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| Plot Summary of Little Sister Left Behind |
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"This novel describes the tense existence of Communist Vietnam after the American withdrawal, where a family's life became complicated after the father was put into a concentration camp. The family bond was quickly weakened by the political atmosphere. They attempted to adapt to everyday life, but the family hierarchy, with Father at the top, Mother on the margins and the main character, Summer, left neglected and feeling invisible, caused resentment and hidden hatred that was apparent in the silence of their daily life. As the family overcame the ridicule of neighbors, peeping-toms, near drownings, and marital infidelities, they knew each other a little less.
Finally, they tried to leave the stifling life under the Communist regime by escaping on a boat trip that failed within the first day, losing their fortune to the greed of others. After many failed attempts they were taken to a refugee camp in Bangkok, where Summer was forced to “hold it in” by the barrel of Thai soldier's gun. The trip took them to San Francisco where a “new life” was supposed to begin, and finally to San Jose, California, where old familial bonds were broken by the frustrations of chasing the American Dream.
The frustrations resulted in the parent's divorce. The father's wounded pride, and the innocence of the main character, Summer, came into direct conflict as they tried to live together after the mother left, but things exploded with surprising results. However, Summer's strength and character shone through as she made the best of her situation. The story culminated in the life and death struggle between Father's unrealized aspirations and Summer's fated attempt to free herself from the bonds of tradition and circumstance. This is a touching story of one girl's triumph over her circumstances.
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Charley Trujillo, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Little Sister Left Behind |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- very sensitive (sigh)
Time/era of story
- 1980's-1999
Inside culture (main char)
- Other Asian
Other aspects:
- immigrant story
Culture clash?
- family young v. old guard
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians
Yes
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Conflict:
- War, Vietnam
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Age:
- a kid
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Other Asian
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- doctor
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 4 (a fair amount)
United States
Yes
Asia/Pacific
Yes
Asian country:
- Southeast Asia
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Amount of dialog
- little dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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