Paradise of the Blind

How is the setting in Russia described differently from the settings in Vietnam?

Why does Que struggle to choose sides between her brother and her husband’s family? What obligation does she feel towards each?

Describe Chinh’s way of speaking. What vocabulary and rhetorical methods does he use, and how does this contrast with Tam’s way of speaking?

To what extent is Chinh responsible for the devastation he oversees during Land Reform? Does his ideology justify his actions?

Que and Chinh share resemblances; Tam, Ton, and Hang share resemblances. What is the role of appearance in this novel? Why is it significant that Hang looks like her father?

How does Aunt Tam navigate the conversation with the village Vice President when he’s at her home for Hang’s celebration feast? What does she say that might be dangerous given the political atmosphere, and how does she manage to still say these things without getting herself into trouble?

How is success defined for characters in this novel? Who is successful, and in what ways?

How do Que, Tam, and Hang each sacrifice in different ways? How are their sacrifices similar? What sacrifices do male characters make in this novel?