Trip to Hanoi

In “Trip to Hanoi,” the author portrayed the North Vietnamese is a VERY amiable light. Throughout reading this excerpt, I vividly saw the North Vietnamese’s courtesy towards these Americans, who they are currently having a war against, and their sincere interest in America. To be honest, it surprised me. As an American, it is hard to accept the fact that we didn’t show the North Vietnamese the same treatment as they had given us. This was already something that I had been exposed to in Platoon, when the American soldiers invaded the North Vietnamese village, attempted to rap a little girl, burned down buildings, abused the villagers, and treated them as animals. At first, I was confused as to why they were treating the villagers that way, but then the friend I was watching it with explained that the villagers were producing food and weapons for the enemy. However, knowing that they were helping the “other side” still didn’t justify the way the villagers were treated.

Now, on the other end of the spectrum, we are presented with the forgiving North Vietnamese. Sontag describes their generosity towards their “American friends” and how the best was always provided for the visitors. In going through a process of having to shed her (was anyone else surprised to find that the author is a woman?!?) American views and learn to adapt to the North Vietnamese ways, she also leads the reader to shed off their own personal views. This is the classic example of stepping outside the box and looking at things objectively. It was a process that was subtle, but effective. As she slowly accepted and saw the beauty of the North Vietnamese people, I slowly saw the beauty as well.

She portrays the North Vietnamese is such a different light. The word “communist” brings a negative connotation into my brain, and probably into a lot of other Americans’ brains. However, the North Vietnamese that I read about in “Trip to Hanoi” didn’t fit my stereotypical “Communist” picture.

I applaud her rhetoric skills in leading me to view something in a different perspective, and not letting me realize it until it had already happen.

One criticism I have though, is that sometimes I felt as if she was talking about perfect human beings and over idealizing the North Vietnamese. Personally, I have been to Vietnam, and I didn’t see the dressed-up people and sexually pure Vietnamese. Granted, I had gone to South Vietnam and went many years after the war, so ideas, morals, and standards may have changed. For that, I am hesitant to make my decision.