Themes in my Enemy in Vietnam

Use this forum to discuss the March 2022 Book of the month, "My Enemy in Vietnam" by Billy Springer
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Owuamanam Eberechukwu
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Themes in my Enemy in Vietnam

Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

Racism is a factor that is inarguably present during the Vietnamese war. The author also portrayed Racism and its effect on the black soldiers. What other themes did you find sociological in the book.
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Post by Pauline Parnell »

Other themes that are prevalent in "My Enemy in Vietnam" are friendship and acceptance. Clearly, the Vietnamese understood that there was some commonality between them and a black soldier such as being disliked and oppressed by others. They demonstrated that by calling him 'soul brother'.
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Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

Pauline Parnell wrote: 02 Mar 2022, 04:16 Other themes that are prevalent in "My Enemy in Vietnam" are friendship and acceptance. Clearly, the Vietnamese understood that there was some commonality between them and a black soldier such as being disliked and oppressed by others. They demonstrated that by calling him 'soul brother'.
Beautifully said. I can as well add that, no matter the level of isolation, someone will accept you the way you are. Someone will value u the way you are. It’s a beautiful book
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Post by Gabriela Contreras »

My first thought was racism, but I think it goes beyond that. I believe that this book portrays how impossible it is to be truly alone, that when we start opening our hearts and seeing beyond our noses, we can find someone who will do their best to accept and understand us. I think is a very eye-opening scene that the Vietnamese people question black soldiers about their motivations, the fact that they are helping the white soldiers do to them what they have been doing to their people (black communities) for so long.

I think this book can also teach us about solidarity and empathy.
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Post by cutemami »

Companionship is an integral part of every human being's life. A lot of us have something to learn about accepting each other from this book. Being black or belonging to a different culture should not be the basic upon which we judge each other in this world.
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Post by Cristina Corui Mihailescu »

Being black, fighting in a war that you don't belong to, learning the language of the locals because that seems natural to him, all these make the main character to be a real hero.
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Post by Adaeze Joan »

What I dislike reading about in a book most times is racism,.which was inevitable during the Vietnam war. The theme I liked best was that of friendship.
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Post by 5_tourmaline »

There is companionship and friendship. Soldiers from different sides shared some good moments. Although, the Vietnamese war was brutal. The moments of solidarity and empathy should not be forgotten.
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Post by Reading_Jack »

I would say Social inequality. A culture and group of people feels superior to the other and tries to suppress. This could also mean racism, as they go hand in hand. I would also say unity, which was demonstrated between the Vietnamese and the black soldiers.
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Post by Miriam Kenneth »

Except for racism, I saw friendship, acceptance, and unity. The author's knowing of the Vietnamese is one of the reasons he was accepted by them. And there's the unity between the Vietnamese and the black soldiers.
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Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

cutemami wrote: 02 Mar 2022, 11:32 Companionship is an integral part of every human being's life. A lot of us have something to learn about accepting each other from this book. Being black or belonging to a different culture should not be the basic upon which we judge each other in this world.
A good point too. Companionship and living beyond the societal tag. Although it takes a lot of strength to live beyond this tag, but companionship makes it easier.
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Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

Cristina M wrote: 02 Mar 2022, 13:57 Being black, fighting in a war that you don't belong to, learning the language of the locals because that seems natural to him, all these make the main character to be a real hero.
Yes, and it widened his scope. Opened the protagonist and to possibilities and thought the reader ways of living beyond what the society offers.
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Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

Adaeze Joan wrote: 02 Mar 2022, 14:23 What I dislike reading about in a book most times is racism,.which was inevitable during the Vietnam war. The theme I liked best was that of friendship.
Yes Joan Racism remains a goal we all need to be committed to. We need to ensure a free and friendly world for our unborn children. Through writing and pointing out dangers of racism, I think we are taking a positive step to bringing to racism to check
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Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

5_tourmaline wrote: 02 Mar 2022, 16:28 There is companionship and friendship. Soldiers from different sides shared some good moments. Although, the Vietnamese war was brutal. The moments of solidarity and empathy should not be forgotten.
Exactly, and this is the power of the story. The author presented the Vietnamese war in a different light. Far beyond the piles of dead body to other intricacies that made the war
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Post by Salah bourouba »

judgment and inferiority, the war in Vietnam or racism, in general, exists because some people feel superior to others even though all of us are humans and if we were to be stripped and left with nothing but ourselves we all have the same body and organs, so that superiority is something that was planted into people through the years if we all earn to accept and believe that we are equal, no war or racism would happen
Recite in the name of your Lord who created [*] Created man from a clinging substance [*] Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous [*] Who taught by the pen [*] Taught man that which he knew not.
The Quran. Surah Al Alaq
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