by connecting us with legacies of strength passed down through generations.
Aarush, I liked how you gave real examples of Vietnamese immigrants like Thi Bui's family actually establishing themselves in communities like Little Saigon to show that the book actually represents many cases of "boat people" making it to America and finding success.
ReplyDeleteAarush I found your reflection on Thi Bui's use of visual motifs like boats to honor the troubling journeys of Vietnamese immigrants. Your emphasis on the resilience /contributions of the community despite challenges serves as a reminder of their strength and legacy.
ReplyDeleteAarush, your comprehensive history of vietnameese immigrants has helped me see thi's story in a new light. I really liked how you outlined how you didn't show how much they struggled, but instead how much they overcame. Thid blog post really outlined how inspiring their stories truly are.
ReplyDeleteIt's very helpful to be aware of the background, historical events that occur during a novel or story. Their perseverance despite difficult hurdles is incredibly inspiring aswell.
ReplyDeleteAarush, I liked how you used the term “boat people” and how boats have been in the background of the chapters. I hadn’t noticed this before and I found it really interesting. I also liked how you didn’t focus on the struggles of immigrants and rather focused on the accomplishments they’ve achieved.
ReplyDeleteI like how you connected Thi Bui's and her Family's experience with the immigration process and connected it to the broader context of the world. I like how you covered a lot on the current geopolitical of the era as well.
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